Avicenna Hotel

My review is based in due respect to the very low price I paid per night, I think one always has to take that in consideration. My room was extremely small and the heating was barely working. As it was quite cold in Istanbul, I did ask to make the heating work and they did. The room was very clean however and I felt comfortable. The Staff of the Hotel is extremely friendly and professional and they do speak very well english, once help is needed. Even the breakfast buffet is fair enough, again, this aint no 5 Star place and I knew that before. So overall a very good place to stay if your expectations aren't too high. Also very close to the famous Mosques and the incredible huge Bazaar.

We had a very nice stay! However, its a personal thing whether you like the Hotel. You will like it if you: - like the style (look at the photos) - love nicely and consistently designed interior - want to have drink or meal on on the restaurant terrace with a wonderful view over the Bosporus You won't like it if you: - insist on solid craftmanship of housebuilding (if yes, are you sure you will like Istanbul?) - don't like to change rooms in case you are not 100% satisfied. Some rooms don't have WiFi coverage. There are quiet and not so quiet rooms.

Nothing was too much trouble from the word go, 'NO' is a word the staff do not even think of saying. Take your own teabags,fruit juices can be bought in local shop otherwise hotel charges for them- but you can't blame them when pennies matter. Ideal location for Blue Mosque, etc., we walked everywhere even to Taksim Square- 40 minutes but go via Galata Tower and your half way there.

I was a very happy customer, with a very friendly staff and a good breakfast

Call ahead and have them arrange for the airport shuttle, half price of taxi and no great delay. Friendly and eager to help staff, were able to store luggage for early arrival and start our museum hopping and restaurant sampling in Istanbul. Breakfast was simple but adequate and was included to the rather reasonable room price. The only negative was the room size, which was very cramped, bath and shower tiny! However, clean , with free WiFi. The location more than made up for the cramped accommodations, waling distance from Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi, Grand Bazaar. Fun and safe to discover the old city Would recommend staying, but would consider the deluxe rooms for an additional 30 Euros/day if room comfort is important.

The location is fantastic and the design as well, I was on honeymoon trip we need a room a king size bed 1st we shocked once we saw 2 beds besides one another so easily you can fall on the ground!! but the most things which upset me before departure is when the reception guy ask me to pay for extra charges for soft drink from mini bar which we didn't touch or use!!! and then start to cry if we didn't pay for it he will pay I told him it not my mistakes we never touch or use it, anyway I was to hurry to catch my plan I pay but I promise to never back again, the stuff was miserable.

BE AWARE....that the reception desk does not know english very well at all!!! They put me in a room that has windows to the courtyard where there is breakfast in the morning and the hallway door right outside mine. At night people smoking in the courtyard penetrated through your windows. You could hear people talking and slamming the door and walking down the hall. I couldn't open the blinds to the windows because it would be face level to someone sitting in the courtyard. And forget it if you want to sleep in a little bit because like I said breakfast is in the courtyard and everyone eats out there. Breakfast is not all free. Juices you have to pay for. The airport shuttle that was suppose to pick you up at the front of the hotel was 30mins late and then you had to walk up the street and around to get to the shuttle. And the shuttle takes it's sweet time. My flight was at 12pm and I took the 835am shuttle and I barely made it in enough time to get to my gate. Remember you have to go through 3 different lines of security if you are flying internationally. The location was great though and the bed was comfy. There is a restuarant up stairs that the reception fails to tell you about and where it is. I went up there and no one was eating there. While I was waiting for the late shuttle. I over heard a British woman complaining that someone was drilling all night and she couldn't sleep because it sounded like it was right outside her room. She also complained that her sink constantly fills up with water. I feel bad for her because I saw the reception desk and they had no idea what she was saying because they couldn't understand. They just nodded their heads and smiled. A little ridiculous.

Front door is 4 stars hotel . AC didn't work in room ( staff sent ppl over to check but not to fix ) . Noise & vibration because hotel is next to track( tram ) . We had a bad night expirence in Istanbul ( very lucky was ONE night stay only ).

Hotel is in great location near the main sights of Istanbul, the tram and many restaurants. Room was small but comfortable, lower level rooms have small courtyard but no view, could be a littlle claustrophobic for some. Staff were friendly with a little english spoken. Rooftop restaurant and deck with great views of the Bosphoraus. Breakfast had large selection to choose from.

We have just returned from a 4 night stay at Avicenna Hotel Istanbul. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay but it was marred by the fact that the night before we were leavingwhen we asked to settle any payment for minibar etc, we were told that we had not paid for one of our rooms (3 rooms were booked for our party) and that we must settle by paying 861 Turkish Lira. After several phone calls and about 45mins arguing we were told "o.k" - no apology was given for their mistake. All in all the reception staff were rather surly and unhelpful.