Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel

I didn't like this hotel. It's located in a real dump. There's a metro nearby, but the line is completely unused. The bus situation is better; you can get to Fatih in 20 minutes. Opposite the hotel is a huge abandoned shopping center that you constantly have to walk around or cut through the Migros supermarket to get anywhere. There are functioning malls, streets with shops, and cafes about 20 minutes away. Our room had a luxurious view, and there were bathrobes and an iron, but the air conditioning couldn't be adjusted! You could only turn it on to one temperature or turn it off, which was incredibly inconvenient. I was constantly cold at night. Room cleaning was mediocre. Breakfasts were edible, but the selection wasn't extensive. The coffee was instant, and the juices were watered down. The hotel seemed to cater mostly to locals. After 12 PM, they would fill the pool, making it impossible to swim. There were few sun loungers and even fewer umbrellas. Service was non-existent – we had to get towels and umbrellas ourselves. On weekend evenings, the hotel hosts events. During our stay, there were two weddings, with noise until midnight. We booked a room with lounge access. It's open until 11 PM, and you can have tea or a can of soda there, and there's fruit. From 5 PM to 7 PM, snacks appear, including three hot dishes, beer, and wine. For two out of three days, these dishes were enough for us, and we didn't go out for dinner.

Overall, it was good. We arrived at 12 PM and had to wait for our room. The front desk struggled with the credit card machine; it kept failing. I suspect they were trying to process my VISA card using the UnionPay option. No wonder all my other purchases outside the hotel went through without a hitch, but it wouldn't work once I got to their hotel!

The sea view room offers excellent value for money, and the breakfast is pretty good too. The service was fantastic; when I didn't have local currency for a taxi in the morning, someone helped me communicate with the driver using euros. It was a really great experience!

The location is convenient and the service is good.

My favorite hotel in Istanbul.