Sofitel Istanbul Taksim

"Had a couples hamem with Deniz. It was an amazing experience - just what we needed after traveling for the last 12 days!!!"

"We had a wonderful experience at this hotel! The concierge was incredibly helpful—going above and beyond to guide us to places we couldn’t find and recommending exactly where to go. It made our trip so much smoother. Breakfast was delicious with a great variety to start the day right. The location couldn’t be better: Taksim Square was just steps away, and Istiklal Street was right there, so we didn’t need a taxi for shopping or exploring. Plus, the metro station was right outside the hotel, giving us easy access to the rest of the city. There were several excellent cafes Hafiz Mustafa and Moda as well as restaurants to dine at. Highly recommend for anyone looking for comfort, convenience, and warm hospitality in Istanbul."

"We contacted the hotel by email the day before. We inquired about upgrading to a suite for the highest Diamond status in AccorLimitless. Garen Nazaretyan replied that upon check-in, if such rooms were available at the hotel, we would be upgraded. We arrived in Istanbul. We checked the suites on the Accor app. Yes, the suites were available. We took a taxi to the hotel. Upon arrival at check-in, Okan told us that an upgrade to a suite was not possible because they were out of stock. We showed them in the app that they were available and available for booking. The answer was: yes, we have three suites, but we can't upgrade. Why? Because there aren't many left. The first lie: there are no suites, but as soon as we showed them, they immediately appeared; there just weren't enough. I show him the email with Garen and how he promised an upgrade if a suite was available. Okan can't resolve anything. He calls Candan, the guest relations supervisor. She arrives in 20 minutes. She listens attentively to us. Okay. I'll contact Garen and resolve your issue. And then she just disappears. Another 20 minutes pass. We wait. We ask to speak to the general manager, but they tell us he's not at the hotel. I don't know whether to believe this or not. The receptionists ignore us, explaining that the case is complicated and we need to wait. When we ask: what are we waiting for? Is the room ready or is there a decision on our behalf? The unprofessional staff can't answer any of these questions. They just shrug their shoulders. Terrible unprofessionalism. Finally, after an hour and 10 minutes, a third person, Utku, arrives. He listens to us again and says he won't upgrade. We explain the situation and show him the email confirming that the upgrade will be granted if suites are available. We explain that we specifically came to the hotel under these conditions. That we have the highest Diamond status at Accor Limitless. To which he again responds with something unintelligible, saying there are only three suites available and that the hotel is almost full. The heartless Utku doesn't care at all. I ask: why did Garen deceive us then, or are you lying? They confirmed our arrival, and we're told there's no availability, even though there are rooms... Who's lying? No answer. It turns out everyone at the hotel is lying: from the simple receptionist, Okan, to the reservations manager, Garen, and guest relations manager, Candan. As a result, we waited 75 minutes for who knows what. We weren't upgraded, and we left the hotel in the silence of the unprofessional receptionists. No one apologized or said goodbye, or tried to somehow resolve the situation. Incidentally, we'd called the spa the day before, wasting our time booking treatments. But no one at this hotel cares. Avoid this hotel. The staff here are liars and unprofessional. We wasted a ton of time and stress, paid for two taxis to and from the hotel, and ended up with nothing. A complete scam. Avoid this dishonest place, the Sofitel Istanbul, if possible."