Musken

FOUR SEASONS BOSPHORUS, ISTANBUL

Arrival
We had booked the FS pick up service (operated by an outside company) and were met after clearing customs, not at the airplane as we had been told by the FS concierge. It turned out that there are two different options for pick up, and that we had only paid for the “normal” version, not the VIP version where one is met at the airplane. It took a phone call to the hotel to clarify this. No problem, however, as we were able to get fast visas and through passport control (a special line for business class passengers, and we had been upgraded :-) and got our suitcases quickly. Drive was fast and comfortable, faster than we had been told, only around 20 minutes instead of 40. Towels and cold water in the car. Driver was not very fluent in English, but OK.

At the hotel we were greeted in a very nice way and appreciated that also senior
mgmt came along to welcome us.

Room
We were taken to our room, a courtyard view in the Palace wing, which was a room that we were not very happy with. The lack of view did not disturb us as we were aware of that, but the room itself was very business hotel like and really much smaller than any room we have had in other FS hotels around the world. With the extra bed for our son, it felt cramped, so we called the manager we had just met, and asked to see an alternative room. The hotel was fully booked, so he could not accommodate our request. However, he mentioned that he might have a room available next day that we would be able to see later. When seeing the room (a 1 BR Bosphorus Palace suite in the first floor open solution with loft style bedroom separated by steps from the living room) we were hesitating to move rooms as there was no real separated bed and living room and it was almost 10 times as expensive as the room that we had booked, but hearing that we would get to move to this suite as an upgrade, made us very happy, of course. The suite is different from most others that I have seen. It is around 80 sq. meters but feels smaller because of the rather strange layout: One enters a little hall, goes from there up a couple of steps where the wardrobe are is (lots of space so we actually put the bed for our son there in front of the cupboards). Past the wardrobe one comes into the bedroom area (large, comfortable bed, mini bar, a sofa, TV) from where one can enter the bathroom (double sinks, separate room for toilet, separate room for wonderful rain shower plus large tub and TV) or go down some stairs to the living are with a writing desk in one end and sofa/chairs and large TV in the other end). We really enjoyed the view of Bosphorus from the huge windows which could be seen from the bed (fully automatic curtains to open in the morning) and from the living room and the space of the room, but to be honest, this is a room that I would never have booked and paid for myself because of the strange floor plan and the very high price (I have stayed in entry level rooms in many FS resorts or Amanresorts which has been equally large, had a much better layout and a MUCH lower rate). Also I missed a terrasse to sit outside.

There were complimentary fresh fruit (the very best cherries I have ever tasted), snacks and water in the room each day plus an afternoon or turndown snack (Turkish sweets, cheese with honey, a little dessert or cake for our son). Our son also got a welcome amenity. In our first room there was a Nespresso machine for my morning coffee. This was not in the suite, and when we asked for one to be put in, they came with a complete rollaway table to put it on as there was not really an appropriate space with electricity for such a machine in the suite.

Overall atmosphere
I must admit that this is a difficult one as the hotel is a business hotel to a large extent (lots of business people there all the time and business like rooms and – to some extent - decoration) but also resort like (especially the terrasse and around the pool) and also a palace (but less so than I expected). I did not feel there was one feel to all of the hotel. I also did not feel really at home there.

Food
We had breakfast in Aqua every morning. A nice buffet with a large selection, especially good fresh fruit and Turkish cheese and honey plus sweet and savory dishes to be ordered ala carte. We also had one light dinner in Aqua which we enjoyed. Good service and atmosphere there. For the other meals during our 4 night’s stay, we went out to eat. Of our meals, we particularly enjoyed the Tugra Ottoman restaurant in the Kempisky Palace hotel next door to the FS.

Pool
The pool is at the far end of the hotel terrasse and feels like a wonderful oasis after a busy day of sightseeing in the city. Service good, refreshments served during the day, nice little private cabbanas, and drinks from the pool-bar (where you can also have meals). Only strange thing was that we were not served complimentary water by the pool.

Spa
Had one haman treatment which I enjoyed a lot. Beautiful spa, even if they had locker area rather than full spa suites, it felt very luxurious and I enjoyed coming early to use the steam room and sauna before my treatment.

Gym
Large gym with lots of equipment, water and other drinks plus apples. Quite busy in the late afternoon early evening, but still no problem to work out since it was so spacious and had so much equipment.

Service
I was in touch with mainly the concierge before arrival and he coordinated the total planning (restaurant and spa reservations, taxi boats, arrival and departure). While I always got quick responses and some very good recommendations, some of my questions were not answered properly at first and I ended up making quite a lot of changes to the original plan after I (slowly) got the full pictures. For example: We had been recommended taxi boats for transfer to and from the old city because of heavy traffic. However, found out later that taxi boats has to be pre-booked (also return pick ups) and that time changes are very difficult, meaning we would rather go by normal taxi after a meal to avoid rushing or having to wait, and even later found out that also the hotel pick up times were not very accurate (15 minutes late first morning) plus finding out that taxis were very much quicker (no problem with traffic jams most of the day) and extremely much cheaper, we ended up cancelling all but the first water taxi trip. I would have much preferred to know all of this in advance and plan accordingly. Also it happened twice that we felt rather underdressed as tourists in sightseeing outfit at restaurants during lunch and would have preferred to know that in spite of the casual dress code, most restaurant guests would be in business attire.

The hotel was so large that we did not feel recognized and were not addressed with name except sometimes.

Housekeeping was sometimes excellent and sometimes sloppy.

Some mistakes were treated as if it was us doing something wrong. For example, we wanted to order food for our son in room one night and did not find the in room dining menu in the room. When we called for it, we were told "the menu is on the table" (it wasn't!!!) and had to ask again for them to bring it.

However, in between we received really excellent and personal service, especially front desk and concierge (who we got to know best) would treat us in a very good way.

Children
Our son loved that he got new bed linens with different themes every day (racing car, Harry Potter, sports etc.) His welcome gift was not really appropriate for his age, but still appreciated. Kids menu good (but now when he is 9, I wish they would not offer him these anymore – or that they would have an “older kids menu” to avoid only pizza and pasta and no vegetables…) Kids menu was also a booklet to color while waiting for the food. The pool was the highlight for him. It is so far from the restaurants and common areas that we did not feel that kids playing in the water would disturb anyone, which is good. There is a separate non-swimming-kids-area in the pool, but we do not need this anymore. Also some water games for kids available. The bartender at the pool let him make his own fruit drinks, like at Amanpulo last year! Great.

Overall
I would go back for the pool area which is paradise after the hectic and busy city shopping and sightseeing. However, the price I would need to pay for the room I would like to have, would simply be so high that I would splurge somewhere else if I would need to make a choice.

Departure
We were driven by the hotel driver in the FS Mercedes limo (no clue which one it was, but it looked very nice and was very spacious). Turkish airlines offers a separate check in area for business class passengers and gold card holders and we were taken there, quite a bit away from the normal terminal (actually a separate "gate" and a bus taking business class passengers directly to the plane - great idea, but....) After checking in, we were told to walk over to the normal terminal as my husband's gold card would only allow for one guest in the lounge, not "the whole" family (all other places we have been able to join him without discussion). Our car had left and it took us quite some discussion before being allowed in all three of us. Just a little note in case you plan a similar lounge access situation.