My recent experiences:
May, 2015 flying CDG (Paris) to LAX with stop in IST. Requested the closest hotel to Sultanahmet as we were meeting someone for dinner. Was sent to the Akgün Istanbul Hotel. This is basically a 3 star that they call a 5 star and is not that that close to Sultanahmet (about 20 minutes). Of note: Apparently the Akgun has more than one hotel and, after dinner, the Uber driver took us to the wrong one and then had to locate the correct hotel. Also of note: Uber was a new Mercedes and much nicer than any cab I have ever taken in IST. We arrived from Paris in J and departed to LAX in Comfort Class. An associate that took the same flights two days earlier was sent to the Renaissance Polak.

July, 2015
LAX to BOD (Bordeaux, France) with stop in IST. Arrived in CC, Departed in business. Requested the Wyndam and was told that they do not have an agreement with them. Was sent to the Renaissance Polat. We were given a very nice room with a sea view and were told at the hotel that it was because we were traveling in business. Also had access to the hotel lounge. Nice location and beautiful pool even if not near the main sights.

July 2015 (Yesterday!)
BOD-LAX Arrived to IST in J, Departed in CC. Requested the Renaissance Polat and was told that we could not go there as both legs had to be business! Argued, but it did no good. Requested Courtyard Marriott and was told they did not have an agreement with them. Was sent to WOW Airport Hotel. Not as bad as Akgun but not as nice as the Renaissance Polat. Took a taxi over to the Marina in Yesilkoy (about 5 minutes and less than $10 and had a great dinner and walked along the water.

All three layovers were about 14 hours. I don't think that my requests really made a difference and they sent us to where the bus was going. These were my first experiences with the IST free hotel and I made my requests based on info in this thread and then requested the Renaissance Polat based on my previous experience. When we went to the Polat we were one of two groups. Apparently, the "business passengers" were sent to the Polat and everyone else went to another hotel. In all three cases we did not need to wait very long (either at the hotel desk or for the bus).