Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: IB+ Gold, TK E+, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, IHG Diamond
Posts: 14,181
IIRC the free hotel only applies when you take the next available flight to your final destination, but the layover is so long that an overnight stay in a hotel is needed. (many destinations have awkward timings for connecting and/or don't run daily)
Just booking an optional stopover in Istanbul doesn't necessarily entitle you to a free hotel.