Stewie Mac

no.

Well in that case - yea.

Honestly, I don't think so. In the past I've got the Grand Suite, which is okay if you need the space but otherwise underwhelming. They are also not on the club floor, and right at the ends of the corridors. For a raki and balik trip, I'd just take the regular club room.

danger

Do you recall the cost and the journey time?

I have a stay here in late April. I arrive into IST at about 4.30pm and have a tour pick-up at 7pm (from the airport) for an overnight trip to Gallipoli. Ideally I'd like to take my luggage to the hotel and leave it there, then return back to the airport to meet the tour but I don't know if (a) it's economical and (b) if there is enough time. (The tour cannot pick-up at the hotel.0

Stewie Mac

Sorry, I can't help with cost/timing for the Istanbul Airport Transfer, but from experience with cabs I would say that the answer to (b) would be no. Best case, you're looking at 30 minutes from touchdown to taxi rank, then it's 45 minutes each way to the GH, and probably 15 minutes while you sort out leaving your bag... which is 2.25 hours, and gets you back to the airport at 6.45.

And that is *best* case - last two times I've been more like 40 minutes than 5 at immigration, which wouldn't get you kerbside before 5:30. And any kind of traffic snarlup (of which there are many many in Istanbul!) would leave you missing your tour.

In your shoes I'd look to use the left luggage at IST, and either just wait at the airport, or head down to Yesilkoy for a beer overlooking the Bosphorus.

danger

Many thanks for that information. My tour to Gallipoli will deliver me back to downtown Istanbul on Anzac Day (25 April) and I can easily take my luggage with me; I was just hoping to fill in the time between landing and being picked up and avoid taking all my luggage with me. So while I probably won't use the left luggage facility I know now there's no point in hoping for a trip to the Hyatt and back in time. I'll look for this Yesilkoy you speak of!

danger

A Grand Suite King was my confirmed DSU for three nights at this hotel and it was fabulous. A huge suite, very well appointed with great amenities.

There is a an airport-style metal dector inside the man entrance with a security guard in attendance with a hand wand. I was there three days and never once went through it. I've no idea why it's there. The hotel entrance and exit are boomgated and there are bollards in the ground.

I had room service twice and the food was delivered in about 25 to 30minutes. It was well presented and, by hotel standards, I thought quite cheap. A Panini with a basic side salad (instead of chips) and three scoops of homemade sorbet was just TRY40 (about USD19).

The Grand Lounge is very nice and the evening spread is extensive, although I did find the canapés to be a little bit more 'lunch on the go' than actual canapés. Breakfast as a Diamond is only in the lounge. There is a small menu of hot items to order and the cold items are laid out, including an extensive carbohydrate bakery selection.

There is a reasonable size gym with good equipment and a big stock of complimentary bottled water. There is also a sauna and a steam room for both men and women. I prompted the front desk agent for my Diamond 4pm check-out which was then duly applied. The day before my check-out I enquired about extending my stay until 6pm, which would have set me back EUR75 plus tax. Declined!

I'm not sure this hotel is in a good location but it's not in a bad one either. It's a short walk to Taksim Square where there is a metro station and heaps of shopping in nearby streets. Taxis are cheap. It cost me TRY70 to get to the airport in a journey that took about 50 minutes (although the hotel told me to expect about 75 minutes and about TRY65). That said, traffic is horrendous, all day, everyday, everywhere.

XCstud

I stayed here with the family over easter weekend and had a DSU to a king suite on the 8th floor and I'll echo a lot of the comments of the previous poster.

The room was great - large living room with dining table desk and wrap around sofa. No sofabed, but the sofa is large enough and has nice wide flat cushions for somebody to sleep on. They brough sheets and a blanket and we used the living room sofa as a bed for our 3 yr old. They even woudl put a bottle of water and glass on a small stool next to the couch and turn down her bed during the evening turndown service.

We got a welcome fruit plate and bottle of wine in addition to the 1000 pt diamond amenity. They didn't take a credit card at check in which I didn't realize at the time - not sure if that is normal or just an inexperienced guy at the desk - but I ordered room service one night and they couldn't charge it to the room and the guy had to come back and take a credit card to pay for the meal. I went down to the front desk the next morning and gave them my credit card to run so that I could charge to the room.

Room service food was good and extremely cheap by room service standards. No delivery fee or additional service charge were added to the bill like I see in most hotels. I had a nice cheeseburger for 30 TL.

We went to the Easter brunch at the 34 restuarant and it was amazing. 75 TL for all you can eat with tea, coffee and water included. I'm not sure if it was the same spread as the normal easter buffet or if it was better because it was Easter, but it was high quality.

I was also amused by the metal detector and I never walked through it either and I wondered why it was there and manned.

The hotel is about a 10 - 15 minute walk from the Kabatas tram station which will take you into the historic/older part of Istanbul for 3 TL. Taxis are inexpensive as well and we took one to the Grand Bazaar from the hotel for less than 25 TL...maybe under 20 TL. We really enjoyed the stay and the service here.

JetAway

Would this hotel or the Park Hyatt be the better choice for two friends visiting Istanbul for the first time over a long weekend. PH would be on points in a twin room, GH would be a paid stay in a Twin Grand Suite with a DSU. Driver and guide services at the GH are far cheaper than at the PH but that just may be the PH inflationary effect. Can anyone compare both for touring rather than a business trip?

danger

I can't compare the properties as I've only stayed at the Grand. However, my understanding is the Park is quite a distant from the downtown area.

indo79

I have stayed at both GH and PH. GH was 3 years ago and PH was just recently.

Distance-wise, PH to GH is not even that far, but you have uphill/downhill walks, and they are pretty steep.

From GH, I easily walked to Taksim to take the furnicular and then the tram to the touristy areas, from PH, I had to take a cab (also, my wife was with me compared to when I was alone at GH). PH to Sultanahmet was about 20-25 liras. For 2 people, the cost of taking a cab isn't much more than taking public transportation to Sultanahmet.

I even walked from GH to Sultanahmet before

thegrailer

I stayed over MLK weekend using a suite upgrade. Nice big room with a kitchenette. Not sure what suite that is but it was huge. Service was phenomenal. Breakfast and night time drinks in the lounge were also great. Not mush more to stay except this is now my go to IST hotel (after trying the PH, Rad Blu Ortakoy [both great but GH is in a better location] and Hilton).

Cheers -

lsed

Stayed here a few weeks back using DSU. Absolutely underwhelmed by the suite, the lounge and the hotel in general. The breakfast restaurant was the only saving grace, but I felt like every other part of the hotel was totally void of character.

The suite has a connecting door which is very poorly insulated. So I could hear conversations and the TV from the next door until 2AM. There was only a tiny window that faced the Bosphorus. The rest of the windows faced the InterCon across the road.

Lounge was really disappointing as well. There were no hot dishes during the cocktail hour, and the service staff were in a rush to end the cocktail hour that they started clearing it and rushing me before the cut off timing.

It was my first time here and it will likely be my last. There are so many hotels to choose from in Istanbul and this property felt wanting for a GH. I enjoyed my previous stay at the PH by a mile, and as Diamond you get an awesome room without using a DSU. Plus I much prefer the area around the PH - it is much cleaner and there are nice cafes and restaurants within walking distance.

suite2suite

Have you had a chance to check out the new HR?

I will be in Istanbul for a few days in May and again in June.
Although I will not be using a DSU, I was considering staying at GH but from what you experienced I will probably choose to stay at the HR or the PH.

By the way, did you bring up any of your complaints at the time to GH mgmt?

shakim

Stayed in a grand suite just 7 months ago. Not a bad view at all.

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Edit: Don't know if the pics are coming up or not, from my end they're not.

lsed

Haven't had the chance to try the HR, but I am looking forward to it when I do have a transit in IST. I would consider it more of an airport hotel.
IST is huge and the traffic conditions are usually quite bad. It can easily take an hour to get from the airport to the GH / PH.
But if you are going to be there for a few days, I think the HR will be too far away from the sights.


I did mention at checkout and the staff wrote it down on a piece of paper. Two days later I filled in the survey online and the GM wrote an email to me to apologize about the issues I faced.
I wasn't expecting any compensation so I didn't push it further.


GH location near Taksim is great if you plan to take the funicular and the metro to the old town.
PH is has more cafes and boutiques and it's a nicer area to hang out when you're done with the sightseeing over on the old town.

isaifan

Just completed a fabulous two night here. Used cash plus points with a DSU for one night and a Hyatt Credit Card Anniversary night for the second night. 1 week before my check-in, I received a nice welcoming email and asked if there is anything they can do. I told them that I would prefer not to change rooms, and they graciously allowed us to stay in the suit for the 2 nights.

The room was huge. Very nicely furnished. A fruit platter was presented as a welcome. No complaints about the room furnishings.

I am no longer a Diamond, but apparently if you book a suite it also comes with lounge access. We absolutely loved the lounge. Breakfast had many very high quality offerings. In fact, the same food is offered as the main breakfast buffet in the hotel, just on a smaller scale. You could also order a hot egg dish. We visited the lounge several times a day and the staff were wonderful throughout.

Overall, an excellent hotel. If I go back to Istanbul, this is the hotel I will stay at.