A trip to Turkey was an opportunity to quickly test the W Istanbul. Quickly because our flight arrived late in the evening and I already had to leave the hotel in the late morning.
A real boutique hotel in the center of Istanbul.
The hotel is very well located in the center of the city. But let’s be clear: there are two centers in Istanbul. A historical center with the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia etc. … where you will find mainly small “local” hotels and a more modern and economic center where are concentrated the hotels of large chains. This is where the W is located.
On the other hand, the property fully deserves its name of “Boutique Hotel”, claimed by the chain but not always deserved by hotels with an often original charm but whose size and level of service make one think of anything but a “boutique”.
In Istanbul the W hides a very personal interior behind the facade of a classic downtown building.
Easy booking, unbeatable prices and express check-in
As usual I booked via the SPG application very easily. Booking directly with the hotelier also gives me the guarantee of the lowest price (alignment + discount on a lower price that I could find elsewhere) and free wifi. The geopolitical context of the world being what it is I paid the room a little less than 100 euros per night which is almost impossible in a W but unfortunately in a city where the tourist is rare the hotelier must discount his rates.
I will not dwell on the check-in which will be dispatched in a few minutes, hence the advantage of arriving at midnight. The protocol will be strictly respected but there was no reason to drag on.
As usual at W I used the “Keyless” feature to use my phone as a room key. And the keys, for their part, advertise the device remarkably well.
A very…personal style
I was talking about a very personal style. This is the case for all Ws, but this one goes much further than theBarcelona W or the Doha W, which we will discuss in a future article. The personality of the hotel is expressed both in the cohabitation between an old, very classical building and a resolutely modern style and in the nature of this style. You have seen the facade, I let you discover the common parts.
You’ll understand that you have to like fushia and red.
If the colors are a matter of personal taste, I really liked the respect of the authentic character of the hotel. Narrow corridors, many changes of level which correspond in fact to the connection of several independent buildings formerly. Narrow corridors, many changes of level which correspond in fact to the connection of several buildings which were formerly independent. The mix was risky but I liked it anyway.
Fabulous room at W Istanbul: beware your eyes.
For the occasion I stayed in a “fabulous room”. Like the rest of the hotel, you don’t have to be allergic to colorful atmospheres.
Here is the room:
The small lounge area with its coffee table and the bathroom behind :
The view from the bed.
And the little terrace area that I will unfortunately not have much use for.
As usual at W the bedding is very comfortable although, inexplicably, it always seems that W Barcelona has that little extra something that makes its sleeping experience incomparable and unexplainable.
And as usual, the short recap video.
A smartphone is available for the duration of the stay.
In terms of service, an excellent point for the “Handy” device. In the room there is a smartphone equipped with essential applications, tourist information about the city, which allows you to call and surf without having to pay roaming fees during your stay in the hotel.
A flawless breakfast
Given the length of my stay I will not have the opportunity to test the entire bar / restaurant offer. My only experience will be the breakfast.
The buffet setting is very pleasant.
If we have already seen much richer and more varied on a breakfast, the quality is there.
Special mention for the honey service…
A good breakfast but we expect no less in a W.
I won’t have time to go to the gym or the spa but I will finish with a short visit of the hotel, from building to building, following the small corridors to reach the central terrace that surrounds the different buildings.
Certainly more pleasant at other times of the year than when autumn begins to set in.
Check-out.
The check out will be as fast as the check in, in the middle of the morning.
Conclusion
If it doesn’t have the gigantism and flashiness of its big brother in Barcelona, the W Istanbul has much more charm. And at the rates that the Istanbul hotel industry is unfortunately obliged to display to stop the flight of tourists, the experience for money was unbeatable. A real small boutique hotel in the strict sense of the word.
Ratings:
– The room is spacious and has a nice little terrace. But the bathroom has only a shower, no bathtub. 8/10.
– Dining/Bars. I only tried the breakfast. Nothing to complain about. 9
– Check in/out : Fluid, very pleasant staff. 10
– Respect of the loyalty program. As a gold member at the time I got a slightly better room than the one reserved. Promise kept. 10.
– Equipments : not tested.
– experience for money : a W at 100 euros per night… 10.
– Services and attention: stay too short to be certain but the staff was very pleasant and the provision of a telephone deserves a bonus. 9
– Location: 8.
All the photos are available here.
