Paul‘s Hotel Review for the
W Istanbul Hotel

General Impression:

Details:
Check-in / Check-out
Check-in Process:
Check-out Process:
Concierge Service:
Staff @ Front Desk:
Bonvoy recognition:

Room / Bathroom
Bed, quality of sleep:
Bathroom, Shower:
Room Atmosphere:
Cleanliness:
Housekeeping:

Food & Beverage
Breakfast:
Bar:
Restaurant: N/A
Lounge: , No Lounge
Staff:

Paul‘s Mix
Pool, Spa: no pool
Hotel Location:
Mojito Rating :
General Customer Care:
Staff attitude, responsiveness:

—
= a lot of work needs to be done
=o.k, but you will be busy with corrections
= it’s good, nothing special
= high level but the icing on the cake is missing
= leave me here!
= Half a Point/Sheep
—

The Hotel is located in the district of Besiktas. Lots of Bars and Restaurants are only a few footsteps away. The bar and pub district of Besiktas can be reached with a short 5 minutes walk.

Before I start my review I would like to point out, that W Hotels Worldwide is a special fancy and freaky brand of Marriott International.
The brand will not cater everyone's need and in my eyes it fits best for the younger rich crowd. Party making and Lounge style is more important than a relaxing stay. You shouldn't be noise sensible as parties are going on almost nonstop.

If you consider that your world, perfect. But....
Some things could definitely be improved.

When you enter the hotel, there is a hipp and glamourous corridor bringing you to the welcome desk. There is no real reception and there is no real lobby.

The check in was good, friendly, helpful and efficient. The agent interacted with the guests and kept a small talk throughout the entire process.
Bonvoy recognition is good at this W Hotel. The upgrade was received and a stunning plate with sweets was ready in the room. The hotel has no lounge and it does not offer a welcome drink like some other properties do without lounge.

The suite we received was really nice and in a really modern and classic style. The atmosphere was good and a nice ambiance to sleep.
The bed was.ok, rather on the soft side for our taste but the bedding (duvet & pillows) was excellent. If you prefer a more quiet room make sure it is not facing the secret garden terrace as parties go on until late at night.
The bathroom is nice and spacious and the shower is huge. It consists of a rainshower on one side and a Hamam style washing bench on the other side.

The staff at this property is really friendly and interacts with all customers and it is a casual atmosphere.
The entire staff is super friendly and at the W secret garden (outdoor bar) they were amazing. The GM is visible throughout the property and all staff is greeting you all the time when they see you.

As said the hotel has no lobby but a so called lounge.
This lounge serves as everything for this property. It serves as lobby, lounge, restaurant, bar and breakfast area.

The issue is/was, that you have to eat your breakfast from living-room chairs, living room tables and sofas. Basically you are sitting very low and almost on the floor. Real dining at this place is impossible and this is why we only took breakfast. I don't want to eat my dinner on a couch.

Beside from no real tables, breakfast was nice and delicious. The food is really tasty and you can choose from a wide selection.
Hot items such as omelette or eggs Benedict were offered actively from the staff.

The secret garden bar/terrace was only opened a few weeks ago and is an amazing spot to hang out, have a drink and/or a shisha. It is a quiet backyard garden with bar during day and the party place at night. Parties are mostly for outsiders and not for hotel guests.
We wanted to have a drink on Friday night at the secret garden bar but we were almost not allowed to enter. The door guard hold us back because we were not the kind of clientele. Only when insisting and showing the room key we were allowed to enter.
Guess what we did? Spent the money somewhere else where we were welcomed.

Unfortunately prices for F&B are in our eyes extremely expensive. As a comparison, a Mojito at the hotel costs 88TL (~13€/15$) whilst a Mojito in a perfect cocktail bar just a few meters from the hotel costs 49TL.
Around the Hotel are many restaurants and bars which are great and to recommend.
You can get dinner (mezze, drinks, 2x main course and coffee) for 2 people at around 150TL.

The Hotel has unfortunately no pool or recreation/relaxing area.

I would definitely recommend this hotel if you go for the freaky and fancy. You need to be a party animal with money and best below 35 years of age.

If you would like to explore the city, have a retreat to relax after some hectic hours and/or some nice dining, then this property is not for you.

Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services in order to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send me a private message and I will be happy to share.