Allison M.
Yelp
I have a hard time writing this review. When we walked in we were truly wowed... The bank-turned hotel is fancy and sleek beyond imagination; the doors rely on touch-pads to open; everything is remote-controlled; there is a mirror above the bed; they give you free homemade chocolates and juice upon arrival. The whole situation is top-notch. The sea view rooms are truly resplendent, especially the corner ones which are probably double the size of the hallway ones.
BUT what happens when the machines become self-aware? We came back from a night out in Izmir and all of the lights in our hotel, along with the blinds (and the bathroom curtain wall!)-- all of which are controlled electronically-- were turning on and off, going up and down completely on their own at random intervals. It was impossible to sleep, impossible to use the toilet, and even just frustrating to sit in. So we called down to the front desk and we were told that maintenance would get on it.
15 minutes pass, no word from the front desk. We've been sitting in intermittent darkness and light the whole time, with no control over the environment. I call down again and get the same answer. 15 minutes pass again. I call down again and ask to be moved. I am told there are only city view rooms available. I ask if that means I will be refunded the difference, as we have prepaid for a sea view. The front desk manager says he will find out and call back.
15 minutes pass again. No word. I call down again and he says that maintenance is still working on the issue. I say I don't care, that I just want to be moved at this point and refunded the difference. He says that he will keep talking to maintenance.
So after an hour of this, I go down to the front desk in person and ask to be moved. The front desk guy tells me that he can move me, but I will not be allowed to move my bags into the new room. I ask why, and he just keeps repeating that my bags can't come with me. I try asking in English and Turkish, he does not explain.
At 1:30 am, we get the key and head to our new room, of course bringing our bags with us. In the morning we have a very confusing breakfast with almost no service, before having a conversation with the girl now at the front desk.
In the end, she said she would talk to Expedia in order to get the whole room refunded, which is a satisfactory outcome. But they remediated a problem that got out of control in the first place and should have been handled completely differently. So it's hard to say whether I'd recommend this hotel to others, since I can absolutely see how it would be an impossibly wonderful place to stay. It just wasn't for us.