Six Senses Kocataş Mansions, İstanbul

Incredibly beautiful location, right on the shore of Bosporus. The buildings were beautifully renovated but the place still retains its original atmosphere. Food is definitely prepared with extra care/ The only downside is the inexperienced service staff who were well-meaning and hard-working but needed more training on the job. We didn't stay at the hotel, so I can't comment on the rooms.

One of the most incredible properties I've been lucky enough to visit, but the staff here really make it special. The rooms and view are breathtaking, the view of the Bosphorus romantic. It's a ways away from city center so plan your trip accordingly but for foodies, there's some pretty phenomenal off the beaten path cafes nearby that will keep your mind blown. The staff were - without exception - really welcoming and helpful. Wonderful check in experience and they're excited to share the beauty of the hotel with you. The local concierge also makes the location unbeatable - you can check in with them for ideas and they really want to help you fall in love with istanbul. I'm already planning my visit to come back!

We spent two nights at the hotel. Unfortunately we did not have a great time due to poor service - the smoothest part of our stay was check-in and check-out, where the Guest Experience Manager was helpful. For the remainder of the time we experienced repeat misunderstandings and delays of up to 2 hours for basic food and drink orders. It seemed like the majority of the staff were on the first day of the job without supervision - we watched one waiter struggle to open a bottle of beer with some cutlery, and another informed us that the restaurant we were in did not serve any drinks (despite it having a fully stocked bar and drinks menu). These are just minor examples of the many confusing and disappointing service interactions we had over 2 days. We did get a couple of sandwiches we had ordered comped when we complained, and were looked after better at dinner on our final night, but in my view this hotel is a complete rip off for the experience offered.

I came like a stranger and left like a friend! Thank you very much for such a great experience. The girls from the pattisserie and from the front door are so kind and helpful ❤️ I would never forget your hospitality

SPA is amazing. Hotel is good but lack of maintenance to compete in the 5 stars category. Staff is way below what is expected in such place. You don't want to hear what the cleaning staff is saying about you when they think you cannot hear them and when you report the incident to the management nothing is done. The hotel manager is very clueless which explain why the staff is far below average especially in the category they want to be in. Go spend your money in any other 5stars hotel, this one is definitely not worth it.

I was so looking forward to staying at this Six Senses when we attended for a wedding, ambit I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The hotel itself is beautiful and immaculate, looking out at the Bosporous. Our room was spacious with tasteful decor and a lovely bathroom. The view from the pool and spa overlooking the Bosporus was stunning, though having to call a buggy to take you up the winding roads to get to the pool isn’t so convenient. The service is what knocked off two stars for me. Few of the staff spoke fluent English and seemed to avoid interactions because of this. It just lead to confusion, awkward interactions, and did not feel like 5 star service. Also, the razor kit in our room was used which was icky. The breakfast was ok - a la carte not a buffet. All in all, the hotel was beautiful but the service and overall experience didn’t merit the price tag for me.

Amazing place - so elegant, luxurious and comfortable. The staff were so friendly and helpful - especially Dogan at breakfast, a true gem. He remembered all our orders and drinks from one day to the next and was so attentive and friendly. The spa was wonderful too, with an incredible view and a large, beautiful pool. The hotel is quite far from the tourist attractions but the plus point is that as a result it has spacious grounds and a relaxed vibe. We recommend the boat ride to see the main tourist area, it takes a while but you get an incredible view of the Bosphorus and city. Many thanks!

TL;DR:||Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend Six Senses Kocatas. Despite some bright spots like the spa therapists and a few standout staff, the experience was riddled with operational failures, poor communication, and a deeply disappointing handling of issues. This was a two-star stay at best—and sadly, might be my last at any Six Senses property.||||Before we get into it, here are the staff memberswho deserve praise||- Bahar, Berivan, and Wayan at the spa—truly top tier.||- Dogan at Chef Erdal—warm, friendly, and attentive.||- Ozgurluk, the doorman—consistently helpful and polite.||||Ok, so here's the actual review. ||||We stayed at Six Senses Kocatas Mansions for 3 nights, and while I really wanted to love it, the stay was marred by a series of issues that made it one of our most frustrating luxury hotel experiences in recent memory. ||||Here’s a breakdown:||||1. The Yacht Incident||We had reserved a private yacht cruise well in advance—even before arriving in Istanbul. On the day of the booking, we boarded the yacht and were told we’d depart shortly. Twenty minutes passed at the dock. Then another ten. We were eventually told the yacht rope was tangled and that someone would come “any minute” to fix it. After several rounds of “just ten more minutes,” we decided to cancel the experience. No apologies. No offer to reschedule. No effort to make it right. That set the tone.||||2. Poor Room Operations ||- Dry cleaning was completely unavailable during our stay—odd for a hotel at this level.||- The minibar was not fully stocked (leftover from previous guests). Thankfully, we weren’t charged.||- The in-room iPad never worked. It just kept loading and was unusable.||- The hairdryer handle was peeling black plastic. We had to wrap a tissue around it just to use it.||- Music was played late into the night in the courtyard, and we could hear it clearly in our room.||||3. Filming on the Grounds||On one of the days, a TV series was being filmed at the property—specifically inside the building where our room was located. The entire area was filled with film crew, equipment, and smoke. The staff were even smoking by the entrance. We were never informed in advance. It disrupted the peace we had hoped for.||||4. Breakfast Confusion (and the Most Frustrating Part)||We booked a Breakfast Included rate. Yet out of 3 mornings, we were told twice that our rate did not include breakfast.||||Here’s what happened: Because we checked in late (past midnight), we were told at the front desk that they’d only charge us for 2 nights instead of 3. Fair enough—we even agreed to pay for breakfast on one of the days.||||But when we checked out? We were charged for all three nights—and breakfast still wasn’t included for two of them. When we questioned this, the answer was: “It’s because of the system.” No apology. No attempt to resolve the miscommunication. Just robotic responses. At that point, we honestly didn’t have the energy to keep arguing. We just knew we wouldn’t be returning to a Six Senses again.||||5. Spa: Excellent Therapists, Poor Environment||I will say this—the spa therapists were incredible. Bahar and Berivan gave the best hammam treatments we’ve ever had. Wayan from Bali gave an incredible massage.||||That said, the spa experience itself was let down by poor operations: Staff repeatedly left the women’s changing room door open—even while we were inside.||||On one rainy day, we had to take a car to the spa. The driver blasted loud dance music. The seatbelt didn’t work. It was anything but relaxing after a treatment.||||6. Attempt to Resolve Before Checkout||Before we left, we wrote a detailed email to two managers. We were invited to a meeting with them, and were genuinely taken aback by the tone. Rather than addressing concerns with empathy, we were told:||||“It’s a cultural difference.”||||“Your email was very long.”||||The issue that shocked them most? “Dry cleaning not being available.” (Which, honestly, was the least of our issues.)||||They offered to remove spa charges from our bill, but in the end only removed one day, despite saying they’d remove all (we had two days of spa and had already paid for one day in advance and reminded them—no adjustment was made).||||||Final Thoughts||Six Senses Kocatas simply did not deliver on the basics, much less the luxury standard it claims. Operational mishaps are one thing. But the way they were handled—with lack of accountability or empathy—was what sealed the disappointment.||||This was a two-star stay. A beautiful property, with great therapists, but poorly run and clearly lacking management leadership.||||After having stayed at Aman, Four Seasons, One & Only, Royal Mansour, etc., this was our first stay at a Six Senses property, and it looks like it may be the last.