Review of Basileus Hotel 4*

It was my first visit to Istanbul rather Turkey which came to an end a short while ago and I must say that I fell in love with the historical city for numerous reasons. The warmth, guidance and hospitality that came from the hotel staff is surely on the top of the list, need I say more. Though I was accompanied by my sister on the trip who has visited Istanbul three times previously (it is no more a surprise to me why she absolutely adores this city), however we would still count on the valuable information and directions provided to us by the hotel staff (who to me, were the stars of the show). I must stress on the generosity of their inputs which we received without having to make any extra effort and without the feeling of any kind of interference in our space. The day we arrived, Mr. Salem welcomed us in the most professional and friendly manner. He is very well informed and attentive. He also gave us an “easy to understand” brief of the location and nearby places along with taking us through the map. While Mr. Salem was away on account of the festival of Eid in the days later, Mr. Omer was our focal person. He was very helpful throughout our seven days stay and would go out of the way in explaining the directions and mark everything for us on the map. His inputs made the touring less hectic and stressful. Also, he would briefly elaborate upon the pros and cons of the places we had selected to visit and was kind to inform us about the opening and closing hours. To add to this, he also let us check out a bit later than the usual timing considering our evening flight. Mr. Mohammed was also very kind and helpful. My sister and I really appreciated how upon seeing us carrying water bottles from outside, he politely reinforced the fact that water is available from the dispenser in the lobby. And we had to laugh given our habit of drinking loads of water. Not saying that complimentary water bottles were not available in the room (on a daily basis). The location of the hotel is also superb. It would be fair to say that it is situated in the heart of the Sultanahmet district with historical sites (such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (popularly known as the Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome, the Germain Fountain etc. ), local shops, eateries and bazaars (such as Arasta Bazaar) and many restaurants at a walking distance. Even the Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and Mosaic Museum (on the top of my head right now among many other places) are close by. Personally, we did not mind walking to them either. The tram station is also nearby, and it is a big convenience. One can easily visit other streets and places (lost count of the number of places we visited). The room was comfortable and clean to our expectation. So, I would say that the house keeping is satisfactory. Honestly, did not have the time (nor felt the need) to switch on the television therefore cannot comment. The breakfast with its great variety was a treat for many and was presented with a decent level of hygiene. I would only add fruits to the menu. The staff in charge would make frequent rounds for re-fills and would happily warm milk for us upon our requests. The medium sized hall in which the breakfast is served also plays documentaries starring some of the main historical features of Istanbul and that gave further perspective to our itinerary. The wi fi did have some problems but for me personally it was just fine. Based on the above, I would say that the hotel is a pretty reasonable and decent place to stay. It is not one of those fancy hotels but let me tell you that it has a captivity and comfort level of its own. For me living in such boutique places and experiencing the hub of the city is better than staying in a five-star hotel. I would surely stay in this hotel when I visit Istanbul again. However, they say to each his own. Thus, do stay in this hotel and form your own view. Teşekkür ederim (as they say thank you very much in Turkish)!