Best Western Citadel Hotel - Special Class - Istanbul

The BWCH is well positioned for tourists and access to the airport (30 minutes). The rooms are small but clean and relatively quiet considering the main road is directly in front of the hotel. The staff was accommodating but quite impersonal ... just doing their job ... quite normal for Turkish hotels we find. However, they did 'flex' on the late check out and various other minor requests. We would recommend this hotel for travelers on the road for an extended time and conscious of their accommodation budget. With a good breakfast included, it was good value.

When booking for 4 nights we requested a room with a view of the Bosphorus.(we later learnt all rooms had a view of B.)We were given 1 of the 6 rooms with a balcony overlooking the B. This we really enjoyed as many vessels move up and down the B. all day. Hotel is walking distance to main tourist sites. A 1.5 hour ferry trip costs only 10 lira.ferries are also walking distance from hotel.

I have stayed at this hotel several times, when in Istanbul, and I am generally satisfied. Nice little hotel, with view and breathing space (most Istanbul medium-priced hotels are in narrow, bumpy, often dirty streets), walking distance from the old town (Sultanahmet)and a short ride by cab or light-train from the city center and the ferry ports. Four fish restaurants 2-3 minutes walk, and more by taxi along the boulevard on which the hotel is located. The only problem I have run into twice is that, in spite of the assurances of Venere.com that the credit card given at the online booking will not be charged, the hotel has charged such card before even my arrival!

Perfect location for some days off - directly on the seaside, only some minutes from the historical center, 15 min walk to the ferry-station (asia, prince-islands). staff is very friendly & helpful - nice starting information at arrival (keep your fingers away from offered sightseeing-tours, shows, aso.) rooms are very clean, all equipment works properly - ask for a room in the highest floor with sea-view! breakfast offers a wide range of food on the bufet. try the turkish tea! from/to the airport take a taxi (lira 30,00)

For the two first nigths, we were accomodated in a room smaller than we asked, inappropiated for two adults and a child. They apologized and promised us that it would be only for the first night and we accepted, but at last we stayed in that room for a second night and we addressed a complain to the direction of the hotel. The third day we changed to a bigger room.