Grand Halic

Very Bad

We were stayed in this hotel on middle of March 2011 with our young children. It was very bad exprience in Istanbul. The hotel is not clean and it is very noisy so that we couldn't open the window. On the other hand, there was a serious problem with the air conditioning system of the hotel. Our room (and also the corridors in the upper floors) was very hot although we turned off the heating system. So, we had to open the window in winter!!! But there was a loud noise near to the hotel 24 hours a day!
We asked the manager to solve the problem but after a long time and several expeditions, he said that they can't do anything for us! Their engineer said that they have to warm up all the building and can't stop it because in the lower floors the rooms would get cold!!! There I found about their Hi-Tech air conditioning system!!!
Therefore, we decided to cover both of the air conditioning openings with plastic bags so that we can sleep a little.
Also, you are not allowed to bring anything with yourself to the hotel even an apple!!! They check the guests on entrance!
As a conclusion, I think it is 1 or 2 stars hotel, no more.

• Opinion of Price: about average
• Written April 24, 2011

Grand Halic Photo: Boring view from room window!

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Reasonable hotel at good location

Worst hotel I have visited

It is one of the worst hotels I have visited. When we came to the hotel we had to wait for 2 hours for the room because it was not ready (this when we came at 5 pm). Most of the staff doesn't understand English and is extremely rude - especially the guy at the swimming pool. The room was average - shower didn't work properly, the room had a 12 inch tv with only Turkish channels which played their local language. Not a good experience of the hotel - would recommend not to stay here.

Noisy but with great view on golden horn (halic)

-6 lane highway in front of hotel: very noisy.
-at the 6th floor on the front side beautiful view on the golden horn.
-back side on the second floor boring wall-view
-rooms are small but with nice bathrooms
-tastefull decorated
-30 minutes walk to old town (Hagia Sophia)
-10 minutes from western style shopping area (Istiklal Cadessi). Interesting side-streets with trendy bars (e.g. Zencifil, veg. res)
-staff is a bit grumpy, but helpfull
-lack of a no-smoking zone in breakfast-area, eat breakfast early or inhale lots of smoke. Turks like to smoke a lot!
-reasonable breakfast
-clean
-bit gloomy entrance hall, not nice to sit in especially when they do not switch on the lights.
-we did not visit the swimming pool

Beware of star rating

This hotel is rated 4 stars (out of 5) at multiple Internet sites.
In my experience (1 week in February, 2004), it deserves no more than 3 stars, at most.
Service was poor. I complained about the lock on the bathroom door and was assured someone would fix it, but no one ever did.
The restaurant (service, range of menu, and food quality) was fair.
Breakfast (fortunately, free) was average.
Parking is ostensibly free - and it is - but one has to move one's vehicle frequently and apparently at random, without a good explanation from authorities.
The in-room safety box worked, but the lock can be easily inserted backwards by mistake; there were no instructions on its use.
The rooms with a scenic view are very noisy.
Those that are quieter have no view.
In the early morning, every day, the amplified loudspeaker broadcasts the call to prayer by the local mullah/iman, which disrupts one's sleep.
The only good thing about this hotel was the very reasonable rate I found on the Internet.

Unique Quality: The facilities were sub-average, except for the indoor swimming pool, which I would rate as average.
It looks nicer in Internet photos than in reality, however.