Galatahan Hotel Istanbul Karakoy in Istanbul

Booked myself into the Galata Hotel for 2 nights during my stay in Istanbul. Since it was a 5-star rated (on Accor), I was expecting good service, treatment and rooms.

Coming into the hotel, we were greeted, and we checked-in early, which is always a good sign. We were briefed about the welcomed drinks and were shown to our room. After reaching the room we decided to unpack. But when we entered the room, it was freezing. There were many gaps between the sliding window along the entrance of the room and cold air was seeping in. No matter how high i turned the AC, the room was nearly as cold as it was outside. This was really a let down.

Next, the toilet at the sliding door had tons of grime and dirt stuck below it. Again, i expect this from any other older rated hotel, but from an MGallery hotel, i was frankly very surprised.

For a hotel of this quality, i expected better from the room maintenance as well.

Other than that, the hotel also mentioned that there was a free 30-min self use Hammam located at the basement, and we can book with them. Afterwhich they would guide us to it for us to use it. Not being a local, and not having been before, i asked the hotel staff quickly, how does a hammam work and what do i have to do? They just said that the hammam staff will let me know what to do.

So i booked a slot and went down. Had to come up and down twice because the woman at the front desk of the hotel told me to bring my bath robe, so i brought it down the first time. Then she told me that i shouldnt bring it, but instead wear it. So she asked me to go back to my room and change into the bathrobe before coming down again. (i would have done so if the instructions were clear). Upon going down the second time, i followed her along with some paid patrons to another room, where they went for their appointments while i was standing in the centre of a waiting area, waiting for SOMEONE to guide or at least tell me where to go or what to do. I finally asked her again, what am I supposed to do and to explain the Hammam to me, because i have not done it before. She then chided me (i think she didnt really understand), and brought me to the corridor outside of the bath and asked another person to bring me along.

This was actually quite a confusing, and irritating encounter that i dont think reflected very well on the hotel and staff. Knowing that there are tourist in your country, i would have expected some hospitality.