Amisos Boutique Hotel - Istanbul, Turkey 

We have been at this hotel in March 2006 before. Unfortunately, we didn't like it. The location was ok but the rooms and the service were bad. When we contacted our travel agency to make a reservation to Istanbul, they have informed us about the hotel renovation for Amisos. We have checked the hotel web site and most enjoyed the rooms and made the booking. The hotel had a big change with its rooms, restaurants, service quality etc. We have stayed in green room and was really great! The breakfast was in Terrace Restaurant with Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque view. The pub down the hotel is in English style and my boyfriend so liked it because there was National Rugby League matches! I also enjoyed with the atmosphere. We hope to spend our next holiday in this hotel in next year.

I stayed at the Hotel Amisos when my room at the Ottoman Imperial was double booked for second night. I got a cheap deal at 89 euros which was organised by the Ottoman due to their mix up. Location is excellent betwen Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace. My room was small but uniquely decorated with some flash boutique touches. There is excellent air con, mini bar, funky antique style furniture and a comfy bed. Bathroom is small but has a rain forest type shower and good toiletries. There is also an auto-flushing toilet(!) and full fast wifi access. The hotel has been recently refurbished. There is a "British" style pub downstairs which to be honest I avoided cos I can get this at home! There is an upstairs terrace restaurant which I did not try. My problem came when I arrived at breakfast at 7:50 on Sunday morning. I was told breakfast started at 7:30 as had another guest who was already there. Breakfast was not ready and the other guest apparantely found one of the staff asleep in reception when he went to check it out. I left breakfast at 08:00 having had a cup of coffee (the machine then ran out of water) and a soft cheese triangle. There was only cereals laid out. There was no cheese, bread, jam, cold cuts etc laid out. When I went downstairs to order a taxi the young reception staff were pleasant but seemed to find it quite funny telling me it was "Sunday". This is fair enough if you are not working in a hotel which is supposed to be providing breakfast!! They offered to get me another coffee but the taxi arrived and i ended up getting breakfast at the airport. Overall a nice fit out, but staff were not great.