Berat Ornek

We enjoyed our trip to Istanbul and Capadoccia.

We don't have any have complains, but would like to make some suggestions.

In the US and other countries there are very strict rules about smoking in restaurants or in public paces, however in Turkey it still is very common for people to smoke in restaurants or public spaces.
I understand that this is not under your control but I think you need to advice people visiting about this situation there and make sure to request a non smoking... read more

We enjoyed our trip to Istanbul and Capadoccia.

We don't have any have complains, but would like to make some suggestions.

In the US and other countries there are very strict rules about smoking in restaurants or in public paces, however in Turkey it still is very common for people to smoke in restaurants or public spaces.
I understand that this is not under your control but I think you need to advice people visiting about this situation there and make sure to request a non smoking table when eating in restaurants because waiters there usually don't ask .
Another suggestion is to make sure to communicate directly with the person that will be the main guide during the visit, because in our case or main communication was with Ms. Berat but during our visit our guide was Mr. Ibrahim and there was a confusion about which places were included for our visit, he had to call the agency because according to him the visit to Topkapi palace was not included in our tour.

Hotel Reviews

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

Excellent location and service, it is located near all major attractions in the center of Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Although the hotel expands a large area, each mansion feels like a small independent hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel

Nevsehir

The hotel matches with the cave environment of the city and region

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

We enjoyed the visit to all the mosques , Topkapi palace, the boat trip through the Bosporus and the modern area of Taksim and Galata. For us the visit to the spice market and grand bazaar was the least attractive part of the visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour in Sunrise

Cappadocia

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour: Pera and Beyond

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Kim Kim for great organization and service of our private tour. It was worth it. All 3 guides; Ibrahim (Istanbul), Nihat (Cappadocia) & Tunc (Izmir region) were really personable and gave really informative tours, patient and attentive service for my elderly mum and her friend who came with a walking stick. We really enjoyed our time in Turkey; even more so in Cappadocia and Izmir region (Ephesus, Sirince & Pamukkale). We want to give special mention to Tunc who proactively helped... read more

Thank you Kim Kim for great organization and service of our private tour. It was worth it. All 3 guides; Ibrahim (Istanbul), Nihat (Cappadocia) & Tunc (Izmir region) were really personable and gave really informative tours, patient and attentive service for my elderly mum and her friend who came with a walking stick. We really enjoyed our time in Turkey; even more so in Cappadocia and Izmir region (Ephesus, Sirince & Pamukkale). We want to give special mention to Tunc who proactively helped organize a paragliding experience for me and also a hot air balloon ride in Pamukkale for us as we didn't manage to do it in Cappadocia due to foggy weather; he managed to cater to my expectations as well as my mum and her friend. Thank you once again! We will definitely book with you the next time we plan to travel again. :)

Hotel Reviews

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Room was comfortable but the towel hanger fell off...Thankfully they managed to quickly fix it.

Authenticity & Character

Very quaint and charming interior decoration

Location

Situated in Old Town Istanbul

Staff

Very friendly and prompt

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice warm water for showering in cold weather

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel

Nevsehir

Amazing view. Love the fire place and the interior decoration of our room. Location is a bit challenging for elderly people to walk up from town center but it has an amazing view and sumptious breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Love it that we're staying in the fairy chimney itself

Location

Amazing view

Staff

All of the staff were very hospitable and helpful except for one person at reception who looked very grumpy

Cleanliness & Comfort

nice hot showers and fire place

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

We stayed in a cottage that comes with a huge common kitchen and dining room... looks amazing. Our room and bathroom is so charming, big but cozy; beautiful decoration. Breakfast with the view of Sirince was delicious and enjoyable. We wished we stayed a week instead of only a night at this beautiful place.

Authenticity & Character

Charming and quaint big room with nice fireplace setting and marble shower, outside balcony for some peace and quiet; great decoration

Location

Perched atop a hill with an amazing view of Sirince

Staff

Helpful porter who carried all our heavy luggage uphill.... so thankful but we felt so bad for him doing all the carrying

Cleanliness & Comfort

comfortable beds, fireplace, hot water for showering

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Very commercial; not used to seeing so many tour groups after staying in boutique hotels our entire trip but the spa facilities were very good. The button of the toilet flush fell off and it took the concierge a bit of time to understand what happened before they manage to fix it.

Authenticity & Character

It's good for a commercial hotel but not our usual preference

Location

Staff

Some challenges speaking English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spa facilities, comfortable bed

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Hagia Sofia / Blue mosque was under renovation

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

learn how to use the tram in Istanbul :)

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Avanos: Discovering the Ceramic Tradition and Light hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Very crowded on the weekend... but otherwise very interesting experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

scenic walking trial ... highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Izmir: The Beautiful Port City of the Aegean Sea

İzmir

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was fantastic. From the moment we arrived until we departed, we were covered. We had wonderful guides, hotels, and transportation. I would highly recommend our guides in both Istanbul and Cappadocia. They were full of information helping us to step back in history and experience the deepness of each location. All of our excursions were well planned and exceptional. We enjoyed the cooking class, the Turkish Bath, and the balloon ride. Our hotel on Istanbul was comfortable and... read more

Our trip was fantastic. From the moment we arrived until we departed, we were covered. We had wonderful guides, hotels, and transportation. I would highly recommend our guides in both Istanbul and Cappadocia. They were full of information helping us to step back in history and experience the deepness of each location. All of our excursions were well planned and exceptional. We enjoyed the cooking class, the Turkish Bath, and the balloon ride. Our hotel on Istanbul was comfortable and centrally located. We loved the mansion hotel we stayed at in Cappadocia. The staff was incredible and the property was incredible. Overall, we were very pleased with our entire Turkey experience!

Hotel Reviews

Gül Konakları

Nevsehir

This was our favorite part of Cappadocia. We loved this beautiful mansion hotel. The property was unique and the staff was incredible. We also enjoyed the gourmet food and the service. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Cappadocia.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful mansion

Location

In a quiet village

Staff

Very friendly and helpful. They were incredible!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfy.

Arena Hotel Sultanahmet

Istanbul

This hotel is in a central location. It was quiet and comfortable. The breakfast was very good . The place had a nice feel to it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn by Radisson Istanbul Airport

Istanbul

We just stayed at this one the night before we left. It was clean and comfortable. I would not recommend going to the on site restaurant. It was not good and the service was terrible. Only about 15 minutes from the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Nice place to learn about the history of Istanbul. Our guide was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class: Delve into Ottoman Cuisine at Old City Istanbul

İstanbul

The chef was amazing. We had so much fun and got to eat what we prepared. This was definitely one of our favorite activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

This was the best experience of my life. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. The building was beautiful and the spa treatment was incredible. I felt like a true princess from the minute I got there until the moment I left. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this Turkish Bath.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was very well organized and if not for the weather , it would have gone perfectly as planned! We had a delightful honeymoon thanks to Berat and her brother.

read more

The trip was very well organized and if not for the weather , it would have gone perfectly as planned! We had a delightful honeymoon thanks to Berat and her brother.

I used Berat with Trail Travel through KimKim for my trip to Istanbul. I have to say, from start to finish, they were incredibly responsive! They arranged, with my feedback, for some thoughtful excursions and my guide, Ibrahim, was so knowledgeable. If you can request him I strongly suggest you do so. I learned so much about the Turkish culture from him as well as hitting some amazing restaurants and he is an incredibly lovely man. Ladies, be sure to take a scarf to wear in the mosques,... read more

I used Berat with Trail Travel through KimKim for my trip to Istanbul. I have to say, from start to finish, they were incredibly responsive! They arranged, with my feedback, for some thoughtful excursions and my guide, Ibrahim, was so knowledgeable. If you can request him I strongly suggest you do so. I learned so much about the Turkish culture from him as well as hitting some amazing restaurants and he is an incredibly lovely man. Ladies, be sure to take a scarf to wear in the mosques, we should be respectful of this long-standing religions beliefs. The mosques were breathtaking, the bazaars very interesting but be careful when buying and don't overpay! The largest cistern Ibrahim took me too was out of this world beautiful, he has great connections! The hamam that Berat arranged was a memorable experience. You will be naked so be prepared for this but it was so relaxing and I highly recommend it! Overall, Berat and her team made this a trip to remember. I usually do not revisit a place twice but I might make an exception for Istanbul. ❤️❤️❤️. Thank you, Berat and Ibrahim, for your amazing service and assistance!

Hotel Review

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

This is a humble hotel but the location is great. However, what really makes it special are the people. They truly care that you have a great stay while here. It was my birthday when I visited and the staff worked with my family to have a cake brought to my room where they sang Happy Birthday...you don't see this kind of thoughtfulness just anywhere. The daily breakfast is also fantastic. I highly recommend this hotel in Istanbul!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff make this stay a unique and lovely experience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

Wow, this is the best way to sum it up. The experience here was like nothing else. You will be naked so keep this in mind but if you prefer not to remove the wrap you can wear a swimsuit. Just note, everyone else will be naked. They are very good about be respectful so don't worry. You must experience this! You will leave feeling relaxed and pampered. Do not leave Istanbul without this experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dispite a rocky start after missing our flight from Istanbul we had a terrific tour. Berat and Murat were able to make some minor adjustments to our tour which meant we did not miss anything dispite losing 12 hours due to missing our flight. Our guide Hati in Cappadocia was awesome, we hear stories and history along the way and there was never a dull moment. From outdoor museums to pottery to underground cities and of course our ballon ride, it was a wonderful visit.
We arrived in Izmir on... read more

Dispite a rocky start after missing our flight from Istanbul we had a terrific tour. Berat and Murat were able to make some minor adjustments to our tour which meant we did not miss anything dispite losing 12 hours due to missing our flight. Our guide Hati in Cappadocia was awesome, we hear stories and history along the way and there was never a dull moment. From outdoor museums to pottery to underground cities and of course our ballon ride, it was a wonderful visit.
We arrived in Izmir on the late flight a enjoyed a great sleep in followed by a fantastic breakfast. The house of the vergin Mary was a great followed by Ephesus which can only be described as amazingly wonderous. To walk in the same places and touch the same stone as some of histories most famous and iconic people was truely incredible. Topping the tour off with a visit to the thermal spa in Pamukkale made sure this was a trip we will not forget and will be part of our conversations for a long time to come.

Good day Berat and the Kimkim team,
We are still trying to get to grips with normal life after our magical tour through your beautiful country. We enjoyed every minute of a very well organised and amazingly comprehensive visit to all the historical and cultural places in such a short time.
Mr Ibrahim was a very patient and informative guide in Istanbul and unlocked the wonders of the beautiful mosques, palaces and especially the cistern for us .
The tour through Cappadocia, Konya,... read more

Good day Berat and the Kimkim team,
We are still trying to get to grips with normal life after our magical tour through your beautiful country. We enjoyed every minute of a very well organised and amazingly comprehensive visit to all the historical and cultural places in such a short time.
Mr Ibrahim was a very patient and informative guide in Istanbul and unlocked the wonders of the beautiful mosques, palaces and especially the cistern for us .
The tour through Cappadocia, Konya, Parmukkale and Sirence was unforgettable and we could not wish for a better guide as Hatija (? Hati for us). She was wow, fun, informative and altogether a wonderful person. She had a problem with a cold in her face, but she still soldered on to give us her best. The hot air balloons, the underground dwellings, the unbelievable landscape, the dervishes show, the visit to Ephesus, the Goreme open air museum, the ancient ruins, the karavanserai, the wooden mosque, the thermal waterfalls were all awesome and Hati made it really come to life for us. And hats off to the safe, friendly and patient driver of the very comfortable bus we travelled in.
Our hotels were lovely, very well appointed and comfortable. At the Dóga Thermal Hotel in Parmukkale we had an awesome dinner and enjoyed the thermal spa.We would have loved to stay longer in Sirence, maybe in one of the inns in the village - but next time! We also would love to add Kuśadasi and the Valley of the butterflies!
We brought back lots of memories, leather jackets, silk scarves, pottery, a carpet, jewellery, trinkets, lots of photos that will forever remind us of your magic country.
Back in Istanbul we had another excellent guide that took us to the artisans at the rooftops over the Grand Bazaar and also to the Asian side. I can still hear the sound of the muezzins calling all to pray!
At the Sirkeci Mansion hotel we really befriended the very helpful staff who went out of their way to accommodate us on our last day.
The country transported us to ages past, with a mixture of faith, art and history prevalent in all the historic sites.

Thank you all for making our trip unforgettable.
From Hermien, Kriek, Suzette and Marietjie.

We were late getting started on planning our trip to Turkey, but Berat stepped right up and got us all squared away in just a few days. We had some ideas about what we wanted to see and she put them together in an itinerary that made sense, with a good balance of travel and sight seeing each day. We had been warned away from Troy, but our guide, Erdem Keseli, did a great job of interpreting the site and the museum, as he did for the other sights we visited (Gallipoli, Assos, Pergamon,... read more

We were late getting started on planning our trip to Turkey, but Berat stepped right up and got us all squared away in just a few days. We had some ideas about what we wanted to see and she put them together in an itinerary that made sense, with a good balance of travel and sight seeing each day. We had been warned away from Troy, but our guide, Erdem Keseli, did a great job of interpreting the site and the museum, as he did for the other sights we visited (Gallipoli, Assos, Pergamon, Asclepion, and Ephesus). We enjoyed the hotels Berat selected, especially the Sunset Boutique Hotel in Assos where we had a great view and the best breakfast! The last night of our trip in Sirince at the Hotel Manolian was disturbed by the loud barking of the street dogs, though there's little the hotel could do to prevent that. It was otherwise comfortable and well located for wandering the streets of the village. Overall, everyone we interacted with on our trip, guide, driver and hotel staff were warm and welcoming and we are already dreaming of our next trip to Turkey!

Hotel Reviews

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

This is a charming hotel in a wonderful location for exploring the sights of Sultanahmet in Istanbul. The staff were very kind and helpful and breakfast was delicious. The view from the rooftop terrace at night is magical.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doubletree by Hilton Çanakkale

Çanakkale

While clearly a chain hotel, this hotel is well located and clean and has all the amenities one might want. The staff were very friendly and breakfast was good. The bed was very comfortable. It is outside the central part of Cannakale, but is along the water with good restaurants in walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Assos Sunset Boutique Hotel

Çanakkale

We loved this hotel. The room was charming and the staff were wonderful. The view from the terrace was spectacular. Breakfast was the best of the whole trip - a whole selection of traditional Turkish breakfast foods.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hera

Bergama

This is a charming hotel in walking distance from the commercial center of Bergama. It was quiet and comfortable and the staff were very welcoming. Breakfast was good, but since it was the day after our spectacular Assos Sunset Boutique Hotel breakfast, it wasn't quite the same. There is a charming courtyard where you can relax with a drink any time of day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

We enjoyed all the sights on this tour. It was great to have a guide who was able to get priority entrance for the Palace and the Cistern so we didn't have to waste time waiting in lines.

First, I want to thank Berat for her patience and for working during the weekend to arrange the trip. The trip itself was terrific. Everything was organized and designed for us. The drivers and the guides were accommodating and trained. The hotel in Istanbul was in the center of the city and close to all tourist places. Fantastic view of Hagia Sophia.
In the black sea area, we had the best time ever. I want to thank Kerem and the driver Kadeer for being very helpful during the trip. read more

First, I want to thank Berat for her patience and for working during the weekend to arrange the trip. The trip itself was terrific. Everything was organized and designed for us. The drivers and the guides were accommodating and trained. The hotel in Istanbul was in the center of the city and close to all tourist places. Fantastic view of Hagia Sophia.
In the black sea area, we had the best time ever. I want to thank Kerem and the driver Kadeer for being very helpful during the trip.

Hotel Review

Kotit Ayder Hotel

Clean. Breakfast is amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near a river

Staff

Nice and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

It is clean and comfort. But there is no room service to clean room if you are staying for more than one night

Activity Review

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid,... read more

Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid, fixed pre-existing itinerary. Berat was also prompt with her responses while we were in Turkey to troubleshoot any issues we experienced with our hotels and logistics.

We spent 2 weeks in Turkey, going from Istanbul to Cappadocia to Antalya to Izmir before returning to Istanbul. During this time we developed a great camaraderie with our guide, Onder, who was very receptive in tailoring our activities and content to our interests and styles. He was extremely professional, always making us feel like we were welcome, and introducing us to many locals in each of the spots we visited. I also want to thank all of the van drivers (Mustafa, Ramazan, Erdogan to name a few), who presented us with clean, spacious vans and supplied us with water. Each spot that we visited had a wonderful charm of its own. If we had more time, I would have loved to add one extra day in Kas and a couple more days in Istanbul to fully experience the city. For our packed trip, it was helpful to have some later starts to balance out our very early ones in the beginning of the trip.

Our trip was wonderful, and we would definitely book again if we had the chance. Some suggestions for improvement for an even better experience via Trail Travel/KimKim:
- When booking domestic flights, ask about estimated luggage quantities/explain airline policies on luggage beforehand
- Ask about preferred flight timings when possible
- Develop some form of guide matching based on travel style and interests
- As much as possible, provide pricing breakdowns (esp. for hotel rates to compare)

Hotel Reviews

Ruin Adalia

Antalya

This hotel was included last minute to our itinerary due to an issue with our original hotel. It was a surprise treat, a gem in the middle of the Old City. The quaint property in the middle of bustling Kaleici is built over an archaeological museum open only to guests. We not only experienced comfortable rooms with a semi private terrace overseeing the beautiful grounds and mountains, but also were given a mini tour through the underground museum by Marcus, one of the archaeologists staffed at the hotel. We saw the layers of Antalya - Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Ottoman - wonderfully preserved.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Keep in mind that as it is in the middle of the most busy part of town, it can get noisy. This would probably apply to any hotel in Kaleici.

Staff

We did get stopped from entering the hotel a couple times due to their strict security, but didn't really see any of the other guests face this issue. However, they apologized immediately once the misunderstandings were cleared up.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Otto Palace

Kumluca, Antalya Region

Otto Palace is a cute, no frills attached b&b that makes you feel like you are staying with family friends. This means that the hosts have good vibes and senses of humor, but service is very "chill" and relaxed, even when you require a little more assistance as guests. This serves as a decent base if you are planning a night in Adrasan as a launching point for a boat tour, but it might also be worthwhile to check out AirBnBs in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The hosts are friendly, kind, and relaxed with good sense of humor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were very comfortable and the rooms large. However, the rooms did smell like cigarette smoke and the AC was not working in either of our 2 rooms. We did mention the AC problem to our host and they were able to fix it. It seemed that the filters in both rooms were old and not properly maintained. When in Turkey it is expected that cats are going to be your new neighbors wherever you are. However, the cats on this property were much more aggressive than we were accustomed to. As we were eating our meal, they were consistently propping themselves on the table, scratching at us, and eventually jumped onto the table on the food we had ordered. For hygiene reasons, we didn't feel comfortable finishing our food that the cat had touched and had to leave an incomplete dinner. This caught us off guard especially since the cats seemed to be pets of the owners. However, when we asked if the owners could keep the cats away from the food (through broken Google Translate communication), there wasn't anything done.

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

We were greeted with warmth and friendliness at our first hotel in Turkey. I would like to specifically mention that Betul was particularly helpful. She escorted us to a restaurant for lunch just after we arrived and showed us around the property. Definitely venture out for food rather than sticking to the hotel's restaurants, as you can certainly find all sorts of food for a variety of prices in Istanbul. This hotel is tastefully decorated in an Ottoman style and is in a prime location near the most famous sites in Istanbul!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Do note that due to the strategic location, it can get noisy during the day and at night. This is a great base to see the important sites in Sultanahmet, but if you have more than a couple days in Istanbul, perhaps it may make sense to move to another neighborhood for the remainder of your time.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom was spacious and modern with consistent hot water. It was a pleasant surprise to find a hammam sink in our shower. One note - as a family of 4 sharing a small suite, we had one king bed and 2 makeshift twin beds. There was not a proper sofa bed - the staff just added sheets on top of the existing sofa and gave us a rollaway bed. For the purposes of our short stay, this worked out just fine, but these makeshift beds were probably not as comfortable as proper mattresses for a longer stay.

Kayakapi Premium Caves

Urgup / Cappadocia

Staying in a cave hotel was one of the highlights of our trip. Kayakapi is a beautifully kept, guest-centric hotel, with large, clean, and luxurious cave suites. We enjoyed using the pool and spa facilities, as well as exploring the hotel as a whole. We are frequent travelers and our stay at Kayakapi was definitely one of our best hotel experiences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff are very open to input as they are continuously trying to make the hotel better. When we provided some feedback on how the already excellent rooms might be improved further (small things like adding more privacy to bathroom doors, adding fans, ensuring showerheads do not make bathroom floors wet, including more storage space in the bathroom), they noted every suggestion down in detail.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable for a 4 person family (1 king and 2 twins).

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

A very cute hotel in the cute town of Sirince. We received a friendly welcome, loved exploring the town from this hotel, and spending the evening on our little private porch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

This was another hotel where we had 1 king bed and 2 somewhat makeshift twin beds. The twin beds worked well for our one night stay, but may have been a little uncomfortable for a stay longer than that.

La Kumsal Hotel

Kaş / Antalya

Sadly our stay at La Kumsal was the only hotel experience that was not overwhelmingly positive. We were excited about our 2 night stay at Kas to be close to the ocean and were told that the rooms that we had paid for were sea view rooms. When we reached the hotel, the staff member at the front desk was a little confused about our room types. Despite not knowing English, however, she was trying her best to communicate with us and let us know that the issues with our room would be resolved the next day. Unfortunately, our rooms smelled of smoke, the tables/desks were quite old with stains and markings. One of our rooms was looking right out in the main bar area with no privacy or view of the sea and the other was looking out at a small pathway with a sliver of a view from the balcony. The doors were a bit hard to open/close. The shower water was cold to lukewarm. However, the rooms as a whole, though very simple with some need for maintenance, were clean. We immediately notified Berat about our experience, just as feedback, and she promptly contacted the hotel's manager. The manager called us up afterwards. He seemed a little upset over our complaints but assured us that the problems would be resolved the next day and sent us a fruit basket. The next day we met the manager. He was a little cold and passive aggressive while explaining that the hotel was completely booked and that they could move us to a villa for extra money. Berat helped us navigate this conversation, and eventually we were able to move to their villa for our second day in Kas, without paying extra. The villa had a beautiful view with a private pool, beach area, and 3 bed/3 bath. This was definitely more than we were expecting for our room change at the hotel. While we had some unfortunate experiences with some of the staff and our expectations of the rooms, the outdoor areas such as the pool and dining areas are quite pretty. The villa was also great, and we enjoyed using the private pool. If you decide to stay at La Kumsal, be clear on what type of room you are getting - "seaside" or "sea front" or "sea view"!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We felt that the manager was a little cold and passive aggressive. He was placing most of the blame on us and our travel agency, without trying to understand our situation fully. While we appreciate him moving us to the villa, he seemed a bit disdainful and disingenuous of our concerns, employing false sympathy, rather than just being authentic with his thoughts. Most of the waiters at breakfast and dinner were not paying us much attention. We would like to thank the staff member at the front desk who greeted us and one of the waiters, as they were very kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There is more effort placed on maintaining the outdoor spaces than on the indoor ones. This is fine for a simple beach town stay, but it did feel there was a disconnect between online images and what you see in person. Even the villa, which had beautiful outdoor spaces, was a little old in the interior. The showers were cold and the bathrooms were a little rough around the edges.

GAIA Alacati

Çeşme/İzmir

Wonderful boutique hotel in a great location. Breakfast was great and the attention to detail for decor was noticeable. Feel free to do your own research on restaurants and other services in the area, as some of the recommendations given by the staff were helpful, but possibly overpriced. We were also recommended a salon that overcharged us and actually hurt my mother's fingers during a manicure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One thing to note - the showers were cold after sundown

AJWA Sultanahmet

Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Another hotel we loved. Wonderful staff, well designed rooms, and some of the comfiest beds we've slept in! The breakfast was also delicious, and we enjoyed getting to know the restaurant staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Onder did a great job of introducing us to Istanbul!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Great way to get a different perspective of Istanbul

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

We thoroughly enjoyed our three days in Cappadocia, and all the activities - hot air balloons, hiking, pottery making, etc.

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

The ancient sites of Aspendos, Perge, and Ephesus were marvelous, but in the middle of July it was extremely hot, which limited our ability to explore as much as we may have wanted.

Quality of Experience

Nothing - it was just hot!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

Loved it! The Ab-ı Hayat treatment was one of our favorite activities of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

In retrospect, I would have moved our itinerary around to give us 2 full days in Istanbul before heading off to Cappadocia. This would have been a great activity for the 2nd day of our trip. Unfortunately keeping this for the last day of our trip meant that we were a little too tired to fully appreciate the magnificent sites. With a little more energy, we definitely could have spent much more time at Topkapi Palace.

All my local tour guides and drivers are very nice. The hotels are clean, cozy, and beautiful. read more

All my local tour guides and drivers are very nice. The hotels are clean, cozy, and beautiful.

Hotel Reviews

Helike Hotel

Nevsehir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alacati Zeytin Konak Hotel

Cesme

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Recital Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hot Air Balloon Tour in Sunrise

Cappadocia

As a foreigner, I was arrange into a ride full of local Turkish people so the pilot only spoke in Turkish throughout the whole ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City + Ihlara Valley Hike + Selime Monastery

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport