Hotel Barin - Istanbul

5.1

Well, I already gathered significant experience with booking through Venere.com and have laso practically realized how different are same ratings for different countries and locations. Property is not bad at all - right in the heart of Laleli district (known also as the "Russian neighbourhood" in Istanbul), Just next to Beyazid mosque and the famous Covered bazaar. Blue Mosque and the St. Sofia are also in walking distance - no more than 10-15 minutes. District is busy, crowded and jammed in working hours but not at all too noisy and to chaotic and nervous as is Taxim for example. The hotel itself is nothing special - for good or bad. Rooms are clean, but could be cleaner, it is qiet but cut be more qiet (I had the bad luck of moving in just when a carpenter was doing some reconstruction in the room next door, it was 3 P.M. and he was making noise as a grenadiers platoon during exercises, but this was realy a bad luck I think, plus that my plans were for a walk outside, so I didn't suffer that much.)Bathroom was OK, Pictures on the net give some idea of what it is but they are not at all so spacious in practise. Breakfast was excellent - as everywhere in Turkey, staff was friendly and competent, at the reception they speak descent English. In my case they - together with 2 other outside touristic information and service companies - misled me about the timetable of one of the ferry lines to the Asian side but it was not their fault at all. To regular cruses were canceled just like that which put me in deepest trouble as I was running after a concert in the Asian side. I suggest that everyone is extremely careful withy relying on pre-anounced timetables and pricelist for whatever in Istanbul - ask 3 times for everything and ever had a spare plan - that's istanbul, nothing more to say or do. General esteem for the Barin - not bad, maybe a little overpriced considering location/quality/service price ratio. I have seen worse in Istanbul, but I have also better and in the

6.1

Correct hotel, with clean rooms...the breakfast is good, typical turkish. The worst is that there are no non-smoking areas, so you are not comfortable in the restaurant, the hall and even in the room, where the smoke enters. Not in the center, but not far (which is good, because it's next to non turist areas). Nice staff.

9.8

I stayed three nights at this hotel with my wife and son during our holidays. The hotel staff was very competent, hospitable and provided very good services. A minus is the dinner served that was rather expensive considering the scarce range of food. The hotel should post more pictures on the internet to make themselves more known. Each dish served should be marked with labels so that the tourists know what they eat - not guess or smell the food. Nevertheless I enjoyed my stay here.

9.3

a real great stay for these price