Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli
My two-night stay at the Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli turned out to be one of the most bizarre experiences I've had across multiple countries. On the first day, after using the restroom, I noticed the entire toilet wall was streaked with dried urine—extremely unpleasant. I immediately called reception, and a cleaning staff member arrived shortly afterward. He was diligent and thoroughly cleaned the area, so I gave him 100 Turkish Lira as a tip. During breakfast the next morning, a hotel manager approached me for guest feedback. I mentioned my concern from the previous night, and she listened attentively, took notes, and promised to address it by upgrading our room. I returned to the front desk and confirmed we'd switch rooms that evening. Around 10 PM, I was informed we’d been moved to the highest floor. My spirits lifted—surely this meant a better room? But then came the twist: the elevator didn’t go all the way to the 33rd floor. We had to transfer at the 30th or 31st floor, walk down a short corridor, and take a small secondary elevator. When we finally reached our new room, the disappointment hit hard—smaller than our original room, bed pushed closer together, no desk or sofa, and the bathroom cut in half. This wasn’t an upgrade—it felt like a joke. We asked to return to our original room and retraced our steps through the confusing elevator system. Later, my colleague requested tea, and although they said yes right away, nothing arrived for over an hour. I had to call again before someone showed up. Throughout the entire stay, the hand soap bottles on the sink remained dusty and untouched—even after daily housekeeping visits. The hygiene standards were clearly lacking. On the final two nights, when I pulled back the bedsheet to sleep, I found a stain. Too tired to complain, I just avoided that spot. At the lounge, a female server ignored me completely when I asked to settle the bill. I had to call out three times before she even acknowledged me, and only after I returned from smoking nearby did she finally hand over the invoice. Despite giving at least 100 TL in tips daily, the service, cleanliness, and overall experience fell far short of five-star expectations. Honestly, this Marriott doesn’t come close. If you’re considering a Marriott stay in Istanbul, please look elsewhere—this location offers terrible value for money.
