Andrea Forero

Review of Hotel Grand Star

Ah... Happy to come across this hotel while planni...

Ah... Happy to come across this hotel while planning my current trip to Istanbul and have to let you ALL know again and again:
If you would like to stay in a proper hotel and feel safe ... then PLEASE DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL. I was unfortunate enough to have a reservation at this hotel January 1st - 16th of 2013 on business.

I had to cut my stay short as my DSLR camera was stolen directly from my room one day after check in. I had left it in the safe and came back to find it open and camera missing. I immediately spoke with the manager, who was not helpful at all and quite rude, about viewing security footage. We both saw that the only person to go in the room was the cleaner... only one man in the hotel. It became clear to us that it was this man who stole the camera as:
a. he was the only one to go into the room the whole day via security footage and
b. the only one with access to the rooms during the day.

The management brought the man in and asked him in Turkish if he had stolen the camera and he said no, looking scared and at the floor the whole time. When I started to question the man, he would not look at me and shortly after, I was being yelled at by the management to stop accusing this man as he had been with the hotel for many years and considered family. Excuse me?? I DO NOT CARE! YOUR CLEANER obviously stole my camera!! This only shows the lack of respect for the customers staying there.

This is ABSOLUTELY UNFAIR, DISRESPECTFUL and my experience was completely HORRIBLE. The hotel refused to pay and refused to cooperate to help retrieve my expensive DSLR camera. We decided not to call the police as it would be too much of an ordeal and I was busy with a training, scheduled to travel shortly after. The only option I had was to leave comments in hopes of alerting other travelers to NOT STAY AT THIS HORRIBLE PLACE!

On top of being rude, unorganized and clear liars, the hotel is dirty, cold, with construction, noise and a horrible smell.

How do you think it feels when the hotel you trust violates that trust by going through your things when you are not there. AND, they are able to get away with it? Think about it.

Overall: ZERO stars, terrifying experience, completely devastated and angry: DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL!!!!!!!