Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus

I was just here for a wedding… so my review will be on the venue as a wedding spot. We were blown away by how top notch everything was. Location was stunning with a fabulous view of the Bosphorous. The food was out of this world. We had scallops for a starter, spinach and mushroom crêpe, and lamb shoulder for the main. Such a classy place!

I stayed there from April 9 — 13 and I truly liked this hotel.
My friend and I decided to fly over to Istanbul to spend the weekend (yes we like spontaneity) and got an amazing deal on this hotel.
Very well located in the city! Less than 10 minutes of walk distance to Taksim Square and about 30 min walk to the Bosphorus river, providing you don’t get lost, which will most likely happen albeit your best efforts ;)
What I like the most about this property is that it’s nested in the middle of a park. It is extremely quiet compared to the rest of the city.
Each room has a very good size balcony. We had a Deluxe room with two very comfortable single beds. For European standards, the room is quite large and came with a work area and lounge chair. We truly enjoyed our view on the Bosphorus river.
Our bathroom was roomy, well equipped with a bidet and also very clean/​
Albeit the hotel is extremely well maintained, the furniture and common areas are a little dated. A property overhaul would be appreciated.
Another nice thing to mention about this hotel; free Wifi all over the property!
The staff was extremely courteous and our maid made such an amazing job every day cleaning, setting up our own toiletry products on folded linen and giving us extra shampoo, soap and lotions.

The oldest Hilton outside of the United States. 1955!!! Celebrating its 60^th anniversary this year.
The exterior is nothing to brag about. 1950s architecture. The interior is clean and impressive although not up to the newer five star hotels. Rooms are a good size especially for Europe — the bathroom is especially large and well appointed. The hotel is showing its age as you can see wear and tear in the room.
Used the executive lounge. Open to 11 pm and they have breakfast, afternoon tea and evening refreshments. You can actually fill yourself up during these times. Lots of drinks available including alcoholic — beer, wine (Turkish) and hard liquor.
Used the gym facilities. Large with newer equipment. Both indoor and outdoor pool. Other outdoor facilities like tennis courts and a large park like areas.
Good location. It is about ten minute walk to Taksim Square and to Nisantasi — a exclusive shopping area in Istanbul (Prada, Armani — you get the idea)
Would stay again.

If you have never visited Istanbul before, here’s a little information. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and is the country’s economic, cultural and historical heart. The Bosphorus Strait divides the transcontinental city into the European side and the Asian side. Even though a third of Istanbul’s population resides on the Asian side, when Westerners talk about Istanbul, they are usually referring to the European side.
The European side is further divided into «Old Istanbul» and «New Istanbul.» The majority of the city’s historical attractions including the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, etc. are all located in old Istanbul. If you are looking for a younger, more vibrant nightlife then you will need to head over to new Istanbul.
The Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus is located in new Istanbul on the European side. The hotel is located about a 30 minute cab ride from Istanbul Ataturk Airport in light traffic. Expect a longer commute (and a higher cab fare) during peak traffic hours.
The closest landmark to the hotel is Taksim Square. Taksim Square is about a five minute walk from the hotel and from there, you will find buses, taxis and the metro to get around/​out of town. Taksim Square is also where the Turkish people will congregate, protest and meet for political rallies so it’s definitely in a more lively part of town.
The Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus was built in 1955 and is Hilton’s oldest operating hotel outside of the Americas. The exterior of the hotel is still very much 1950’s architecture but the interior of the hotel including the lobby, rooms and facilities are all completely new, modern and beautifully appointed.
The front of the hotel is actually off-​set from the main street and you must pass through a security gate before entering the premises. The security guard will conduct a loose security inspection and check under the vehicles (taxis included) before allowing you to pass. The valet is located in front of the hotel and self-​parking is located in the parking structure next door.
On this trip, I was booked into a standard guest room on the sixth floor. The room was spacious, minimally decorated and furnished with a comfortable king size bed, flat screen television, desk, seating area, bar counter with mini-​fridge, security safe and a large window with views of the city. The balcony was very spacious and had a table and two chairs outside. The floor to ceiling windows made the room feel bright and airy.
The enclosed bathroom was a decent size and was beautifully decorated with marble counters and tiled walls. As common with most international hotels, there was a toilet and separate bidet. Larger than normal Peter Thomas Roth bath and body products were provided for your convenience.
The hotel grounds are pretty vast and there are plenty of trails and lush gardens to meander through. Other hotel amenities include an indoor pool, outdoor pool/​Jacuzzi area, fitness center, running track, tennis court, spa, hamman (Turkish bath) and Executive Lounge.
For a hotel gym, this is one of the better in-​house, fitness centers that I have visited. It’s a good size and has a separate cardio area with state of the art equipment. There are plenty of free weights and a variety of machines and benches for you to use.
The spa facilities are attached to the fitness center. You can arrange for spa services such as facials and massages at the fitness center front desk but the general use of the gym or spa area (lockers, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, hamman) are all free.
The Executive Lounge is located on the ninth floor and is open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. A full breakfast was served during the morning hours and an evening reception with a sample of hot finger foods and selection of alcoholic drinks is served in the evening. If you are able to, I highly recommend you spend some time in the lounge, grab some food and enjoy the beautiful views of the city from the lounge. Although it’s not private or quiet, there are several computers and printers to use if you need to get some work done.
If you are like me and don’t like to make travel plans until you actually arrive at a destination, then you are in luck. The hotel concierge was very helpful and was able to book me with a two day tour of Istanbul including a river tour of the Bosphorus. Yeah, it was a little pricey but it was convenient and personable due to the small size.
Overall, the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus was a great stay and I would recommend. If you’re looking to explore Istanbul on your own and want to be within walking distance to all the major attractions, I don’t recommend this hotel. You will probably be better off staying at a hotel in old Istanbul. But if you don’t mind taking taxis, will be part of a tour group or want more of a modern night life, then the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus will be a great stay.
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Stayed two days here last week. Excellent breakfast buffet, with huge variety of interesting fresh food. The buffet included a real honeycomb in a frame, which I admired but didn’t partake of, but only because I don’t eat sugar. Excellent scrambled eggs. Lovely harbour view from breakfast room. Very comfy bed. Very helpful and welcoming staff, many smiles and prompt assistance when needed. I experienced the typical excellent treatment characteristic of Hilton toward its HHonors members, including free Internet access and lots of help in getting an outside phone line (long story). The hotel is historic, and it appears that many famous people have stayed here. I didn’t have dinner at the hotel, nor did I get to use the fitness centre or pool, because I was feeling rotten with laryngitis during my stay. So I cannot comment on these.