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HI - Istanbul - Cordial House Hostel Details
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HI - Istanbul - Cordial House Hostel Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Super clean, friendly, and centrally located hostel Cordial House is a great base for those who seek for a good accommodation with great deals in old part of Istanbul, Sultanahmet. We made our booking online for one night only because we first wanted to try if the hostel was good enough to stay longer. We also asked them to pick us up from Sabiha Gokcen Airport and when we landed the hostel driver was waiting for us with a placard on which our names were written. This was a great help to get into the city. The reception staff who met us was friendly and gave us our room right away. The room was beyond our expectations because the size of the room was very big, the bathroom was spotless clean. We extended our stay after the first night stay because we really did like this hostel. They also provide daily housekeeping service, which kept our room clean during our stay. We will definitely stay at Cordial if we return and recommend Cordial House any one looking for a great hostel offering unbeatable rates. — Heidi , German (2011-11-06) Flea Infested Room, Terrible Service I woke up at 4AM being BITTEN BY FLEAS. When I went downstairs to complain the front desk person yelled at me to leave the area because they were not "open" (though their website states they are 24h). Later I came downstairs when the desk was "open" and not only was the receptionist and then the manager rude, they were unwilling to believe me -- until I presented them with a flea I had saved from the room. On top of everything rather than being apologetic for my terrible experience THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THE ROOM WITH FLEAS. Frankly, I was taken in by their nice website and the fact that they were recommended in the travel guide. Do not make the same mistake, I found most of the claims on the website totally false -- there was no WiFi outside of the very immediate reception area, no AC, and the rooms were completely dingy and looked nothing like the pictures. Plus the bathrooms (and this is the girls bathroom mind you) was disgusting and the toilets didn't properly flush. — Nicole C , Seattle, WA (2011-09-13) Very nice hostel with nice staff The hospitality I received from Cordial House is enormous. The manager, Tugrul Gokce and staff made me feel I was at home in Canada. The warmth and the friendly gestures are overwhelming I feel I lived in a house instead of an hotel. The rooms are clean, every request is attended to without delay, request for trips and advise for travel are well provided and most staff you can converse lengthily even when they are busy. When I left a LIRA coin in my laundry, they honestly handed me back the coin. When I asked for a shuttle to the airport, there is no delay. When I request my luggage to be stored, no problem, they will take care of it. If you compare the rates they charge with other hostels, Cordial House is reasonable considering the closeness of the top attractions such as the Turkish Bazaar, Topkapi, Ble Mosque, Cistern Underground, the tram, and the Turkish baths. I will remember my stay in Istanbul as the brightest shining jewel in the entire travels I have had for so many years. I feel the Turkish people as one of the friendliest ever I have met in my travels. I won so many friends in my visits to Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Taksim Square Istiklial Caddesi. The movie Midnight Express of so many years ago was wrong. The way the western press focuses right now on the war fronts between the Turks and the Kurds in the south are blown out of proportion. I am very proud that this country retains the tradition and discipline of its history and culture. When my plane flew from Istanbul, I had a lump in my throat, thinking that I am leaving behind the warmth and friendly citizens of this country. Tugkrul and company, thank you so much. — Bal De More , Canada (2010-01-29) Good location but that is about all you can expect the subway/tram lines bring you from the airport to about three hundred meters from the hostel/hotel. that is the only advantage. I stayed in the dorm for three days and the room was not cleaned. the bed sheets not changed and rubbish not cleared. the room were not adequately heated up and bathroom basic and not heated either. Staff were cordial and indifference. don't expect more. Quotes for rooms were in Euros but except only Lira equivalent at their unfriendly exchange rates if payment were made by credit card. — sun , singapore (2009-11-29) Disappointing I stayed here on the basis of people's recommendations on this site but was disappointed with the reality. The staff were polite but certainly not friendly, the room was very cold (most of us used three blankets at night), and heaters were turned off during the day, the showers were school camp style, and daily vacuuming/cleaning did not seem to occur. Although the hostel has both an information office and tourist information office they never actually seemed to be open nor any opening hours posted! The location is great and new carpet was being laid while I was there but I will definitely try somewhere else if I return to Istanbul. — Lauren , NZ (2008-02-01) Very good hostel clean and very friendly staff I loved my stay at the Cordial House! As promised, someone was at the airport to transport us to the hotel which was really nice and convenient. The location was absolutely perfect! So close to all the major tourist spots such as the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sofia. Also, it was very close to a tram stop. The staff at the hotel were all super friendly, they spoke perfect English, and they were always ready and willing to accommodate. I highly recommend staying at the Cordial House. The only thing I would have changed about my stay is that I would have requested a room without a street view because the street was a bit noisy at night. Enjoy your stay in Istanbul, it is a wonderful city! — Yua Kim , Korean (2007-06-13) For Istanbul's standards, it is probably very good. I stayed here and had no real complaints. The bed was clean, and the bathrooms, although had a distinctly funny smell, was pretty clean. My advice is bring earplugs because the noise in the streets is unbelievable. No AC! The breakfast will fill you up, although is the simple typical turkish breakfast, which is tomatoes, olives, bread, and cheese. The common area was a nice place to chill out in between your Istanbul sightseeing. It is also possible to meet other travelers maybe, if you are traveling alone. Although it is kind of annoying that the people who work at the hostel are always hanging around the common room talking in turkish. I shouldn't complain though, because they are very helpful with any questions you may have. Also note the airport shuttle is a nice feature, although costs 15 Euro (even to the secondary airport Sabiha). Just stay away from the owner's stinky dog! — Anonymous , Canada (2007-06-09) very nice and clean place. also very safe. liked it very much. the best advice! — Zemu (2006-08-31) This place comes highly recommended -- its cheap, clean, very well located, and has a good common room. However, the best thing about this place are the staff. Really helpful to the extent that they will go out of their way for you. Just really nice people who made our stay in Istanbul really easy and so memorable. — Salma (2006-07-05) As a girl traveling alone who is obviously not Turkish, Istanbul can be overwhelming, but the guys at the Cordial House were friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Each day after walking around and having what felt like every single person in the city trying to sell me something or talk to me, the Cordial House was a relaxed and wonderful place to come home to. I will definitely stay there again and you should certainly give it a try. — K from the US (2006-04-12) This is one of the best places I have seen. Very nice, comfortable, not so expensive and near everything you need to enjoy Istanbul. I think when I am again in Istanbul I will go there.
Ps. It's really very clean!!! — Elisa (2005-10-06) This is one of the best hostels in which I have stayed. All of the staff were helpful and accommodating. It is located right in the area of all the major attractions. I recommend all who travel in Istanbul and want to stay someplace that is reasonably priced and with extraordinarily pleasant staff to stay here. — Sharice (2005-06-01) My trip to Istanbul was incredible and a lot of it has to do with the fact that I stayed at Cordial House. It's in a great location, the staff are absolutely amazing and the other guests were unforgettable. I have wonderful memories of evenings of tavla (backgammon) tournaments, billiards and card games — even if it was just having a cup of tea (or glass of wine) with another guest or one of the staff. Cordial House is the most warm and friendly place I have stayed during my travels. — Rebecca (2005-03-09) I always stay at Cordial House when I'm in Istanbul. They are open 24/7 and have a great, helpful, and friendly staff. It's placed in the heart of the shopping district, close to the Grand Bazaar. It's also very cheap — but VERY clean. Don't miss out on this great place!
Thank you for a great place guys!!! See you again soon. :-) — Lasse from Denmark (2005-01-25) We stayed in Cordial House for six days and we enjoyed a different interest on each day. The staff were so friendly that they made our stay in Cordial great. What can one traveler expect more than a very safe place, clean and comfortable rooms and a very delicious breakfast? Thank you all for the wonderful service!! No doubt I will be back. :)) — Romain (2005-01-25)