Black Bird Hotel

We stayed there for 3 days. Staff was helpful and changed rooms for us, since the room was noisy and smelled smoke. Rooms in the 5th floor tend to be less noisy. Location is good, 30 min walk from Sultanamet. Enjoyed the stay, though I would like to have stayed closer to Sultanmeht.

Close to the Valens Aquaduct but far from the main tourist attractions like Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya (you can still walk or take the tram which is just a few stops away). I am not used to the tipping 'culture' and gave the hotel help 2 TLR but he signaled for another TLR after doing some 'stretching' of his arms due to carrying our stuffs. I found this funny. Hotel is actually quite old. The wood decor in our room needs refurbishing. The wireless Internet access is slow and cumbersome to connect to as each room occupant is given a specific password to gain access. I have never like carpeted floors and the reason is that it makes the room feel dingy and dark, with a kind of smell which needs a day to clear (or adjusted to) and this was what I experienced at Black Bird. The air-conditioning didn't help in the beginning as it was difficult to control. The toilet is rather old but nevertheless functioning. As a result, we didn't dare to ask for room service. The breakfast spread is a pretty standard fare and I cannot complain. The silver lining in my stay in this hotel is perhaps the location as it is further from the main tourist areas of Sultanahmet, it lets you experience how the people go through their daily hustle and bustle.

The hotel is modern and clean. The service is good but it is a noisy neighbourhood. The streets were loud and the nearby mosque woke me at 6 a.m. It is a good three quarters of a mile to the tourist areas and the walk there is a little intimidating in places. I would probably choose a different hotel next time, purely because of the location.