Soho House Istanbul

Beautiful building which we went to specifically to enjoy the rooftop bar. Upon arriving and heading up to said rooftop bar on a beautiful sunny evening, ready to enjoy a cocktail and the view, we were told by the staff that the rooftop bar was closed and would not open until 7pm (it was 6:15 at this point) as they were busy “preparing” the area. This was despite the fact we could see quite clearly that all of the tables were already prepared and were just going to waste with no one sat at them able to enjoy the view. This was nonsensical and beyond annoying, particularly given there was no other outdoor seating available. We therefore left and found another rooftop bar which was open and ready for business - as you would except a rooftop bar to be at 6:15 in the evening.

Overall stay was ok - not excellent not terrible. Bed was comfy but room was falling apart (I.e. air conditioning wasn’t working, light fixtures were almost falling off the wall, bathroom was rather tiny and had water marks) the service was also on the slower side especially in members club with us having to physically stand up to get someones attention. The property was also going though a few renovations meaning things like the rooftop terraces were not open which is probably one of the main reasons we booked it in the first place. I’ve stayed in a few other house previously and that experience overall was better than the Istanbul house. Such a shame because it has potential to be amazing.

Quite disappointing to be honest. The lighting is really bad (a young man in the lift said that the hallways were dark and grim, and felt a bit like a cult). The rooms were nice but the lighting was quite bad too - no proper lighting in the bathroom for make up. We changed room because of the noise on our first night. It was my husband's 60th birthday and i informed them before our arrival, but we got a poky little room that felt like a chambre de bonne (our friend was alone and got an automatic upgrade.) Thankfully, Yorkan was kind enough to organise a better, bigger room. Despite mentioning my husband's birthday prior to our arrival, not one person wished him happy birthday. We were meeting friends and even though it was not so busy, when I asked the day before about if there would be space for 11 of us in the Allis barfor drinks, the waiter just told me that I could see how busy it was and didn't even try to accomodate. Considering how quiet it was, it wouldn't have hurt to offer to save us a spot. The staff were professionally nice, but I expected a lot better for 300 euros per night, especially after a wonderful 4 nights at nearby Pera Palace for two-thirds of the price. Yorkan was the saving grace of the hotel. He was kind, helpful and made us feel welcome.

I gave this hotel 5 stars back in 2019 and was excited to go back this summer for a longer stay. We got married in Istanbul and decided to stay at the Soho House after our wedding to rest and relax before going back home. I was disappointed to find out that the pool on the rooftop was closed due to a license issue. In addition, I was not impressed with the massage and facial I had at Cowshed. We also paid almost twice as much (in euro’s!) for the same room compared to 2019. The guest profile seems to have changed as well, with more Arabs staying here now whereas during our first stay there were more Western guests at the hotel. Dinner at Cecconi’s was lovely as always but you do not need to stay at the hotel to eat here. Apheleia, the new terrace restaurant at the club, was a pleasant surprise. The hotel is still beautiful inside and out and the staff is professional and friendly. However, unfortunately I don’t think you get what you pay for anymore.