Root Karaköy Hotel

Liked: The location only

Disliked: The Furniture is very old, it’s noisy. Some rooms are smelly. Some rooms are in bad condition Such as room 709 I reached to Booking.com to help me here but without any useful action.

هذي مو اول زياره للفندق بس فعلاً الفندق يحتاج الكثير من التحسين والنظافه ارفقة صورة طاولة المكوة جداً مقرفه ما احد يقدر يستخدمها لا فعلاً النظافه متدنية والغرفه جداً جداً ضيقه.. بالنسبه للموظفين الاغلب الصراحه جداً لطيف بس حصل موقف عند دخولنا الريسبشين احدهم رمى كلمة وصار ضحك جماعي الصراحه كان موقف يضايق جداً وغير احترافي.. اتمنى يصير في تطور في وضع الفندق لان الموقع جداً ممتاز

I would recommend some things about this hotel but not everything. The location is very good - convenient for public transport and also walkable to lots of areas worth seeing. The communal areas downstairs are really nicely decorated. The room was fine - nothing special, but comfortable and it had a good shower. (Beware the ‘courtyard view’ - this essentially means internal (small) window looking onto the atrium/lift shaft. This did mean it was nice and dark so we slept well.) The reception staff were very pleasant, and the manager in particular gave us helpful advice. The view from the breakfast terrace is fantastic. With all this in mind, I thought it was decent value. On the negative side, there were some things that didn’t live up to its 4 stars. The staff working in the spa barely looked up from their phones. The jacuzzi was more like a plunge pool in temperature - not usable - and we were initially told the steam room ‘wasn’t working’ but actually they just didn’t want to turn it on (they did in the end). Some of the areas felt in need of some attention, especially the breakfast terrace, which had trip hazards galore, with uneven surfaces taped up with scrappy bits of masking tape, exposed wires and air conditioning units wrapped in black bin bags, all of which made it feel a bit unloved. With a bit of work, this area would be the best thing about the hotel (it’s still pretty impressive). It would be nice if it were open in the evening as well, with some comfy seating etc. The bar downstairs was only serving tea and coffee - which is fine, but on the website homepage they talk about their wonderful signature cocktails etc, so if they are now an alcohol-free hotel they should make this clear when people book. The air conditioning also wasn’t working but this wasn’t an issue during our visit as it wasn’t hot.

The staff at Root Karaköy were mostly friendly, pleasant and welcoming. Their smiles and genuine warmth towards me as a guest were something I valued and appreciated. One receptionist was particularly sweet and helpful. He gave me accurate directions to nearby facilities, and I enjoyed the afternoon I spent at Galata Port which he directed me to. When I asked about tours, he took the time to find pamphlets, make recommendations and explain which options he thought I would enjoy, and advised that he could booked them for me which is always helpful. Unfortunately, the pamphlets were outdated, and he gave me incorrect times for the boat tour. This cost me an entire afternoon that I could have used for other activities, which was disappointing given the short stay and how much I hoped to fit in. I appreciated his kindness and assistance overall, but accurate, up-to-date tour information would have made a significant difference. The room itself was small and lacked space. Cleanliness was a significant disappointment: dust remained on surfaces throughout my stay, even after I requested that the room be cleaned and made up. I was also concerned that the dust was aggravating my sinus symptoms. The bathroom was not clean on arrival either. The toilet seat was dirty, and I had to use my own sanitising spray before I felt comfortable using it. The floor and surrounding areas looked grimy and did not give me confidence that the bathroom had been thoroughly cleaned between guests. Like the dust in the bedroom, these cleanliness issues remained despite my request for cleaning. The shower was extremely cramped. I could barely move while showering without knocking into the walls or glass doors. The bathroom alterations also appeared cheaply finished and unattractive. It looked as though an old shower area had been converted to accommodate both the shower and toilet, with what appeared to be remnants of the old shower’s tiled edging still surrounding the floor around the toilet. These tiles looked dirty and grimy, adding to the bathroom’s poorly maintained appearance. The view was also disappointing. My room faced another building, with a dirty back area and rubbish visible below. I would certainly choose a different room if I stayed here again. A gentleman whom I believed to be the owner or manager was welcoming. He always greeted me and once approached me to suggest visiting a museum, which I thought was a lovely gesture. I particularly enjoyed the reception area’s unique, quirky root-themed décor. I took time to admire the details and appreciate the thought and effort behind the interior design. I appreciate those little things, and this space had a character that I enjoyed taking in. However, the turtle display was disturbing to see. There were two turtles in a tiny, cramped square tank, with very little water, barely enough to cover their heads. they could barely move and appeared to be desperately trying to lift up their bodies and crawl out of the tank, which obviously they couldn't do. This sight broke my heart. As someone who loves and respects all animals, I found these conditions cruel. If the hotel wishes to keep turtles on display as part of its theme, please provide a much larger, properly equipped habitat suited to their needs. Their wellbeing deserves as much consideration as the appearance of the display. Overall, the staff’s warmth and the distinctive reception décor were the highlights. However, the poor cleanliness of both the bedroom and bathroom, the cramped shower and the conditions in which the turtles were kept significantly detracted from my stay and are reflected in the lower rating.

حصلي موقف بسيط، فتحوا الباب علي اول مادخلت الغرفه ب ١٠د ويبدوا انها بالغلط فقط بعد التحقق وشرحولي وعطوني صحن فواكه رضاوة مشكلة الفندق ظلاام والوانه حمراء وحاله، يادوب يدخل عليك الضوء، الغرفه الي اخذناها اذا قفلت الدريشه احيانا تسمع اصوات برا بس خفيفه نوعا ما. اعيد واكرر الغرف ظلاااام والوانها حمراء، بس اطلالة الفطور حلوه، فطور تركيا كله نفس بعض تقريبا ف مايفرق، لكن مع البيض حطوا ملح واموركم طيبه من نحاية نظافة وترتيب يومي و تغيير مناشف يوميا، ولا واجهت فيها مشاكل. لكن الموقع كان عاجبني لقربه من العبارات و الترام والمواصلات بشكل عام

We booked two big window rooms as shown in the listing for 3 nights hoping to get what we see in the listing but the room had no natural light at all. It just had a tiny window that was of no use. You could not tell if it was day or night. The hotel staff and hotel location was amazing. I would recommend to book and make sure to confirm if your room has natural light in advance

I booked a twin room 1 month before arrival and I’ve got a double room with an improvised portable bed. And the hotel confirmed on Agoda the twin room. It’s bad insulated, between the noise from Galata port concerts and a mosque. The windows were broken (see photos), but it was noted somewhere that guests are eligible for 100€ fine for damaging the towels 😂. The entire building is bad maintained; the staff was trying overall to be nice, so I assume it’s the management problem. The location is convenient.

Asked Agoga for a room with a sea view. Was given standard room the size of a closet. I selected the Comfort room which included a city view room. I had to proce to them that I picked the Comfort room for them to change it. Lots of construction going on. TV doesn't really work. No air conditioning. This is a 2.5 to 3 star hotel. But the Spa is nice, so that's probably how they are getting away with calling it a 4 star.