Cirigan Palace Kempinski Hotel

I stayed in two 5 star hotels. The Ciragon Palace and the Four Seasons. There was no comparison. While the Ciragon Palace has an equisite location right on the Bosphoros and an outrageous price tag, it seems content to coast on its reputation than work to earn it. Don't get me wrong. The pool is great and the location is without peer. Yet the service and general attitude is several notches below what one would expect. For one thing the floor of our suite - somehow leaked. The carpet was soggy. And the prices, rather than simply being... more

What a hotel. What service and what a location! Unbeatable on every count. We have stayed at many 5 star hotels in different parts of the word, but few up to this magnificent standard. The breakfast buffet is simply amazing not only in its variety but presentation. Dinner in the evening right on the water's edge is a delight - expensive but enormous portions. Only downside the concierges do try to rip off tourists by quoting ridiculous prices for tours/guides. Do what we did and hire direct at half the price! If you... more

The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is by far one of the finest, most luxuriously appointed hotels I have ever stayed at in my life. I have stayed here no less than a dozen times over the years. Yes, it's ridiculously expensive. Yes, it is not perfect in terms of service level and amenities. It is, however, a historic and lovely property with great view, exceptional food and ambiance. I have read several of the reviews others have left concerning this property and frankly some of the upset me. If you work at it you can find... more

In summary: It's a very special hotel and worth staying at for a night or two, but we experienced some flaws that just should not happen at a 5-star hotel where you are paying top dollar. The hotel is stunning and incredibly luxurious. The pool, in particular, is amazing (infinity pool, hammocks, etc). Service at the front desk and lobby is impeccable. We appreciated the complimentary wine, fruit and water in our room, and the ice creams the staff brought around at the pool. The clientele is classy. Despite the first class setting,... more

splendid view and hotel but the staff is sometimes arrogant and not friendly especially at reception

This is the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed in. The hotel has two parts, the main hotel and the palace section. I stayed the palace section, and it really felt like I stayed in a palace. When we first arrived there was a bowl of fruit, which was constantly replenished, and a bottle of champagne. The room had two floors. It had two televisions and two bathrooms. The furniture was beautiful and the bed was heavenly. The staff (if you stay in the palace section, you have a butler!) was extremely helpful and... more

There are two top flight hotels in Istanbul; the Four Seasons and the Kempinski Ciragan Palace. A converted prison, the FS is centrally located opposite the Santa Sofia mosque and walking distance to many neighbourhood restaurants, but lacks a pool and has sky high prices apart from off season. Currently, the only alternative is the more resort style Ciragan Palace, which has marginally lower rates than the FS, and a great infinity pool looking out onto the Bosphorus. The Palace houses six super-deluxe newly refurbished suites,... more

Overall this is a great hotel. The rooms facing the sea have a great view. The outdoor (heated) swimming pool is absolutely fabulous. Make sure you go there at least once at night. You can swim looking at the sea and Asia all lit up. Possibly the best pool I have been to. Several things I didn't like 1) our room is quite noisy.. make sure you ask for a room away from the street EVEN IF it is facing the sea, 2) the hotel is a bit far away from the old city.. the traffic is horrific in Istanbul.. so a lot of time wasted in taxis, 3)... more

Overall this is a great hotel.I'm pretty sure the other posts have covered everything so I will be quick and just add a few pictures,because I noticed there aren't any!!! So,rooms great!Excellent view! Probably the most impressive breakfast I have ever had!! Excellent service apart form the fact the our card stopped working everyday when we came back and we had to ran back down again!! The only thing for me is that it is a bit far away form the center not as a distance but Istanbul has unbelievable traffic and we spend hours on the... more

Just returned from a week at the Ciragan Palace and what a delight it has been. Ciragan Palace is not a reasonably priced hotel by any standards, but you soon realise why. The one thing we can say is that all its staff has been trained to be THOUGHTFUL HOSTS. And we felt like guests. On the second night, housekeeping noted our pattern of pillow use, and arranged them just so each night. Also there were more thoughtful gestures like laying out our sleeping suits, giving our family upgrades of rooms so we could all be on the same floor.... more