Istanbul: Courtyard by Marriott Istanbul Airport (August 2009)

This hotel needs to fix its air-conditioning, as a previous poster said. It’s almost as if they are just blowing in humid outdoor air without cooling it. Lots of humidity in the room, which made our stay uncomfortable. It is necessary to clear security before entering this hotel. The hotel is new, so everything is in great condition. There is a full-service restaurant in the lobby (Oleo Pazzo), but it was closed when we arrived. Note that food service at the bar ends at 11:00 pm. Even though we were the only customers at the time, and we sat down at the bar at 10:50 pm, we were ignored for 10 minutes, so that when someone finally waited on us, they were able to say that the kitchen was closed. Very frustrating! Drinks were very expensive at the bar. There is a 24-hour pantry in the lobby where you can buy drinks and snacks, but it’s much cheaper (and just as easy) to walk next door to the gas station/mini-mart and buy what you need. There are drinks and packaged snacks for sale there, but it isn’t a large mart and has no made-to-order or fresh items. There are (empty) refrigerators in the rooms. We had a standard room, which was on the small side but perfectly functional. There was an American-style shower, although without a shower curtain, and some very basic toiletries are provided. This will be a fine hotel for transit purposes once they fix their air-conditioning.