Reviews of Kybele Hotel
Yerebatan Cad. No:23 Sultanahmet, Fatih, 34410 Istanbul, Turkey

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Reviewed: 27 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewBathroom could be Modernised
Reviewed: 20 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewAuthentic decor, and on the doorstep.of the Hagia Sofia and Basilica Cistern
The breakfast buffet wasn't amazing.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 15 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe decor, location and staff
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 10 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewWonderfully authentic experience, I loved Kybele
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 8 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewBeautiful aesthetics, location was excellent, staff are super friendly. Highly recommended 😊
Nothing. Everything was great
Thank you very much for your kind review. It was our pleasure to welcome you. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 6 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewBreakfast was now all in packages and not as previously with homemade jam and typical Turkish breakfast
Size of room and tiredness of hotel. Whole place is looking very tired and needs a makeover.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We will take care of the negative points that you indicated.
Reviewed: 20 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewThe location is excellent! We were close to all the main attractions and the T1 Tramline that takes you to the rest. The outside area is quaint and happy and even though we found the food there quite expensive, it was a great place to have breakfast or a night cap before going to bed.
The food is expensive and living on the third floor meant quite a walk upstairs every time, but that would not put me off from staying here again.
Thank you very muc for your kind review. It was our pleasure to welcome you. We hope we can see you here again. By the way, the expensive food is the general problem of the country nowadays, not speacial to our restaurant.
Reviewed: 17 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewFantastic location. Fresh towels and linen everyday. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Quirky decor
Not being able to flush toilet paper.
Thank you very much for your kind review. Unfortunately, the toilet paper is not OK to melt in the water and may block the drains. That's why :( We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 12 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewWe thought that the traditional Turkish breakfast had suffered. Everything was in pre-packaged containers--no more pots of homemade jam, apparently because of health regulations.
The place was very tired and needed some renovating. The rooms were small but probably typical European size. Just generally run down and not nearly as good as 20 years ago.
Dear Susan, I am disappointed to hear your review. I wish you told us these instead of pretending everything was fine when you were here. At least the staff and the location did not deserve these low rates . Where could the hotel be located, instead of being located 2 minutes walk from all the sights, to get higher rate ???? Vefa
Dear Susan, I am disappointed to hear your review. I wish you told us these instead of pretending everything was fine when you were here. At least the staff and the location did not deserve these low rates . Where could the hotel be located… Show more
Reviewed: 3 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewGreat location!! Everyone was so helpful and accommodating. We loved the Kybele restaurant too.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 31 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewPerfect location, excellent breakfast. The host was very friendly and helpful.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again at some point in the future.
Reviewed: 21 May 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 25 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewLocation excellent, walkable for the blue mosque and bazaar. Very quirky and interesting hotel
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 27 March 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewWe really liked the Kybele - or its location near the Sofia and the tram train. No cars on the street. Very good staff. Very good breakfast. Good beer on the hotel sidewalk cafe. All very enjoyable.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 4 March 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewExcellent hotel. Completely clean, comfortable. safe, all modern amenities. I ate breakfast here every day, and a relaxing happy hour every afternoon. Perfect location, walking distance to Hagia Sophia and the wonderful city tram. Wonderful staff, friendly and helpful. I would definitely stay here again.
Thank you very much for your very kind review. It was our pleasure to welcome you here. We hope we can see you again at some point in the close future.
Reviewed: 21 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewLove the decor and lamps. Very special, I stood at the Kybele 15 years ago and it was fantastic.
The hotel, as beautiful as its interior is, is in a run-down state. In the first night 15 minutes after checking in, there was a huge water leak, and my room flooded. After that, I was moved to third floor. Rooms not cleaned properly - found hair on bed, old face mask and a tube of cream beside bedside table. The AC worked intermittently. No wifi reach in third floor. This place deserves to be looked after better.
Reviewed: 10 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewThis is my favourite place to stay in Istanbul. I have been staying there for years and it never disappoints.
I wish I could have stayed longer.
Reviewed: 18 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewSpecial. Characterful. Friendly, welcoming staff. Can recommend. Central and close to many places to visit.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We hope to see you here again.
Reviewed: 13 November 2024 · Stayed in November 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 12 October 2024 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewThe location is of course exceptional! A stone's throw from the major sights including two bazaars. The hotel decor is fascinating - thoughts going to 1001 Arabian Nights and whatnot. Quirky and a bit run down yes, but still - I liked it. It's not a five star hotel anyway. The manager was helpful and we needed his advice since it was the first time in this crowded and confusing city! His language skills are essential. The staff in the restaurant was very nice indeed! Our room was facing the back so the nights were pleasantly quiet! Should I go back to Istanbul I'd look no further than The Kybele!
Our room was small, no tiny. We could hardly open our luggage, and we had only a carry-on. But OK, I have stayed in rooms that size before. And the room had a small balcony which meant that we could keep that door wide open - which made the room seem bigger (and cooler). The booking confirmation said that our room had a view towards the garden. Well, it looked more like a garbage dump to me. I don't know much about Turkish food so I'm in no position to judge the breakfast. But please, get a toaster ...! And some healthy cereal and I'd be 100 % happy! I didn't leave the table hungry anyway and there was plenty of fruit!
Reviewed: 5 October 2024 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewThe Kybele has an excellent location and terrific staff. It is a bit of an older hotel and due to its location a bit noisy at night, but we really enjoyed our stay there and would recommend it.
A little noisy at night
Reviewed: 23 September 2024 · Stayed in August 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 22 September 2024 · Stayed in September 2024
Verified reviewPerfect location so central, this was my 4th stay at the Kybele and still love the ambiance of the hotel and especially the accommodating and helpful staff Would highly recommend and would return again !
Reviewed: 29 August 2024 · Stayed in August 2024
Verified reviewThis is my 3rd stay over 37 years. Excellent respectful staff. Unfortunately they use a terrible driving company for pickups. My driver pulled over 3 blocks from the hotel and wanted to see my airline ticket and jumped in the back seat next to me. He badgered me with personal questions and despite my carrying my own water offered me water 10 separate times. When I asked for him to be quiet, he would not stop asking personal a. I was a single woman travelling alone. When I started to shake and cry he started wreckless driving in a rainstorm. He followed 2 feet behind cars in the fast lane and was furious I would not accept his flirtation. I thought I was going to die in a car wreck. I texted my family. I called the hotel and begged that he slow down. The hotel should ensure women travelling alone never experience a driver seeking attention from a single woman. It was terrifying.
I hated the driving service they used.