Empress Zoe Istanbul

Dear Travel Advisor,

I was really shocked and saddened to see this terrible review of my hotel. Please compare it with all the other reviews here and the many positive write-ups we have in guidebooks, on the net and in the press. We have been in business 12 years, one of the most popular hotels in Istanbul (rated #7 right here on Trip Advisor). We not only have thousands of happy returning guests who send their friends but we are also the favorite Istanbul hotel of many discerning guidebook writers.

This review was written by a Korean couple from New York who stayed in our hotel on December 24 and 25. They did not fit at all with the guests we usually have. They would have been better off in any number of anonymous, conventional hotels that abound here and everywhere. All of our aesthetic design, originality, art work, garden, ancient ruins and attention to details was entirely lost on them. They even hated our cats which had to be removed since the lady of the couple started screaming whenever she saw one.

Regarding the claims made against our hotel: Overrated, Overpriced, Outrageous, Complete Rip Off, Noisy, Dirty, Unfriendly and Loud - and that is just the first paragraph !

Our rates are right in line with other boutique hotels in the area. Of course there are cheaper hotels but not of the same standard. We seldom lose guests to other hotels. We are on friendly terms with all the hotels in our neighborhood and have nothing bad to say about any of them.

We are complimented on the friendliness and helpfulness of our staff all the time.

Our standard size doubles are not smaller than other hotels - but they are more uniquely designed and decorated. Some of our suites are very large. The bathroom described by this reviewer is compact but spotlessly clean, odor free and made completely of marble. We have a few rooms which we have designated as small and those rent at a lower price. This was not one of them.

Our pickup service is an option offered on our website. If guests want to pay extra to have a very reliable chauffer wait for them at arrivals with a sign and bring them back here in comfort in a lovely, new, non-smoking vehicle with leather seats that is up to them. If anyone asks us the price of a taxi we tell them without hesitation. We are not trying to sell anyone on our pickup service. (I must add here that when our own car is busy and for larger groups we use a very reputable agency with Mercedes mini buses who charge us exactly the same rate, also when offering free pickups for long stays in winter we do not necessarily use our own vehicle)

We have 4 full time cleaners working to keep this place spotless and I personally check all the rooms and bathrooms at least every two weeks.

Our heating system (natural gas with automatic thermostat) works very well and we have many more people who turn off their radiators than complain that it is cold.

Over Christmas/New Year the hotel was entirely full - including a group of exuberant and happy Italians - so that may be the "loud" to which this customer was referring. The breakfast area can get a bit crowded in bad weather when everyone would rather stay in and enjoy the convivial atmosphere - and the company of our cat Jasper !

I will stop on that note since I would like to put this behind us. We cannot expect everyone to like us but all of us took this review very hard. I hope some of our other guests will write in with their comments over the coming months.

Even if you choose not to stay at Hotel Empress Zoe please come and visit while you are in town. I would love to show you around.

Sincerely yours,

Ann Nevans, Owner of Hotel Empress Zoe, Istanbul, Turkey