I have stayed several times at the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus, which is a fantastic hotel, but sometimes it is fun to try something new as well. On this trip I decided to try Hilton Istanbul Maslak. The hotel has recently undergone renovation and looked great from the pictures on the hotel website. The price was also very reasonable compared to other properties on the dates I was there.

Location

The hotel is located in Maslak, which is one of the main business districts of Istanbul. With none of Istanbul’s most famous tourist attractions nearby, the Hilton Istanbul Maslak may not be an obvious first choice for leisure travelers. Nevertheless, the hotel is relatively close to the new airport and public transport for exploring the city. If you’re visiting for shopping or football, you will find several high-end shopping malls and Turk Telekom Arena, the home ground of Süper Lig Soccer club Galatasaray, located in the area.

Check-in and first impression

Hilton Istanbul Maslak’s hotel lobby looks both fresh and luxurious; with lots of space, high ceilings, warm tones and dark wood.

I arrived at the hotel in the evening and there was no line at the check-in counter. I had booked a King Executive Corner Room for this stay and since the agent (who seemed a bit inexperienced) didn’t say anything, I asked if there was a room upgrade for me as an Hilton Honors Diamond member. After consulting with the manager on duty, he told me that there was indeed a one-bedroom suite available for me.

I received a key card and a quick summary of the hotel’s facilities, then headed to my room.

King One Bedroom Suite

The room interior is in the same style as the rest of the hotel.

According to the website description, the room is 775 square feet. The living room is furnished with a large three-seater sofa that can be converted into a bed, a table, two chairs and a smaller coffee table. Over the minibar there is a Nespresso coffee machines and a kettle, a selection tea and coffee, mugs, glasses and complimentary bottled water. The electrical outlets are international and also provide USB power, which eliminates the need for adaptors entirely.

The bedroom has a king bed with a very comfortable Suite Dreams mattress from Serta. The room is also furnished with a desk, a chair and coffee table, and an additional TV. The wardrobes and dressers provide ample storage space.

The bathroom has two sinks and a separate shower and bathtub. If you have forgotten your own toiletries at home, a full range of complimentary toiletry supplies are provided for you. The bathroom has a separate WC room with an additional sink.

WiFi worked seamlessly both in the room and the rest of the hotel during the entire stay.

Food and beverage

As an Hilton Honors Diamond member, I could choose between having breakfast in the lounge or in the Zaxi Restaurant. Since I love a good breakfast and the hotel was not particularly crowded, there was no reason to settle for the lounge breakfast, as the restaurant offers a much more extensive selection.

The breakfast was very good and being accompanied by live harp music makes it even better. Harp music for breakfast was a new experience for me, but is something I definitely could get used to! I also had a great dinner at the same restaurant.

Hilton Istanbul Maslak also has two bars – The Lobby Bar and Zaxi Bar in the Zaxi Restaurant.

Executive Lounge

The Executive Lounge is located on the top floor of the hotel and offers great views of the city. The lounge is spacious with ample seating and offers a decent selection of food and drinks.

The lounge also offers several desks and workstations, printing service and a meeting room.

Amenities

Hilton Istanbul Maslak is a great choice if you want to care for your body during your stay. The hotel’s wellness spa offers a traditional hammam, indoor pool and relaxing treatments. There is also a well-equipped fitness centre and two squash courts.

The hotel offers a free shuttle service to Istinye Park Shopping Centre too, if you want to go shopping.

Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors can be quite generous with bonus points during promotions. You get 10 base points for every dollar you spend and I get a 100% bonus as a Diamond member. During my stay, Hilton Honors also had a double points promotion, and Diamond member get 1.000 bonus points per stay as a MyWay Hotel Benefit at Hilton Hotels & Resorts too, so you can see how the points can add up!.

A version of this article was originally published on InsideFlyer.no.