The Hotel Mercure Istanbul Taksim is a four star hotel about 15 minutes walk (uphill) from Taksim Square.
Taksim Square is famous for being the epicentre of various demonstrations a few years ago and it is also at the top of the historic district.
From the Hotel Mercure you can easily access the waterfront as well and the Besiktas Stadium.
I was in Istanbul for a week to attend the International Fertilizer Association’s annual conference. The event was at the Grand Hyatt and the Intercontinental Hotel, about ten minutes away from the Hotel Mercure in Taksim. I quite liked my stay at the Mercure in Istanbul as it was very near everything I wanted to see, yet it was in a quiet residential area, opposite a hospital.
Once the conference was over I rented a car for four days and went on a road trip around the north of Turkey as part of a bleisure trip.
What You Will Learn
In this article you will find out about the check-in process at the Hotel Mercure Istanbul Taksim, the hotel’s public areas, the bedroom and also the bathroom.
Tips
If you are flying to Istanbul and you have a choice of airports, then it is better to fly to Sabiha Gokcen, which is on this side of the Bosporus. If you fly to the main airport in Istanbul it will take forever to cross the bridge.
Also, instead of taking a taxi, you can take the airport bus direct to Taksim Square and walk.
Finding the Hotel Mercure Istanbul Taksim
If you are walking from Taksim Square just take Inonu Caddesi all the way to the bottom of the street.
Entering the Hotel
The hotel’s main entrance is on street level behind glass doors. As you walk in the reception desk will be in front of you. On the left will be some sofas and on the right is the bar and breakfast area.
First Impressions
I used to work at the Accor Hotels Group in one of their Ibis Hotels in London at Euston Station. This French hotel chain is very meticulous and their more expensive hotels provide great value for money in my opinion. I don’t stay with them very often though because Marriott’s reward program is far better in my opinion.
Hotel Mercure Istanbul Taksim Lobby
The lobby smelt clean and it was well lit, I liked the place immediately.
Checking In
The check-in process was pretty quick as it was a group booking for me and my colleagues. Some of my colleagues were not happy with how long it took but it didn’t bother me – from my experience working as a receptionist I know you cannot please everyone!
The Lift and Public Areas
There were several lifts in the building, all on the right from the reception, in front of the breakfast area. Past the lifts there were some more sofas and tables to relax at the end of a busy day.
Inside the Room
The key card worked fine for the first time and I got in promptly. I arrived past 9pm after a long and delayed flight so I just wanted to have a quick shower and go for a walk to eat something.
As you enter the room the bathroom will be on the right hand side. In front of you will be a relatively narrow corridor leading to the bed. The room had a dark coffee cream coloured carpet and white walls.
The Bed
The bed was very comfortable and the duvet was nice and warm and smelled very clean. The pillows were firm enough for me and I nearly fell asleep there without dinner!
The Rest of the Bedroom
The TV was in front of the bed on the wall to the left of the desk. The room itself was very modern and I especially liked the design of the furniture and how everything fit together so well. There were plenty of light fittings so it didn’t feel like I just entered a den which is often the case in some hotels.
Wifi in the Room
The wifi worked fine, I managed to log into my work network and do some work during the conference.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was nice and clean with a marble sink and a shower behind a glass door. The bathroom had various mirrors and shelves. The hotel has its own brand toiletries which smell very refreshing, like a summer shower any time of the year.
What I especially liked is the light built into the mirror, so when I turned it on it illuminated my face completely and there were no shadows on it.
The Gym and Swimming Pool
There is a small fitness center but there is no swimming pool. I was so busy at the conference that I had no time to check the gym out properly.
Overall Impressions
I enjoyed my stay at the Mercure, although it is a fair distance from Sultanahmet which is the other historic district in Istanbul. It took about an hour’s walk for me to get to the old market and by the time I got back to the hotel after an evening of smoking I was pretty exhausted.
Hotel Membership Scheme
As I mentioned the Mercure is part of the Accor Hotels Group and so if you stay here you can collect LeClub Accor Points.