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Burdock Hotel Istanbul, Autograph Collection Review – Would This Boutique Hotel Live Up To The High Standards of the Autograph Collection?

Byinvisibletiger

Before we booked this hotel we must have researched and watched 30 videos of hotels in Istanbul. We decided that after watching the architects of this hotel and their design process we would go with this one. Would it live up to the high standards that they described on the video? Read on to find out!

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – The Hotel

The hotel itself is located on the main street of Kemeralti Cd. which has a light rail that runs along it as well. This would end up being a plus and a minus. The entrance wasn’t hard to miss with the name of the hotel in a nicely backlit metal frame and a glass revolving door.



Once you bring your suitcases into the hotel, do not be offended that they put them through a scanning machine, they do this in all the hotels to ensure their safety and yours. In fact, there are other areas in the city where you have to go through scanning and it is widely accepted which is why we felt very safe in this city.

The front desk was well, front and center. They will see all guests coming and going which again leads to safety and the hotel staff were very polite and professional.

The front desk to check in and check out.
The main lobby area where you can have a seat to wait out the rain, and man, when it rains, it really rains in Istanbul.
Lovely decor around the main lobby with elevators to the right.
Nerolinn bath products for purchase. They use these in the rooms so you can try before you buy.
Every wall was nicely decorated leaving no space untouched.
You can grab a drink at the bar and chat with your friends.
You can buy a drink or order food here. Further down is an atrium style area to enjoy your food.
The bar was nicely stocked but it wasn’t really that busy.
Even the bar looked like a work of art.
A separate dining area in an atrium style setting.
The Burdock Hotel logo was even evident in the elevators.
A nice metal plaque in the elevator with clear indicators of the levels.

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – Room

We originally got room 303 which was probably in their minds an upgraded room as it was slightly larger and had a view from the front of the hotel looking towards the street. However, we found this room to be extremely loud as the tram is just below and goes by every 5 minutes from both directions.

As we ended up moving rooms and it was pretty close to this one in terms of layout, we won’t bore you with separate images of both rooms. However, in our new room, which was much quieter on the West side and facing another building dead on, the flooring was very warped and would creak and crack on every step. By the 3rd night, we knew exactly where to step to avoid making sounds, especially when getting up to go to the washroom in the dark.

The room wasn’t huge but this was an upgraded room.
Most of the rooms had the sink on the main counter which was a bit weird to us.
Towels and OK slippers ready for you.
The bed was pretty comfortable and the wall and wainscoting was a nice touch.
The coffee machine was OK, not Nespresso and you got powdered creamer. Teas were nothing special either but you get a hot water kettle.
A side table and chair for lounging around.
The bed side table was a good size.
Lighting controls were also within reach along with a USB port to charge your device while you sleep.
There were more charging ports but you will need an adapter if you need anything charged other than European devices.
The other side of the bed had a different side table but the same lighting controls and USB port.
The shower was a good size with good water pressure with a hand wand and rainfall shower head.
nerolinn bath products which you can also buy down in the lobby of the hotel.
The water closet was a nice surprise for this size of room.
A small stock of amenities but the handmade soap from nerolinn was very good.
The fridge was well stocked but none of it free.
Same with these snacks, you eat, you pay.
The TV was behind this reflective mirror which made it hard to see or take a proper photo.
This upgraded room came with a view to the main street, however, it was a bit too noisy for us.
You cannot actually go out to the balcony as the window only opens this much.
The main street in which you have to cross only on designated areas as the tram rolls though the middle.
There’s a chair for the desk and an ottoman for extra seating or to put your feet up.
Hangers, hair dryer and a hand steamer. Safe is large and inside the drawer.
Temperature control, clean room & privacy, along with master lighting controls.
Room 303 which is at the front of the hotel with a view towards the water but you can’t see the water.

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – The Hallway

The hallway was nothing really that special but I have pictures so, hey, why not show them?

The hallways are nothing special.
However, the lights are eco-friendly and come on when it senses motion.
Yes, this is the fire evacuation plan but you can see the layout of the hotel.

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – Arctium Restaurant

One of the highlights of this hotel was the breakfast and my goodness, it was really good. We have just gotten off the brand new Sun Princess and stayed in the Signature Suite so we had access to the highest restaurant there for breakfast everyday in the Signature Restaurant and this Arctium Restaurant in the Burdock Hotel was even better.

The food was very good for breakfast with so many choices. Our eggs benedict were absolutely divine.

The Arctium Restaurant, the hotel uses these nice metal plaques throughout the property.
The main restaurant for breakfast, see below for all the food!
A nice selection of juices and they always keep them topped up.
Tons of different breads and buns to choose from.
Poached eggs and scrambled eggs in the hot foods area.
Broccolli and cheese filled hash browns.
Noodles and if memory serves me, meat-free sausages.
To be honest, I can’t remember what these two are but the left side looks like a porridge.
Soup of the day (morning).
Plain Halva, nuts and Nutella spread.
Just look at all the choices you have for toppings, spreads, nuts, and delights.
These were sooo good! You can find them in many markets all over the city.
These were even better. I wish I knew the names of these all but there were so many different treats in Istanbul.
Turkish delights which usually come with a Turkish coffee.
For those that want to eat healthy, a salad bar.
Full fruits and sliced fruits along with yoghurt drinks.
Cold cuts, olives, salmon and cheese.
More cheese, smoked trout, olives and bruschetta.
How can you not want to try everything here? It all tasted fantastic.
Different types of parfaits for you to try.
A chef will make you any type of egg dish you want. Keep scrolling down!
The automatic coffee machine, although we never had to use it ourselves as the staff would always bring us our order.
The staff here were so attentive and absolutely amazing.
I can’t believe I ate this many sweets for breakfast!
Just look at this eggs benedict! It was the best I’ve had ever, hands down!

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – Spa

Although we didn’t get a chance to try the spa, the space itself was very nice starting off in the check-in area. There was a relaxation room and then treatment rooms. We included a couple shots of the prices so you get an idea of the cost.

The entrance to the Burdock Spa which we have to say was extremely unique and beautiful.
We don’t think the prices were outrageous but we don’t know what other hotels may charge either.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to try it, although we did use the pool every night.
The front desk of the Burdock Spa.
More of the nerolinn products that you can purchase.
Another cool metal plaque for the designated areas.
After your treatment, you can spend time, rehydrate and relax here.

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – Pools, Hot Tub, Steam Room, Sauna and Cold Water Bucket Challenge

Along with the breakfast, we have to say that the pools, steam and sauna room along with the cold bucket room was one of the strengths of this hotel. Usage of these facilities were complimentary for all guests here. So when we say pools with an “s”, it’s because they have two pools, an adult one and a smaller kid friendly pool which is a nice touch. There is also a hot tub, although the temperature was not that hot due to it being a salt water hot tub.

The steam room was nice and hot and the sauna had a salt wall on it where you can actually see the salt melting over the years. Then just outside of those two was the cold bucket challenge. We were chicken at first but as we got used to it over the days, we were absolutely loving it.

The nice metal plaques again.
Steam rooms are notoriously hard to take a good picture of!
The sauna was nice and hot with a hint of salt in the air. It’s not the largest though.
We loved this salt wall and when you add water, it helps to release the salt aroma.
The cold water bucket challenge.
Nice chaises in the pool area.
It was so relaxing, we could have stayed here all night but they close at 10pm.
A shower stall to the left and the salt water hot tub, although it was never hot.
The salt water hot tub was a decent size but it just didn’t feel right with the temperature being that low.
The main pool which was a good depth throughout, not too long though.
A pool for the little ones.
A nice information board on the time, temperatures, chlorine and Ph balance of the pools.
Overall, this was one of the best spots in the hotel.

Burdock Hotel Istanbul – Gym

Most hotels have a gym, some better than others and this one was in the middle. It wasn’t the largest but the equipment that they did have was new and top notch.

Good quality treadmills.
When you enter there is a shelf on the right for towels.
Elliptical machine and water cooler.
Different cardio stations.
A universal machine for many different workouts.
Your trusted bench with free weights.
Overall, a nice clean workout gym with lots of mirrors and space to stretch or do yoga.

Conclusion

Overall, we were both delighted and disappointed with the Burdock Hotel Istanbul. On one side, the rooms were OK, the hardwood floor was absolutely horrible because it was so warped and this should have not been the case for an 18 month old hotel. We figured they didn’t factor in the heat and humidity that buckles this type of hardwood. The sink in the middle of the room was also a bit strange as when one is sleeping, the other might need to wash their hands and it could wake them up. Another thing was the hair dryer, it had basically one setting – full blast like an airplane engine. My better half had to stand about 8 feet away while I held the hair dryer on.

On the delighted side was the breakfast and the access to the pools, steam and sauna rooms. Not to mention the cold water bucket which was a first for us to see in a hotel.

Would we stay here again? I think we would like to try the JW Marriott Istanbul in the future as we did walk over and take a look inside the hotel. We were originally contemplating between the two and ultimately choose the Burdock for its boutique style. Was it a bad choice? No, it wasn’t. The staff were very professional, polite and tried their best to accommodate us. The breakfast staff were outstanding and the staff in the spa were also very nice and gave us a tour. Overall, we did enjoy the stay here at the Burdock Hotel Istanbul but it wasn’t perfect.

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