

My husband and I just lately had the pleasure of travelling round Turkey for every week. We spent the final two nights of our journey in Istanbul.
There was plenty of debating as to which property to remain at, as there are an enormous choice of Marriott and Hilton properties in Istanbul.
Ultimately, we settled on a brand new property that opened this previous 12 months and was already receiving raving evaluations, the Orientbank Lodge Istanbul, a part of Marriott’s Autograph Assortment.
Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – Reserving
Having initially booked a distinct resort, by the point I made a decision to e book a keep on the Orientbank three weeks out, the money value had gone as much as $400 (CAD). Had I booked earlier, charges have been a bit of cheaper.
Quite than paying money, I redeemed 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per night time for a Deluxe Visitor Room with a king mattress.
I really booked two single night time stays back-to-back, and utilized Suite Night time Awards to each. Curiously, the Suite Night time Award didn’t clear for the primary night time, however it did for the second.
Bear in mind that this resort particularly states of their welcome electronic mail that rooms are solely meant to accommodate two folks, and that every one rooms solely have king beds. So, this might not be the property to e book should you’re travelling with younger youngsters who can not keep in their very own room alone.
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Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – Location
Getting from Istanbul Worldwide Airport to downtown Istanbul typically takes round 45 minutes, and can price about 300–400 Turkish lira ($22–29 CAD).
The Orientbank is positioned at a really bustling intersection within the previous city space on the European aspect of Istanbul.
One factor to remember in case you have mobility points and can steadily require using a taxi, is that it is extremely troublesome to catch taxis by yourself within the previous city space. In the event you want a taxi, it’s finest to have the resort to name one for you.
The excellent news is that the resort may be very conveniently positioned to many main vacationer sights, and so using taxi shouldn’t be needed for many guests.
The Galata Bridge is simply a ten minute stroll away, and on the foot of the bridge, you may catch ferries to cross the river or a ship tour that may go alongside the Bosphorus Strait, which separates Europe from Asia. Crossing it, you may meander alongside Istiklal Avenue, which is lined with retailers and cafés, and go to the Galata Tower.
In the event you stroll 20 minutes in the wrong way, you’ll discover Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and Sultan Ahmet Camii, in any other case often called the Blue Mosque.
The Grand Bazaar will also be reached inside 10 minutes, and the Egyptian or Spice Bazaar is actually steps away. The Grand Bazaar, by the best way, is the place to get one of the best change fee, in case you might be in want of Turkish lira.
Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – Examine-in
The Orientbank lends its identify from its historical past as a financial institution from 130 years in the past. It was first a German financial institution, which was then transformed right into a Turkish financial institution.
Ten years in the past, the financial institution closed and the property started its renovations to grow to be a resort 5 years later. Though the renovations have been intensive, the unique marble flooring and stairwell stay intact.
The constructing is wedge-shaped, and relatively small in comparison with different Marriott properties within the space. It’s comprised of eight flooring, with 36 visitor rooms throughout six of these flooring.

We took a taxi from the airport, and after we arrived, our taxi made an abrupt cease proper exterior the doorway. Stepping out of the taxi, I quickly realized there was actually no different place for the taxi pull as much as.
On the entrance was a workers member able to welcome us and assist us with our baggage. One other shortly got here out to usher us into the resort. Employees have been wearing gray pants and vests with white shirts.
Coming into the resort, you stroll up a set of marble steps, by way of a set of double doorways into an aesthetic foyer of marble flooring and pillars, with a big glass mild fixture hanging from the ceiling.


One one aspect was an off-the-cuff seating space with velvet coated seats and sofas round espresso tables for friends checking in or simply eager to lounge. The opposite aspect had a bar and tables arrange like a small bistro.



On the finish of the foyer and centre of all of it was the entrance desk. Quite than checking in on the entrance, the workers member requested us to sit within the lounge space, and he kindly requested for our passports within the meantime.
Whereas we waited, a hostess supplied us a welcome drink of orange juice, pomegranate juice, or lemonade. My husband and I each had the lemonade, which we discovered fairly refreshing.

When the workers got here again, he accomplished our check-in with a pill the place we sat. They have been fast to acknowledge our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium standing and clarify our advantages.
He even had a bit of card the place he checked off our selection of elite advantages, particularly the free breakfast in lieu of there not being a lounge. We opted for a $10 meals and beverage credit score relatively than 1,000 factors as our welcome amenity.
Additionally they famous our back-to-back bookings, and since our second night time had been mechanically upgraded to a One Bed room Suite, they took the freedom of upgrading our first night time as effectively, so we wouldn’t have to vary rooms.
I used to be fairly impressed that they’d even seen the second reserving, and have been proactive sufficient as to improve our first night time based mostly on our second night time.
We then proceeded to go as much as our room. The stairwell and elevator are behind the wall of the check-in desk. The elevator is a small one, becoming solely 4 folks at a time.

If you wish to get some steps in, you may take the staircase up as effectively.

Stepping out of the elevator, you enter right into a vestibule with marble tiled flooring. Within the center was a glass show showcasing merchandise from a neighborhood retailer.
The partitions have been a brilliant white with coffering, and adorned with varied summary work alongside the wall.


Rooms are organized on both aspect of the wall, with One Bed room Suites on the finish of the corridor, the slender a part of the wedge-shaped constructing.
As soon as we entered our room, the workers member defined the options of the room to us. He additionally identified some welcome facilities: a package deal of Turkish delights and dried fruit, and in addition a financial institution notice made to be a reproduction of those who have been as soon as given out by the financial institution.
It was issued within the quantity of fifty Turkish liras that could possibly be used in direction of any meals or beverage throughout our keep.

Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – One Bed room Suite
The One Bed room Suite is the most important of the resort rooms; nonetheless, its format would make you assume in any other case, being positioned on the slender finish of a pie-shaped constructing.
The room, just like the foyer, is elegantly adorned with some classical options, however felt a bit cramped.
The suite is split right into a front room space and a bed room. If you first enter the room, you come throughout the small front room on the precise, with a sofa, an armchair, lamp, espresso desk, and wall-mounted TV.

Within the nook is a small snack and beverage centre, with some wine, liquors, and snacks on the counter, and a mini-bar containing some extra choices just under.

Stepping away from the lounge, you’ll discover a brief hallway that results in the bed room. You quickly hit a wall, which appears odd at first, till you understand that it has the king-sized mattress and its headboard on the opposite aspect of it.

The mattress is the central characteristic of the room, and faces a semi-circular wall that has a number of home windows overlooking the busy intersection beneath. There’s not plenty of house between the mattress and the wall.


The mattress is flanked by a few marble-topped night time tables. Above these have been switches for lights and in addition USB ports, which makes charging gadgets handy.

On one of many night time tables was an alarm clock radio, which acted as a wi-fi charging station as effectively.

Subsequent to the mattress is is a wood desk with a tea station.

Behind the mattress is a closet containing cabinets, drawers, a protected, iron, and ironing board. A separate espresso station will also be discovered right here.


On the alternative aspect of the room is the toilet, which consists of a rest room, stand-alone sink, and bathe, all separated by glass partitions.

For a tiny self-importance, it was packed stuffed with facilities. There have been robes and towels in baggage on the shelf beneath the sink, and on the self-importance have been the toiletries, equipped by Nerolinn, a Turkish model.


Except for the same old toiletries, there was additionally a toothbrush set, comb, stitching package, self-importance package, scrubbing mitt, and a grape seed physique scrub. The scrub was a singular amenity, and together with the scrubbing mitt, you might carry out your personal hammam therapy within the consolation of your personal room.
Though the remainder of the suite was very clear, I did discover some areas of mildew within the toilet grout.
Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – Eating
The resort gives breakfast, and all-day eating within the Foyer Lounge Restaurant. In-room eating can be out there, and meals companies can be found till 11pm.
Menus and pricing could be discovered right here.
Breakfast is served from 7–11am. They’ve an à la carte menu which options three forms of breakfast: Turkish, American, and wholesome.
In the event you’ve by no means had a Turkish breakfast earlier than, I’d suggest making an attempt it no less than as soon as throughout your keep. They serve an incredible quantity of tapas-sized dishes to get pleasure from, along with a predominant egg course.
There are additionally a choice of recent juices you may order.


From 6–9pm, additionally they open the rooftop bar. It’s a excellent place to get pleasure from a drink or two, watch the sundown, or simply take within the view of Istanbul.

Employees are additionally blissful to take you as much as the rooftop terrace for some daytime views.


Each Friday and Saturday night time, they open up the financial institution’s vault within the basement of the resort for the Gregor By The Badau Jazz Membership, Turkey’s solely “gastro jazz membership”.

Sadly, our keep didn’t coincide with it being open. When open, it encompasses a stay jazz efficiency together with a gourmand, advantageous eating expertise.
Seating is restricted, so you’ll want to make a reservation beforehand.
Orientbank Lodge Istanbul – Service
The service at this resort was excellent, and positively a spotlight of our keep. Even earlier than we arrived, they reached out with an electronic mail containing details about the resort and tips on how to contact them, together with through WhatsApp.
We reached out a few occasions through chat with questions concerning transportatio. They have been at all times fast to reply with detailed solutions, together with serving to us e book a hammam spa.
Employees are attentive and actually attempt to provide you with a memorable expertise.
For instance, breakfast on our second morning took longer that anticipated. A workers seen with out us saying something, and proactively knowledgeable us they might examine with the kitchen on the delay.
At check-out, the workers seen we hadn’t used our $10 meals and beverage credit score welcome amenity, and supplied to change it and gave us factors as an alternative.
I’ll additionally point out that our improve wasn’t an anomaly, as they’ve a monitor report for being fairly beneficiant of their upgrades, topic to availability after all.
Conclusion
The Orientbank is a comparatively new Marriott property that provides the vibe of a boutique resort. It has fairly a number of issues going for it, particularly its shut proximity to historic websites and sights, an incredible breakfast, and excellent service.
Like a boutique property, nonetheless, there should not many on-site facilities, and the rooms are a bit on the smaller aspect. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless snug and well-appointed, and I wouldn’t hesitate to remain right here once more if I’m travelling with out the youngsters.
The one factor I’d change might be requesting a Junior Suite, if doable.