Review: Orient Occident Hotel Istanbul, Autograph Collection

Recently I went to Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, on the dream trip a long time coming: a historical tour of Turkey with Robin Pearson, creator of the History of Byzantium podcast.

As a huge nerd, I of course had to stay in the center of old Constantinople in the Sultanahmet neighborhood, which is within walking distance of all the major historical sites. Thus, I decided to book the Orient Occident Hotel, a new addition to Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Istanbul, and right in the middle of the action.

Booking & Check-in

I made this booking well in advance using two Marriott Bonvoy free night certificates worth 35,000 Bonvoy points, both of which had to be topped up with additional points. In total, I spent 79,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on my two-night booking, for a total of 9,000 Bonvoy points used in addition to two 35,000-point certificates.

As this hotel’s nightly rate averages in the area of 230 euros, or approximately 350 CAD, I considered this to be adequate value. Perhaps not the highest, but my goal on this booking was to have somewhere to stay even if not at the optimal cents-per-point.

As always, both the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card and the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card offer an annual free night certificate worth 35,000 points just for holding the card, so the Orient Occident Hotel would be a great redemption option should you find yourself in Istanbul.

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy card earns Bonvoy points and offers cardholders benefits including an annual free night and 15 qualifying nights towards elite status.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.

BONUS
50,000 Marriott Bonvoy

MINSPEND
$1,500

NET VALUE
$330+

ANNUAL FEE
$120

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
–

When checking in, my airport shuttle had actually gotten stuck at the bottom of the hill beneath the hotel. However, reception was on it, and they sent the bellboy all the way down (approximately 500 meters) to help me with my bags and bring me to the hotel.

This is excellent service and deserves to be commended. When I got to the front desk, I was likewise offered a welcome drink of cold beer and checked in with rapid haste.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, I was unfortunately not able to get a room upgrade from the “Standard Double, Guest Room, 1 King, No View” room type that I had booked. 

However, the staff made up for it by crediting me an extra 750 Marriott Bonvoy points per night of my stay. They didn’t have to do that, so the little thing made a big impression. I also was offered complimentary breakfast for two as part of the Marriott Bonvoy breakfast benefit, but more on that later (spoiler alert: it was one of the best I’ve ever had anywhere).

The lobby is quite impressive to those interested in a place to relax or have a drink and screams classic luxury in all its designs.

I also got access to the wifi, which was fast, though be advised any connection in Turkey comes with a disclaimer that the government can monitor your usage.

Location

The Orient Occident Hotel Istanbul is located in the heart of Sultanahmet in Istanbul and is within walking distance of the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, and Hagia Sophia. It’s a prime venue for anyone interested in these world-renowned historical sites.

Also of note: the hotel is right next to the Orientbank, another Autograph Collection hotel inside an old German bank building. They are different hotels despite their similar names, so don’t get confused!

Parking

Before checking in, I received some lovely introductory emails and service assistance, although I had already booked my own airport transportation.

They noted that there was no parking on site or even vehicles allowed close to the hotel. With Istanbul traffic, believe me when I say you wouldn’t want to try to park here.

Room – Standard Double, Guest Room, 1 King, No View

The room I was assigned was the Standard Double, Guest Room, 1 King, No View, and as I mentioned I didn’t receive an upgrade from my Titanium Elite status. No matter, the room was still fantastic and the service I received in taking me to Room 106 was even better.

At the entrance of the room was a thermostat, and something common in Turkey: an electronic display that lets you alternate between “do not disturb” and “please make up room” which doubles as a thermostat for the air conditioning systems.

It came with a large and comfortable bed, and despite the room being somewhat small by North American standards, the space was used very efficiently and with tasteful decorations such as a chandelier.

Despite having no view of the street, the room did include a faux rainforest theme to look at. Some would consider this 90’s and tacky. I do not.

The bedside table in particular included both USB-C and lightning charging cables.

Across from the bed was a desk with a fully stocked minibar; as tap water isn’t safe to drink in Turkey, glass bottles of mineral water were provided for free. Minibar items cost extra and I never partook to find out just how steep they might be in price.

There was a TV which I never watched much, but it did work.

Next to the bed on the way into the shower was the closet/coat rack combo, which included both a security safe and a drawer full of amenities with some free slippers inside.

Moving onto the bathroom, this was most impressive because of the stone masonry and brass accents. It also was well stocked with toiletries.

The toilet was powerful and had a convenient phone for when you just needed to keep on working during those calls of nature.

Ample amenities were also provided, located around the sink.

The shower was the highlight because of how powerful it was, and it came with its high-end body wash and shampoos conveniently located ensuite.

I was very impressed with my room and the service I received. During my two-day stay, I do have some very minor critiques I do need to highlight.

The most important thing is that the building is old. This means soundproofing isn’t great, and as a historical building, management can only renovate it so much.

This wouldn’t be a problem, however, the doors they use and the locking mechanisms as well are also quite heavy. Therefore if it’s not the middle of the night, you’re likely to hear your neighbors’ doors slamming shut. Again, this is a minor point of contention but deserves mentioning.

Restaurants & Bars

Mezzepotamia – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

Like all buildings in the Old City, there is a floor limit on the hotel, and so it is only 5 stories. At the top, however, is a magnificent restaurant named Mezzepotamia, a play on the words “mezzes” for appetizers and “Mesopotamia” for the geographic region historically known as the cradle of civilizations. What can I say, the bad pun tickled my inner dweeb.

As for the restaurant itself, it was stunning and offered a great view of Istanbul.

Equally stunning were the food options. For Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above, when you select breakfast for two as your Marriott Bonvoy Elite benefit, you can choose any of the set breakfasts on the menu, which consist of the Turkish breakfast, American breakfast, and healthy breakfast, all of which come with Bliss (or sweet) menu options.

I opted for the Turkish breakfast, which came with a ridiculous portion size enough to feed two or even three people and which offered a wide array of every dish typical to the region.

This was one of the best breakfast spreads I’ve had anywhere, and not just due to the size. Everything in it also tasted incredible and was fresh and gave an incredible feeling of locality. I highly recommend this breakfast for all people visiting the Orient Occident hotel.

Occident Patisserie

On the ground floor of the hotel, there is a cafe, called Occident Patisserie, overlooking the street where I was introduced to strong Turkish black tea.

Lobby Bar

Further into the hotel is a dedicated cocktail bar, aptly named the Lobby Bar. Because drinking is very expensive in Turkey due to its Islamic cultural traditions, I didn’t partake even though it looked amazing.

Facilities

Meeting Rooms

The meeting rooms here are gorgeous and quite inspiring because they have marble and brass everywhere. If these were still the days of earning Elite Qualifying Nights for meetings, I’d have found something to book here.

Fitness Center

There’s a small gym. It has some basic weights, machines, and treadmills. Nothing special, it was adequate for those fitness fanatics incapable of taking a rest day.

Spa

The spa is a classic hammam, or Turkish bath, consisting of hot stone rooms, cold rooms, and scrubbing by an attendant.

It was also very expensive so I didn’t partake as hammams are everywhere in Turkey and a decent experience cost much less than the 200+ euros being quoted by the Orient Occident.

Conclusion

Overall I was very satisfied with my stay at the Orient Occident Hotel Istanbul, Autograph Collection. The room was comfortable and luxurious, and the breakfast was just outstanding.

But for me what made the difference was the quality of service. Having a bellboy come help me with my luggage from the bottom of the hill, and again with moving my luggage when I changed hotels later to the one being used by the tour group I was on just made all the difference. The concierge, too, helped me navigate Constantinople with excellent recommendations.

I highly recommend the Orient Occident Hotel Istanbul as your place to rest when visiting the Queen of Cities.