We had actually booked to stay one week at the Elit Palas's sister hotel, the Elit in Olgunler Sok, but on arrival were told they were full and we were being upgraded to the Elit Palas. Having ascertained that there would be no surcharge on top of the price previously negotiated, we settled into our "room", which was in fact a mini-suite comprising double bedroom, bathroom (with both bath and shower) and sitting room - all very comfortable and well appointed. Facilities included high-speed wi-fiinternet connection, fridge, mini-bar, hairdrier and two televisions. The only drawback was the lighting - in both the sitting room and bedroom it was appallingly dim (the brightest light was the one inside the fridge!) and the bizarre system of wiring meant that the bedside lights could only be turned on if the main switch in the sitting room was "on". The right-hand bedside light could not be switched on unless the left-hand one was on, which meant that I could not wake in the night and read without putting the light on my husband's side of the bed on as well - not very clever, considering the otherwise very high standard of the hotel.
Breakfast was buffet-style and extremely good, offering a wide selection of both hot and cold dishes. About 8 different herbal teas were also on offer, as well as normal tea, coffee and orange juice. The breakfast room was big and a bit soulless but dinner was served in a much more intimate and attractive room, complete with well-stocked bar and proper bar stools. We would normally go out to a restaurant for dinner but we decided to eat in one night and were quite impressed. There was plenty of choice on the menu, the food was well cooked and hot, and the wine prices were very reasonable (wine prices in Turkish hotels and restaurants tend to be extortionate).
The hotel is in a good location within easy walking distance of both Kizilay and Kavaklidere, with their myriad shops and restaurants. Service is good, with helpful and cheerful staff (albeit with very limited English). The standard of cleanliness is high, with sheets being changed every other day and towels every day.
The list price for a double room at the Elit Palas is 160YTL (about £70) per night, which is a bit pricey, but don't be afraid to ask for a discount. After a bit of hard negotiating, we paid less than half that amount, which was exceptionally good value. All major credit cards are accepted.
The verdict - providing we could negotiate a reasonable discount, we would definitely stay there again.
That was a good first review but If you would like to add to or change any part of your review in the future you can do this by pressing the edit link on the right hand side of the page as you read your review. Fionaxx
MAFARRIMOND 27.04.2006 13:57
An impressive first review. Maureen
fizzytom 26.04.2006 13:07
Hi, welcome to Ciao! A timely review since I'll be in Ankara myself in about two weeks - it'll be bargain pensions for us though! Evn with a discount we're hoping to get cheaper accommodation than this! Fiona
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