Our Unforgettable Stay at the Akka Lush Hotel in Istanbul

We recently returned from an incredible week in Istanbul, and I'm still reeling from the amazing Akka Lush Hotel 4*. From delicious breakfasts to spotless rooms, this hotel had it all.

The Akka Lush Hotel 4* is literally in the heart of the city, just a 5-minute walk from the Taksim metro station. The entrance is around the side of the building, and we even walked past it a couple of times.

When we checked in, the administrator greeted us by name, which was nice. Unfortunately, neither my husband nor I speak any English or Turkish. We know a few words in English, but we're not exactly fluent. But that wasn't a problem, as the administrator just pulled out his phone and used a translation app to give us all the information we needed, including the check-in and check-out times, and the fact that we'd need to leave a $100 deposit, which would be refunded when we checked out, as long as we didn't trash the room.

Here's the desk where the administration sits, and the chairs where we waited.

Next, they showed us to our room. They took my suitcase right away, which was nice, even though it wasn't that heavy. And then we headed up to the room via the elevator, which was located down a few corridors. The decor was really nice, and we could have sat there waiting for someone from the room, or just enjoyed the view. You could even take the stairs if you preferred.

Here are the couches and a really cool painting on the wall.

There's a bookshelf in the corner, and the books are all in English. I guess it's for people who want to read in peace, rather than just sitting in their room.

We were theoretically on the second floor, but the first floor is basically ground zero. So, we were living on the first floor. The elevator buttons are clearly labeled, and the numbers next to them are the room numbers. Don't let the photo fool you – our wing was actually pretty spacious, with a second elevator and way more rooms.

They showed us to our room, explained everything, and gave us a tour. Now, I'll walk you through it all in detail.

They gave us two little cards, one of which we had to insert into a special slot to power up the room's electronics, including the lights. When we left, we had to take it back.

The room was seriously impressive – a huge double bed, lamps on either side, and a phone on the bedside table so we could reach the staff if needed.I didn't take a separate photo, but that green leaf on the bed was a nice touch – it said the hotel was eco-friendly and didn't use harsh chemicals. If we didn't want our sheets changed, we just left the leaf on the bed, and we'd leave some extra tips next to it.

The TV was right across from the bed. If you're planning to chill out and watch some movies in the evenings, just download them on your phone or tablet and connect to the TV.

We spent a few days binge-watching Turkish TV shows – we had no idea what was going on, but it was somehow fascinating! Turkish dramas are a whole different ball game, with their own brand of crazy and confusing plotlines.

The room came with free water, tea, and coffee, and when the cleaning staff came in, they'd let us know what we'd used. They didn't have the fancy coffee machine with all the bells and whistles – just separate coffee and creamer.

The mini-fridge was stocked with all sorts of drinks and snacks – all of which were extra! I didn't even bother checking the prices, since we weren't planning on using anything from it. We did stick our own cola in there to chill, though.

There was a safe and two drawers, but we didn't end up using either of them. We didn't bring much with us, anyway.

One thing that didn't quite work for us was the hooks for hanging clothes on the left. It's not the best solution, since the kettle is down below and when you turn it on, the steam ends up on your clothes. We ended up putting our stuff on a stool in the corridor.

The top shelf is where we kept two bath towels.

The bottom shelf is where the hair dryer is – it's actually pretty powerful, and it dried my three strands of hair in no time.

The middle shelf is where you can stash laundry for the washing machine (there's a price list under the bag, but I didn't get a shot of it). We also had two pairs of disposable slippers, a shoe horn, some thread with a needle, and a shoe cleaning sponge.

The bathroom looks just as fancy as the room itself. The toilet and shower are combined, and the door doesn't even lock – it's not even flush with the frame. But there's a light above the exhaust fan, which works really well and doesn't let any smells into the room.

Down below, there are three towels, one of which has feet drawn on it.

The shower cubicle has both a regular shower and a tropical one. I tried the tropical one, but I couldn't turn it off – the button is weird and uncomfortable.

By the sink, there are various toiletries. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and something for your body. We also had a bar of soap, cotton pads with sticks, and a packet for used contraception. When we cleaned the room, they didn't replace them, which is weird – can you only get them once?

The only downside to the room is that the door you see in the photo is actually the door to the neighboring room! Yeah, and the neighbor – a Chinese guy – once tried to open it, probably to visit. I think they used to have a big 4-person room, but then they split it into two. And to the right of that door is the door to the lifts.

So, when the neighbor came over, he was pretty loud, and we could hear him clearly. But at least it was only when he was being loud. Otherwise, everything was great.

We had the hotel with breakfast. Oh man, I'm going to show you the breakfast spread now! The restaurant is on the fifth floor, and when you go up, you see a mountain of food!

Fruit and veggie platter. What a treat to have pre-peeled mandarins! They're super tasty, by the way

On the left, we've got two different types of porridge, each day a different one. The triangular bits with cheese (incredible flavor) and grilled veggies.

Porridge add-ons galore!, it's overwhelming! But we decided to skip the porridge since it's filling and you get full quickly. We wanted to try everything, haha! There's cookies, wafers, various nuts, and pastes. One day, I tried one of the pastes with a pancake. It was delicious! Unbelievably delicious!

Boiled eggs, omelets, sausages, and potato sticks

Bread platter. Various buns, croissants. And of course, I didn't take a photo of the sandwich maker, because someone was always there... On the left, there's a sandwich maker, and you can make your own sandwich!
Various oils and sauces, and someone's leftover porridge. You can take a plate and put everything on it

Cheeses of different kinds, olives, oil, yogurt, sausage, and beef bacon.

For each dish, there are special tongs so you can put the right amount in your plate

It was super hard to choose what to eat! You can't take it all, right? So we took a little bit and stuffed ourselves for almost the whole day!

Here are our breakfasts

Koffee can be ordered separately at the bar in the center of the hall (for free)

The restaurant is spacious, plenty of seats inside and outside.

One of the best things about this place is that you can hang out outside and enjoy the view. Plus, you can smoke until 11 PM, which is a nice bonus. Check out the view of Taksim Square - it's right next to the metro!
The view in the other direction is just as nice.
And the view at night is even more interesting! Check out all the taxis - the city never sleeps. We fell asleep to the sound of cars, and woke up to just as many. There are also plenty of locals and tourists out and about.

We barely heard any road noise, and since we spent most of the day exploring Istanbul, we didn't spend much time watching TV. We just relaxed, held hands, and enjoyed each other's company

Oh, and we caught a TV show - it was a cooking show on the TLCS channel, and the hosts were the Weasleys from Harry Potter! They were making some amazing desserts. I need to find the show with English subtitles and check it out.One minor downside to the hotel is that they don't provide toothbrushes and toothpaste. I went down to the lobby and tried to explain that I needed some, and they called it a 'stomatological set' (I think that's what they said, not me!). It cost 250 rubles, which I paid and they said they'd bring it up to our room. Five minutes later, they showed up with a little black box with the hotel's logo on it. Inside, there was a folding toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. It's really convenient that the toothbrush closes up tightly in its case. I'm not even mad that I had to pay for it - it was worth it!

The toothbrushes are now going to be our travel buddies! It's so nice that they close up tightly in their cases. I'm not even mad that I had to pay for them.

I had a bit of a mishap later on - I broke a nail. So, I headed back to the admin desk, trying to convey that I needed something. They told me to go to my room, and they'd bring it over. And, just five minutes later, they brought over a nail file (which, by the way, was free). I wish it was a paid service, not a brush, though.The little stylish box it came in

Check-out time is usually 12:00, but our transfer wasn't until 15:30. The hotel was pretty cool about it, too - you can leave your luggage (for free) in storage on the first floor.

And, when we were all done, we could even hang out in the lobby on the first floor

I've got to say, the hotel was amazing, despite a few minor issues! The staff were super helpful and answered all my questions. I actually went back to them a few times. If I'm ever back in Istanbul (and I will be), I'd definitely choose this hotel again!

Now, some quick tips and answers to questions from a newbie (that's me). I did my research online beforehand, but to my surprise, a lot of the answers were wrong. More on that later.

Some tips and answers to questions (the ones that were on my mind)

Before you head out, check the weather forecast and if you're parking near the airport, leave your winter coats there – you won't need them. Extra luggage is a hassle.

Wear comfortable shoes! No hiking boots, please! The roads in Istanbul are steep, and you'll be walking up and down all the time. Sneakers are a must.Don't rely on taxis to get around the city. Metro and trams are the way to go. It's easy to figure out, and you can plan your route using an app. The metro costs around 18 lira (multiply by 3), but be aware that prices vary depending on the station. Taxis might rip you off, so it's best to avoid them.When shopping, make sure to check prices before buying. Don't get scammed! We fell for it and bought a small pack of tissues for 100 lira, only to find the same product for 20 lira in another store.Food is expensive! Meals can cost up to 330 lira per dish, everywhere! We found a cafeteria in the city center that charged around 300 lira for two people, including a second helping and a salad. Look for cafeterias to save on food costs. We tried different dishes for the first two days, but then opted for cafeteria food to save some cash.For those without a Turkish SIM card and no mobile internet, download the Yandex Metro app, [link], translator, converter. Download Turkish language and maps wherever needed. Make sure to test it without internet. I downloaded it, thinking it would work, but it didn't. Luckily, our hotel had Wi-Fi, so I was able to download it.Where can you smoke? I read before our trip that smoking is only allowed in designated areas, but that's not True! Turks smoke everywhere – just not indoors, of course.Should you rent a car in Istanbul? I'm not sure how often people rent cars, but I'll share my thoughts. No! Turks drive like they own the place – they don't follow rules at all! They also drive very close to other cars, sometimes just 10 cm apart! Check out the sign below – it says no left turn. Every time we stopped to smoke, we saw almost every car turning left. And they drive on the opposite side of the road, too! My husband said, 'If I came here with a car, I'd sell it for pennies and walk.' He's been driving for a while now, and it's still a nightmare.Where to buy medicine in Istanbul? Many people buy medicine for themselves or their loved ones when they return from Turkey. I was asked to buy insulin, which needs to be ordered a day before departure. I visited three pharmacies, and two of them quoted me 1140 lira, while the third one charged 950 lira. So, visit a few pharmacies near your hotel and compare prices.Where to eat in Istanbul? You'll find plenty of cafes and restaurants on every corner, and like I mentioned earlier, prices start from around 300 lira. The first restaurant we went to had a minimum price of 750 lira. And the cheapest option is the cafeteria.What to do in Istanbul? The internet's got you covered with tons of articles, so I won't bother listing them. But I'll say this: one day, just take a stroll. Don't have a specific goal in mind, just wander through the streets or the waterfront, and turn down any street that catches your eye. We did that, and it was an amazing day – we barely made it back to the hotel by evening!😁How much money to bring? That depends on your budget and what you're looking for. We somehow ended up spending 80,000 rubles on food, souvenirs, and other stuff (not including hotel costs). And then, magically, we bought 20,000 rubles' worth of tea – that'll be in a separate review.😁What to try in Istanbul? You'll find 'semits' everywhere – they're these sesame-coated buns that cost 15 lira each. There's also a semit with cream cheese or Nutella – it's a game-changer! And then there's the bottled water, which costs 10 lira everywhere. I tried loads of different waters back home, but none of them compare to the taste of this one. You should definitely try Turkish shawarma – it's in a league of its own. There's this place that serves this amazing potato dish, but we didn't get to try it. Where to get a latte or cappuccino in Istanbul? I'm a coffee aficionado, just like my husband. We love our morning lattes, and in our hotel, they served these tiny cups of cappuccino with breakfast. But we're coffee connoisseurs, and we like our coffee in buckets! In Turkey, it's not common to drink coffee with milk, and some cafes don't even serve milk with coffee. But there are plenty of cafes and coffee shops that serve our usual lattes and cappuccinos. Interestingly, even McDonald's doesn't serve coffee with milk – it's not on the menu. A latte costs around 450 rubles for 0.3 liters. We ended up going to Starbucks on our last day, and guess what? Their coffee was cheaper! It cost 550 rubles for 0.6 liters. Who would've thought that Starbucks would be the more affordable option?

Ugh, I think that's it – I've told you everything! I hope it was helpful!

Happy travels, everyone!