Six Senses Kocatas Mansions, Istanbul

We stayed at the hotel for one night on New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2025), and unfortunately, the overall experience was extremely disappointing. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, we were effectively stranded at the restaurant area for nearly two hours due to heavy snowfall and the steep hill leading back to the hotel. Despite being guests at a five-star property, no proper solution was provided. There was no hotel car, no buggy, and no alternative plan in place. We were told to walk downhill in snowy conditions wearing formal shoes and high heels, which is completely unacceptable from a luxury hotel, especially on such a night. What made this even worse was that no basic hospitality was offered while we were stuck there. No tea, coffee, or any form of comfort was provided, despite several guests waiting together. Some guests reportedly remained there until 8:00 a.m., which clearly shows how poorly this situation was managed. The New Year’s Eve dinner itself was another major failure. The food quality was shockingly bad, and when compared to the very high price charged, the experience felt unjustifiable. This was nowhere near the standard expected for a five-star hotel or a New Year’s Eve celebration. Especially if you’re paying 1300€’s+ for the night. I want to be very clear on one point: this was not the fault of the staff. The employees on duty were kind, polite, and genuinely trying to help within the limits of what they were allowed to do. The responsibility lies entirely with hotel management and operational planning, not with the frontline team or the restaurant manager. The next day, the staff made sincere efforts to assist and compensate us, which I appreciate. I would especially like to thank Mr. Kayra, Mr. Emir, and Mr. Doğan for their support, professionalism, and positive attitude during a very frustrating situation. They did their best under difficult circumstances. In summary, this stay was a serious operational and management failure, particularly regarding guest safety, logistics, and value for money. While the staff showed genuine care, kindness alone cannot compensate for such fundamental shortcomings at this level of hospitality.

Best place to rest. Beautiful garden with the view of Bosphorus. Thank you Kayra for the welcoming tour. Scalini - delicious italian restaurant.

Six Senses Kocatas Mansions Istanbul was an absolute catastrophe for our New Year’s Eve stay, where we paid 2000 euros per night only to endure shockingly poor service, utterly unprepared staff with dismissive attitudes, and zero planning from start to finish. The gala at SAX was a freezing disaster—guests shivering in jackets indoors due to the biting December cold, with no heaters or setup despite predictable weather, and lame excuses offered instead of solutions for such premium pricing. The spa was inexplicably closed with no alternatives provided, amplifying the neglect, while overall hospitality fell to bare-minimum failures unworthy of a luxury brand like Six Senses. Worst experience imaginable—avoid at all costs.

We visited the facility and have a dinner at Italian (Scalini) Restaurant; the atmosphere, service and taste of food were amazing

We live in Istanbul and went to this hotel for a change of scenery and to celebrate my husband's birthday. Consisting of two mansions rebuilt from their foundations, the property is exquisite. The buildings, the decor and the rooms are really stunning. Walking uphill you can see stunning panoramic views of the Bosphorus. We ran into Natalie Portman at breakfast and I guess that tells you something :) All that said, the two guys at the front desk were a little clueless. We booked half board and they didn't know for sure which restaurants would be serving us dinner. They advised us to go to the Italian Scalini, which had a separate, more limited menu for hotel guests. The main course menu was limited to different kinds of pasta, risotto (which turned out to be quite bland) and a chicken dish. They told us one restaurant was serving breakfast and it turned out the breakfast service had moved to another one. Also, I'd advise not to come with a car as it is a bit difficult to access the parking spaces uphill (and then walk down with the luggage if the golf carts aren't working due to rain.)