Your comments for Garden House hotel on Tripadvisor.com

Tripadviser Travelers Reviews.

 
From Dubai to my second Home........

bu-shoug

Dubai
Mar 18, 2009

The Garden House was recommended to me by my brother in law and proved to be an inspired choice!! A wonderfully retreat after a hard day experiencing the highlights and atmosphere of Istanbul.The staff is friendly and helpful in every possible wat and you really get the warm feeling that they care about you.I was impressed with the location, it's in walking distance to all the main historic attractions.
Yes....It is my second home.

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My warmest recommendations of Hotel Garden House
 
 
Aarhus
Mar 15, 2009

Having stayed now at Garden House Hotel on several occasions, I would like to give the hotel my warmest recommendations. The hotel’s location in the heart of the Sultanahmet district is great, the hotel in itself is a very nice place with clean and cosy rooms with all amenities, and last but lot least: the hotel staff are friendly and very helpful. Due to my work I often travel to Central Asian and the Caucasus and have to stop over in Istanbul because of the bad flight connections. I always look forward to my stay there with great delight, not least because I have found a place that has become my home in Istanbul. Last time I brought my husband who felt very welcome as well.

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 My home in Istanbul”

Katarina16

Frankfurt, Germany
Mar 10, 2009

Knowing the Garden House from a previous holiday, I returned to this pleasant Hotel after a business trip to Turkey.
I was cordially received.
The friendly and ever helpful staff, the comfortable rooms, the surrounding area, where you do not have to go far to eat out or visit historic sites, all this and more makes this place very special.
I would recommend the Garden House warmly to anybody who plans to visit Istanbul.

Chris

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Nowhere better”

Mickb59

Al Khobar
Mar 10, 2009

If you're looking for a friendly cozy hotel close to the main tourist area (10 minutes walk), but away from the hustle and bustle of the trams and traffic then I would highly recommend the Garden House. Located down a small side street in the Sultanamet area of Istanbul this charming hotel with its friendly staff is by far one of the best hotels I have stayed in. Though lacking the amenities of the larger hotels (such as swimming pool and gymnasium) the Garden House makes you feel welcome from the minute you walk through the door with its excellent staff that cant do enough for you. The rooms are clean and not expensive when you consider the location. Its within walking distance to all the main tourist areas such as the Grand Bazaar and the Blue Mosque. If you visit Istanbul then there is nowhere better to stay than here

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Wonderful all round”

BlueSueCroatia

Croatia
Feb 23, 2009

A wonderful hotel - moderately priced, immaculately clean, well-positioned and very comfortable. I booked over the internet and always received a prompt and helpful reply. Airport pick-up is arranged by then and when we arrived we were given a very friendly welcome and found the staff very helpful throughout the stay, especially the manager Selcuk.

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Highly recommended”

philippe_091

Paris
Feb 20, 2009
 

We spent 5 nights in this hotel in February 2009.
This hotel is in the old city near the main monuments (close to the Blue Mosquee). It is very quiet, the rooms are clean and comfortable.
The breakfast is good and generous.

The staff is very helpful and friendly. We highly recommend this hotel for a trip in istanbul !!

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Warm and cozy!”

cmcindc

Washington, D.C.
Feb 12, 2009

I loved my stay at the Garden House. It is close enough to all the main attractions in the Sultanahmet, yet it is tucked away in a real neighborhood with a wonderful mid-week farmers' market. This was my second time to Istanbul within a four-month period, but my first time to the hotel. I recommend it highly especially if you are looking for a quiet (and maybe romantic!) getaway. Ask for the room on the 5th floor (lovely views!) but be ready to get your exercise in since there is no elevator. What also made the stay extremely pleasant was the staff; they could not have been more friendly, especially Kadir and the men working the front desk. You will not be disappointed!

Chris

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Lovely staff and cosy environment”

fahimuzzaman

Karachi
Feb 6, 2009

> I was scared to book the hotel for four nights and commit the money before seeing the hotel itself. However based on the reviews by others on trip advisor I made that discision. However I must say that it was not a wrong choice at all. Although the hotel does not have the bells and wistles of a 5 star hotels, where I normally stay during my business trips, I was pleasantly surprised by the value for money this hotel provides. For 70 Euros or 150 Turkish Lira, it indeed offers what you are paying for. I was travelling with two children and the hotel staff, especially, Mr. Kadir Chikan was nice enough to upgrade us from double room to triple room and provided baby cot for no extra charge. Furthermore we took some time to get out of the airport, however the person waiting for the airport pick up was nice enough to wait for us for more than 1 hour. I really fell in love with the setting and atmonsphere of the hotel.
>
> In the morning I was looking to go for morning prayers and I found a mosque which was less than five minutes from hotel and I ended up in Mehmed Pasha mosque which is more than 500 years old built in 1549. We met another Pakistani family staying there and they were equally satisfied with the hotel.

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Highly recommended”

 

london
Feb 1, 2009

We spent four days in Istanbul at the end of January. We were met at the airport by the hotel minibus, and from then onwards we were very well looked after. The staff were helpful and friendly, and spoke excellent English (we have no Turkish, so this was important). The bedroom was comfortable and clean and we appreciated the fresh fruit and bottles of water (at no extra charge) provided in it. Breakfast was plentiful and include nice surprises, like the milk and honey drink specially made as guests arrived down. When we lost a camera, the hotel staff rang round various venues to try to track it down. The hotel is a short walk from the major sights (up a steepish hill), and could hardly be more convenient. We thought it was excellent value

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Traditional Istanbul”

 

Berkshire
Jan 30, 2009

Garden House Hotel is a friendly, well situated, excellent value hotel in the historic Sultanahamet district of Istanbul. All the major attaractions are within walking distance of this traditional Ottoman wooden city house.
Clean and well presented the staff couldn't have tried to be more welcoming and hospitable.

Rooms a re pretty spacious and with the small garden and terrace for a meal or a drink its agood base to explore the city.

At night its a quiet area but within easy access time of some good restaurants in the city or by the sea.

I went on business to Istanbul but will be returning with my family to use this as a base for them to see a fascinating city.

Recommend for families or business who don't want yet another city hotel.

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Very nice Istanbul experience”

 

Athens
Jan 23, 2009

The very good rating of the Garden House was our reason to book. We travelled as a couple with a teenage daughter.
In general we were very satisfied with our choice. The hotel is in a quiet area close to the Blue Mosque. You can reach the touristic highlights easily by walk.
The triple room was nice and cosy, although not very large. But we couldn't expect more in such a relatively small hotel, somehow like family run. The bath was also very nice and everything totally clean.
We had asked for a room in one of the upper floors but finally got one in the first floor with view only the courtyard. (Finally I don't know if there is more view from the upper floors.) The room was bright and totally quiet, something that matters most.
The breakfast was very good even that it could have had some kind of muesli as well as some meat. (OK, there were small sausages.)
The hotels offers free transfer from the airport (not to the airport). I was glad that I called the evening before our arrival because I didn't get any confirmation and it obviously had been forgotten.
Although the hotel is not very cheap I think the value for the price is really good.
Thanks again to the excellent and very friendly staff.

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Friendly and Cosy”

 

Dubai
Jan 15, 2009

I stayed at the Garden House Hotel for 3 days and 4 nights. It was fantastic! The staff were all very friendly and helpful. The location is fantastic and away from the 'touristy' hustle and bustle of Sultanamet.

I really liked my room; it was small, but very cosy and beautifully fitted out. Breakfasts were good each morning and I enjoyed eating in the nice terrace area outside.

I work for a major travel industry corporation and do a lot of travel for business and pleasure. Certainly, this is one of the better small hotels I have stayed at.

Certainly worth a stay here! Next time I am in Istanbul, I will stay at the Garden House.

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Garden House is Spectacular!”

EricAlger

EricAlger
Jan 14, 2009

I would recommend the Garden House to anyone looking for a great romantic getaway. I was impressed with the location, it's in walking distance to all the main historic attractions; there are even fresh markets around the corner. My fiance' fell in love with the room too which was a bonus! The staff are polite, respectful, and very knowledgable of the area. I can't wait to visit again, I will surely come back to the Garden House. Cheers

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Small is beautiful”

 

Athens
Jan 8, 2009

We have just been back from a four nights stay at the Garden House Hotel in Istanbul and I think we couldn't have made a better choice. We slept in two different double rooms successively, one on the basement floor the other on the second floor, while some friends stayed in a triple room on the first floor, so we have experience of different floors and different rooms of this hotel. Concerning the size the (double) rooms vary from comfortable to large, while the decoration (which varies too from floor to floor) ranges from above average to truly excellent. There's a cosy and tasteful modernity, an individuality that makes you feel like staying in a home. This feeling would be spoiled if rooms and bathrooms weren't as shiny-clean as they are.
Hotels suffer generally from two kinds of noises, noises from the outside and noises from inside. Garden House lies in a small uncrowded street, so you don't get to hear noises from outside. Only if you have a room at the outer side (streetside) of the basement floor, you can occasionaly hear voices or the engine of a car -but even these noises become very rare at night. Regarding inside noise all I can say is that the hotel is small (only twenty rooms on four floors), so that this kind of noise -wich depends on your neighboors- is normally very low.There are no extra acoustical isolation measures in the rooms, but the hotel is solidely built so that noises are absorbed rather than being magnified.
I 'll let others judge the breakfast since we (Greeks) are not very demanding on this subject. What was offered surpassed our needs.
All in all a small family hotel with a friendly atmosphere suited for individual travellers with a staff that is professional, friendly and willing to meet your individual needs.

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Great atmosphere, great location”

 

Netherlands
Jan 5, 2009

The Garden House hotel and its staff clearly have as their goal to make your stay in Istanbul as pleasant as possible. There is attention to detail like rose petals on the bed, a daily fruit basket in the room, a range of choices on the buffet breakfast, wireless internet, etc.. Its location is excellent, and to re-iterate once more, the staff are really friendly and helpful, always available to provide advice on sights and things to do, as well as help with reservations/taxis/etc. All rooms have been very nicely furnished and it should be noted that the showers have excellent pressure. Some rooms might be better than others; the room next to the reception appears to be a little bit noisy, while those a bit further away and on higher floors are more comfortable with that regard. The suite on the top floor is excellent! All in all a great place to stay in its price range that we would certainly recommend to everyone

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Happy Birthday”

LeoHester

Netherlands
Jan 4, 2009

We’ve never met greater hospitality than in Hotel Garden House in Istanbul. We were picked up (free) at the Airport and we received a bottle of wine in our room when the receptionist found out that one of us had her birthday. The hotel is located in Sultanahmet, near the Blue Mosque and The Aya Sofia. They gave all the information we needed and served fresh fruitshakes at breakfast. We had a great time there.

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Great little hotel”

 

spain
Dec 22, 2008

We stayed here for our visit to Istanbul and absolutely loved it.The hotel is nestled within a great neighborhood and it is close to everything - which makes it easy to get to and from the hotel. Our room was very nice and clean and spacious .Need to also mention the staff... they were all very friendly and helpful in providing information, advice and getting taxis.Garden house is a great place to stay for value, location. We wish more hotels were like Garden house!

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We liked it”

 

around
Dec 18, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

Garden house is a small establishment, so no grandness or special services.
Other than that is perfect: very clean good rooms, nicely decorated with wooden floors, and decent bathrooms.
Perfect location, quiet but just 3 minutes walk to Sultanahmet Square.
Helpful staff.
The hotel offers a free pick up service from the airport.
Pretty outdoor area and breakfast room.
Appropriate breakfast for a 3 star.

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Fantastic”

KudosDubai

Dubai
Dec 17, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

I have stayed in the hotel in winter time and tempratures dipping down to almost 0 degrees but the hotel room was so cozy that we didnt even feel once that it is freezing outside.the hotel staff was so helpful and humble that we never felt we were out of home.I would like to name Mr Kadir Cikan specially for guiding us and recommneding best places to visit in our short visit.i would definately recommend anyone visiting this site should stay in Garden house located in Sultanehmat and very close to all historical and famous monuments in Istanbul (European side).

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Lovely Place”

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dec 14, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

I stayed in this hotel during Dec 3-6, 2008 with my family for my Eid Holiday. As a regular tourist, I can be sure guests will be pleased with warm welcome by the hoteliers. Very close location to major destinations by walking distance, and very quiet as well due to the location away from main road. Lovely back yard garden next to dining room with simple and well organized landscape.
Room was clean and spacious enough for my couple and 11 year old child. I received kind information about the city and my personal tour recommendation from hotel owner.
Only one thing, some taxi drivers had difficulty to find this hotel location, but it's good for calm and quiet stay.

Tourist from Korea
Kyung H. Han

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Great hotel, great staff, great location”

 

Mass
Dec 4, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

If you're looking to go to Istanbul, I strongly suggest staying at the Garden House hotel. First of all, you can't ask for a better location. It's minutes away from absolutely everything; great restaurants, museums, historical Mosque's (including the Blue Mosque which you can see from the hotel). The hotel itself is amazing. Extremely clean and modern, with a charming glass roofed restaurant. Upon our arrival, Kadir sat us down and advised us on everything we needed to know to make our trip amazing. He also told us what we should avoid and we were assured that the hotel staff would be there to help us whenever we needed. I cannot stress how helpful every staff person at this hotel was. Whether it was asking for directions, ordering 2 a.m. room service, or asking for suggestions, we were cheerfully helped. You really get the sense of Turkish hospitality at this hotel. They took a genuine interest in us and wanted to make sure we had what we needed whether it be in or out of the hotel. By the end of our trip, I was very sad to leave Istanbul. The city is amazing and our hotel was the cherry on top. As we were leaving, Bulant and other members of the staff helped us to our taxi and it felt as if I was leaving a families home after visiting! We even exchanged contact information and will definitely keep in touch! I already miss the city as well as the hotel. I will definitely be back and will only stay at the Garden House. I cannot praise it enough. 5 stars!!

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Feel like home in Istanbul”

TravelingMike04

Stockholm, Sweden
Nov 30, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

Great location, walking distance to historical places, restaurants, shops, bazars etc.

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A Home Away From Home”

 

Bay Area, California
Nov 6, 2008

If you're looking for the perfect place to stay while enjoying everything there is to see and do in Istanbul look no further. What more can be said than the Garden House is a Gem. From the amazing Breakfast Buffet, to the spot on location, to the charm of the sparkling clean rooms, to the numerous amenities [love that wireless], every aspect of our stay was delightful. Kadir and the entire staff were warm and gracious, and went out of their way to make sure we were well taken care of. No question or request was too big or too small, and we were always greeted with a smile. We will definitely return to Istanbul and stay at the Garden House.

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Wonderful Hotel!”

 

Wageningen, The Netherlands
Nov 6, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

I have stayed 4 nights at Garden House Istanbul and really loved it. I booked the hotel directly and paid with cash money upon arrival, which gave me some discount. They arranged free pick up from the airport, and since I arrived at 1.30AM that was wonderful. I was warmly welcomed by Bulent, and immediately felt at home. All staff members are very friendly and helpful. I stayed at room 202 which was perfect. Big room, nice double bed (as a single traveler, i loved that!) and clean bathroom. Breakfast was good and enough varieties. Staff was very helpful in advising for the daily program and also about customs and do’s and don’ts in Istanbul. Istanbul for me (as a single woman traveler) was very safe. I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Istanbul is a wonderful city, but for sure also visit Taksim in the European area. Nice restaurants, pubs and young people. A visit to Gulhane park is also very nice. Don’t forget to drink some Turkisch tea at the back side of the park. Nice view!
I didn’t like my visit to Cemberlitas hamam. Too touristic!
But Garden House, yes, I would definitely stay there again. Nice hotel, clean rooms, friendly staff who give you personal attention!

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Nice hotel, friendly staff”

Bristolcream

Bristol
Nov 1, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

Nice hotel in a fairly central spot near most of the main tourist sites in Istanbul. Friendly, helpful staff.
We went without hot water for 24 hours with no real explanation and had to work hard to get them to sort it out - however, on the whole this is a good hotel.

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Great hotel”

BrummieGlobetrotter

Birmingham, UK
Nov 1, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

My wife and I returned from 5 days in Istanbul and this was a very good hotel, though there was an initial problem.

I had booked a room well in advance but only days before we were due to travel, I was told that there had been an over booking for the first two days of our stay. I was initially offered a room at one hotel for the first two days; but after I found through research that this wasn't very good and costed much less than I had paid for my room at the Garden House, I was instead offered an alternative next door to the Garden House for the first two days, after which I would be upgraded in the Garden House for the remainder of the stay. I accepted this.

The first hotel next door was okay; the owner did book my wife and I a room with a very nice view over the Marmara Sea, though the room was small. The water in this place was also undrinkable and smelled...but it was okay for two days as there's plenty of bottled water around.

Then we moved to the Garden House...and this was much better. A well designed hotel, friendly staff (especially Kadir who gave help and directions whenever needed), and the water was clean (though I didn't try to drink any - I opted for the bottled water they give you for free every day). The hotel It is situated in an old residential area which adds a touch of authenticity to a stay in the 'Old Part of Istanbul' as the area around the sights has been developed. The buffet breakfast is the same every day but there is a good selection, it is constantly topped up, and the jams are superb!!!

The morning call to prayer isn't as loud as some people had said in reviews (maybe it's just me), but as a Muslim, it was enough to wake me up for the pre-sunset prayer - makes a change to my alarm clock which usually performs this function back in the UK.

The hotel is only a 5 minute walk from the Blue Mosque and another 3 minutes to Ayasofia. Yes there is quite a steep climb from the hotel which my wife struggled with occasionally but it was fine - that can't be changed.

Food is available during the day and we ate there twice - it was a tad pricy for what was offered but it tasted good. There are some very good restaurants around though. I would recommend Cesme (pronounced Cheshme) which you find by turning right out of the hotel, then turn right at the bottom of the hill - it is on your left). The food was nice, the staff very friendly, and for less 30 YTL, we ate handsomely - a very good deal. There isn't a no smoking area though and so smoke did come over to our table which was a bit unpleasant. Mozaik Restaurant which is a short walk from Sultanahmet tram station, and Sultanahmet Fish Bar which is close-by to that were also very good experiences which I would recommend - these are pricier than Cesme but the food is very good.

If you get lost then the locals would be unlikely to tell you where the hotel is - it is buried amongst a maze of streets. You would be better to use the Blue Mosque as your Centre, as I did, because from there because it is a 5 minute walk back down the hill. Take a good pair of walking shoes too as the the cobbled streets going up from the hotel, and those in the Grand Bazaar can play havoc with your feet...

All in all, I would strongly recommend a stay at the Garden House.

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Marvellous best quality hotel”

yifat

Israel
Oct 28, 2008

We came back from our 7 nights stay at the Garden House hotel in Istanbul two weeks ago. I found this hotel being highly rated by tripadvisor.com and decided to call them and make a reservation. By far it was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time.
The hotel is pleasant and comfortable, conveniently locted (short walking distance) near all the main sites of the old city, the trem station and the sea sore (you can ever hear at morning the prayer's call).
The hotel staff, especially Kadir, was very warm and friendly, and very helpful (Thank you!!). They gave us personal care and were willing to assist us with everything we needed, including transportation to and from the airport.
The hotel and its environment is safe (also at night). We left one day some money in our room and when we came back at night everything was left untouched.
The room, who was cleaned everyday, was large and spacious, with wooden floor, and nice large windows. The hotel was recently renovated so we enjoyed a very nice bathroom as well. The beds were big and cosy, with linen changed everyday smelling ever so good.. The room also had quiet air conditioner and mini refrigerator.
We also got a fresh fruit basket with mineral water every day.
The hotel buffet breakfast was very rich and served plenty of fresh and dried fruits, fresh vegetables, yogurts, cereals, bread, cheeses, eggs, etc.
The hotel has a very relaxed atmosphere and staying there felt very much like coming home. Garden House hotel is an excellent - top class hotel and one of the best we ever visited. We highy recommend it !
We had a wonderful stay at the hotel and were very, very sad to leave... This hotel is what made the difference between a nice trip to a great trip !!
Y.k., Israel

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Brilliant!”

BerkshireMash

Berkshire
Oct 15, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

My husband and I stayed here last weekend and we had the most amazing time. We arrived on Friday evening and the manager immediately took our bags from us and welcomed us warmly before checking us in quickly and efficiently and having our bags taken to our room. The room itself was lovely (number 603) with one of the comfiest beds I've ever slept in (to the point where we found it hard to force ourselves to get up and go see the sights!). Everything was spotlessly clean and the bathroom was airy and well laid out with some very nice smelling soaps and shower gels. We decided to go out to eat and thought it would be a good idea to ask the receptionists advice but instead of a quick recommendation we were taken to the breakfast room for a cup of apple tea and a virtual tour of the city! Firstly, the manager laid out a big map of Istanbul and showed us where everything was, then he talked us through all the tours he could arrange for us before recommending a couple of nice nearby places to eat. I have to recommend Cesme - another reviewer mentioned it and it is truly fabulous - if you turn right out of the hotel and walk a few seconds to the bottom of the hill then turn right you'll see it on your left. We walked in and were taken to the upstairs dining room where we experienced some of the best food and service ever. The meze is great, the wine is gorgeous (we had a white called Andura), the main courses were varied and well cooked and the puddings divine (have the baklava!!) and after a truly chilled out 3 hour dinner the bill came to about £30, wonderful!! For a transfer to the hotel from Sabiha Gokcen (which is where you'll fly to if you go with EasyJet) use www.istanbulairporttransfers.com - they charged only 20 euros each person return and took you directly to your hotel door (the drive can be around an hour if there's traffic so it's a great price). The breakfast at Garden House is yummy and constantly freshened up by the attentive staff and the dining area is light and airy. At night they serve drinks and food in there and it's a nice place to relax after a long day sightseeing (or after your dinner at Cesme!). We took the all day tour that cost 60 euros and it was well worth every penny - it takes in all of the main sights and you have a great local guide who gives you the sort of insider info that you'd never get from guide books. The tour lasts all day and includes dinner so you get your moneys worth. All in all this a great place to stay and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone - it's perfect!

 

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