We had such a wonderful time here! Catherine and Abit were fantastic hosts, welcoming us into their home and sharing a wealth of knowledge about their Istanbul.

And quite an Istanbul it is, too. If you're looking for a posh resort experience, this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a real Istanbul neighborhood with real people in it, come here. The Samatya neighborhood was somehow both cute and gritty at the same time. Despite being a quick bus or tram ride from the tourist attractions, the area is clearly not on the tourist radar, thankfully. A number of delicious seafood restaurants are right behind the building, and there is no shortage of places within steps of the door to grab some börek, döner, pide, tea, or a beer. While not right on the sea, the view of it is beautiful and a three-minute walk through the square gets you to a mile-long seaside park (under some construction when we were there, but still good for a run or stroll).

Getting around is a snap. One bus stop is right outside the door and one is three minutes away on the coast road, with frequent buses to the tram or metro to major destinations. (Check the IETT website for route information.)

The apartment itself is very cute, with antique furniture and vintage textiles everywhere. The view is great, the breeze is nice (although we were there in early August and so spent most of our time in front of the fan—it's quite warm then!), and at night there is pleasant music wafting up from the square behind. Probably my only complaint was that the water pitcher took 40 minutes to heat up a cup of coffee in the morning.

Anyway, many thanks to Catherine and Abit for all they did for us, and may you have an equally good experience at this Bohemian hideaway.