Garen was helpful right from the start. He emailed me before we arrived to find out our arrival time, and also to see if we wanted a transfer from the airport. He was waiting for us when we arrived at the flat and showed us around the flat. He also emailed us good information on cafes/ bars etc. The flat had good heating and was comfortable. The water heater was in one of the bedrooms, and one of my friends said it was a bit noisy. It is in one of the photos, and I probably should have picked up on that. The flat isn't far from the Istiklal (5-10 minutes), but the street doesn't look very inviting. Google street view will give you an idea. All in all though, we were very comfortable, warm and not far from a good part of Istanbul.