Basma's apt is located about a 10 min walk from the subway that connects to the airport. She was very prompt and helpful in responding to all my emails and questions! However, I did not find out that she would not be at the apt during my stay until after I booked, so I did not get to meet her in person. Her apt is located in the Aksaray neighborhood, and I would say that walking to the Blue Mosque from her apt took about 40 min-- so tram (5 min away) would be a better option to get there unless you really want to walk along the main street. All the rooms are separated for privacy, which also means there is no formal common area since the kitchen/living room combines as a bedroom. This did not matter to me since I did not need to cook and the refridgerator was located separately in the hallway area. Staying at Basma's gave me an opportunity to see a part of Istanbul I probably would not have gone to otherwise. The only real bummer was that the bathroom ceiling began dripping water over the shower after my second day there, and we weren't sure what to do since she was out of town. It was not too big of a deal--just got a bit awkward when trying to shower/use the toilet with cold water dripping down on me. I would say the best part of my stay was the comfy bed and turkish bread bakery nearby I got breakfast from everyday!