To whoever reading this let me say, right off the bat that this is a near perfect listing and you can't go wrong with this home and its host.
Of course a lot of our experiences with places and people are subjective and is driven mostly by what state of mind we are in. My leadup to the Istanbul trip were some of the most stressful, chaotic and painful days I had experienced for a variety of reasons not least of which was because it was my first foreign vacation right after the pandemic lull and one which was making me feel really anxious. All that seemed to have gone away as soon as I checked in( the process itself is rather smooth). Reine and her partner made me feel so comfortable it was like I was visiting a bunch of friends I had already known for ages. They opened up about their lives, gave me that space to be friendly around them plus also made sure I had absolute freedom in their home similar to what I would have in my own apartment.
The apartment itself is in a very convenient and hip area of Istanbul, almost all modes of Istanbul's superb public transportation is within a short walking distance, numerous restaurants and pubs litter the streets surrounding the apartment, the bed is super comfortable, the beautiful balcony that hides itself away from the main street overlooking a beautiful patch of green space, highly cozy living room that you would share with the couple really add to the ultimate desirability of the apartment. But for me the major selling point was probably the 3rd occupant of their home, Kuro. He's an extremely friendly, calm and well-mannered dog that somehow naturslly knows when to respect your personal space but at the same time gives you the best company and is more than willing to play with you. Being a cat person myself it's fair to say that Kuro has really made me reconsider my aversion to getting a dog myself.
If and when I would be back in Istanbul I would not hesitate to book the apartment with Reine, her partner and Kuro again. I think you should do it too without a second's hesitation.
Normally I am a bit lazy/unbothered to write a review, whether it be about an Airbnb home or a restaurant or shoe I purchased plus when I do it I try to find something negative to write about it alongside the positives to balance out the scales. This review was written a good 3 or 4 days after I left the place because I was trying hard and long to find something negative to write about Reine's home and my experiences there but it's testament to how good they and the place is that I failed in finding any faults whatsoever. I would definitely recommend this place again to whoever asks me suggestions about Istanbul and also book it myself in the future.