I stayed in Alev`s attic rooms for eleven days. It is a great place! The rooms have been perfectly quiet, clean, and nicely furnished. Although I stayed on my own it is easily a place to also accommodate a couple. It is a comfortable and cosy place to relax in this pulsating city. The bed is good (I slept perfectly well even without hearing the muezzin at five o`clock in the morning) and the washing basin served well. Alev offered me to have a shower in her bathroom downstairs at any time. You might have to get used to the sloped ceiling in the attic rooms and also to the fact that you have to use a ladder to reach them on the second level of her flat. But this is not a minus at all and should not influence yours decision to stay at her place.
The flat of Alev is perfectly located in the centre of Cihangir near Taksim square. From there all places of interest in Istanbul are easy to be reached by public transport. It is near Istiklal high street and you have nice places around to have dinner or a coffee.
Alev is a open-minded and entirely uncomplicated host. Her English is fluent. Every time, when we have met in her flat we had a good conversation about interesting things to do in the city, about Turkish politics, and the Turkish way of life. She recommended me some good places to hang out in Istanbul. She is a very friendly person and I never felt uncomfortable with her and her friends at any time. I highly recommend her as a host and would stay again with her when coming back to Istanbul. Thank you, Alev!