Hikmet's went above and beyond in every possible way. Starting with his warm welcome, "Welcome Turkey, Welcome Istanbul," he welcomed me and my two friends to his studio apartment and ensured he was always available to respond to our every need.

The apartment itself was exactly what was advertised on Airbnb (in the center, clean, three beds, with a great terrace view of the mosque next door), but then Hikmet and his family went above and beyond to help us out. I unfortunately misplaced my passport, and not only did he help arrange for a few cars to and from the US Consulate, but his brother let me use his computer to research the right requirements, print all of the right documents, etc. They made what was already a stressful situation as easy as possible.

Further, Hikmet was always available to us for even small needs - a quick local recommendation on where to eat - access to an iron to get a few wrinkles out of my dress - a map when we needed one. I couldn't recommend his place more and look forward to returning the next time I'm in Istanbul.