Mehmet was very kind and welcoming! The flat was also a nice and cosy place for us to stay and catch our breath a bit after traipsing all over Italy and Greece. The flat is very near to Istikal Street and about a 5-min walk to Taksim Square. From there, it's easy enough to take the funicular + tram to Sultanahmet, the Grand Bazaar, etc. Mehmet was nice enough to lend us his Istanbulkart which saved us about 50% off our tram and metro fees.

I found it easy to walk everywhere, and there are tons of local food options near the flat (such as the omniscient kebab stalls) but if you want McDonald's, Starbucks and Burger King, those are also available nearby on Istikal Street. There are also lots of convenience stalls where you can buy water, bread, coffee, snacks, etc (the tap water in Istanbul is safe to drink, but it's heavily chlorinated so I preferred to buy bottled).

I was also glad I stayed at this area because when you go to Sultanahmet, you may find things are sometimes twice or even thrice as expensive. A 500ml bottle of water can cost me 3 lira at Sultanahmet, but at the convenience store near the apartment, I can get a 5 litre jug for that amount. So I found Mehmet's apartment very conveniently located and it's also cheaper (and quieter!) to stay in that area.

Mehmet was also very kind to let us keep our luggage in the apartment since we had a late flight out. He also sat down and explained to us (over a large map) how to get to various places and recommended good places to eat. The apartment was also spacious for our family of 3. A great bargain for the price! And Mehmet is great!