Ali's place was really great, a huge one room place with a nice urban garden, and me and my mom loved it. But the most important part is that the location is probably the best there is. Beyoglu is the place you don't even have to leave to experience Istanbul. Everything is a few hundred meters from there, Taxim square, Istiklal street, Galata tower, Galata bridge, Bosphorus...Even my main goal, Orhan Pamuk's Museum of Innocence, was a few hundred meters, and also newly open Istanbul Modern Museum is there...Ali was quick to answer our questions and very polite. In total, a wonderful experience of Istanbul.