We had a great stay at Asta’s place! The space is absolutely beautiful, the bedroom was spacious and clean. The apartment is beautifully decorated. I didn’t interact with Asta but her husband was so helpful and was always checking in to see if we needed anything. He gave us a great guide and tips for Istanbul. They also left us an Istanbul City card which was already topped up, so getting on the tram was a breeze! The kebab shop in front of the apartment was our favorite meal in Istanbul, the bakery next door had great Simit(those sesame bagels!) and the neighborhood has tons of cute local restaurants and shopping nearby
Some cons (but don’t let them deter you) - like the listing says, it is LOUD. Louder than you think it’s going to be and it will last the entire night. Taksim is a super vibrant neighborhood and it doesn’t sleep. Asta and her husband provide earplugs and they worked like a charm, but if you are a light sleeper, this may not be the place for you. The neighborhood is located at the top of a steep hill, so the walk back to the Airbnb at the end of the day was a little exhausting, but we could have gotten a cab or used public transport but after long days in Istanbul those options were a little difficult to figure out- I will say that if I had contacted Asta or her husband they probably would have immediately helped us because their hospitality is unmatched. Just something to be aware of if you prefer walking like we do!