This was a perfect choice in all ways. The location is perfect with two separate metro railways right there (but no noise from trains) and a good non-touristy but culturally rich shopping area one stop away. The location is right by the water where the metro rail crosses and right where the ferries are. There are a lot of coffee shops and restaurants right on the water just a 2-3 minute walk from the apartment. No noise at night. The street in the morning also has easily accessible open taxis, which can be a rare commodity. The bottom two floors of the building is a beautiful coffee shop (Books & Coffee) with red brick, wood, books on the wall (with one of those slidey ladders) and some tasteful early 20th century objects placed around. The bottom floor has an open front wall during the day for fresh air. The waiters can speak English.
The apartment itself has a good large sofa with chaise, and separately a couple soft chairs for working. The bed is good. The shower is hot and strong. There is a washer and dryer and a good air conditioner. There are quite a few stairs to walk up, but we took the stairs as an excuse to not feel guilty about all the food we were eating!
The hosts have an attentive manager, and they also make themselves available. They found a way to prepare the place so that we could check in early in the morning. They also received for us a piece of luggage from the airport (it had gotten lost in transit).
I had the opportunity to sit with the owner at the coffee shop over coffee and learn about Turkey, and he covered my bill.
They have a driving service with a large Mercedes van (Vito) at a reasonable price.