My friends and I were initially slightly reluctant to choose this Airbnb given that it’s a new listing and hadn’t been reviewed or stayed at yet. Regardless, we found the pictures quite appealing and were comforted by the fact that the hosts had multiple other apartments and good reviews.
We stayed at this apartment in early December 2021 for 4 nights and wish we were here longer. For starters, the apartment is decorated with a good eye and gets particularly cozy at night. The living room space is a well-lit space, full of windows and a desk that we used for remote working. It has a quaint little view of the Galata Tower and the windows comes ajar just enough to let the fresh air and background bustling sounds in. The room is also fitted out with a great TV – that has ambient coloring that my friends took a bit too much of a liking to – that’s easy to use and access. The WiFi is well-connected and sharp as well. The apartment also comes with a large and powerful bluetooth speaker to play music out of that we appreciated.
The apartment has two small balconies; one on the living room side that overlooks the Galata Tower, and one outside one of the bedrooms. There’s a little table and two chairs that are set up there that’s perfect for a morning coffee. The street underneath does tend to get busy well into the night and the noise does travel easily since the apartment is on a low floor – it didn’t bother us too much, but something to be cognizant about if sensitive to noise.
The hosts also made the check-in process very easy; having made a WhatsApp group with my friends and I for ease of communication. They were very quick to respond, friendly and incredibly helpful even after we had checked-out of the apartment.
The hosts were also kind enough to have stocked the kitchen with some fresh fruit, necessities, and some other items, including raw pasta, oils, and a range of coffees/tea to pick from. If you’re interested in cooking during your stay, this apartment is very well equipped and has a good amount of space as well.
The bedrooms are quaint, comfortable and are fitted in with both an effective radiator and an AC depending on what time of year you plan on visiting. One of the bedrooms doesn’t have any closet space, but it wasn’t too bothersome at all. The bathrooms are clean, well equipped, and well lit. The bathrooms don't have a floor divider to keep water from flowing out of the shower, which was a bit cumbersome – but we were pleased to see there was always hot running water and good shower pressure.
The apartment, as noted, is up two floors in a building that does not have a lift, so taking luggage up can be a little challenging – though we noticed that this is likely an issue you will come across at most apartments in Istanbul given that the buildings tend to be old and that the 2-floors climb was relatively a win. As the apartment is located right next to Galata Tower, most roads that lead up to it are quite steep so I would recommend ensuring you get dropped off right outside the building (A lesson we learned the hard way!).
Since the area is quite popular, it is also well-lit and tends to have crowds well into the night; meaning it automatically seems safer than a lot of other residential areas we stayed at in Istanbul. The building has a locked main door at the bottom for added security, and the street is filled with access to anything you might need; including a pharmacy, a supermarket, an ATM, etc. The street is also home to multiple charming little coffee shops and restaurants and is very close to lines of streets filled with local, home-grown stores, including music and book stores. It is a good or reasonable walking distance to most of the tourist spots, such as Istikal St., and the Museum of Modern Art, as well.
All in all, my friends and I had a lovely stay and highly recommend this particular Airbnb. We had little to no qualms about it, thoroughly had a smooth stay and would definitely return to the same location. We wish we could’ve stayed for longer. More than anything, there’s a certain refinement to the apartment that made it stand out.
Many thanks to the hosts – a job done above and beyond well.