My girlfriend and I had an exquisite time in Istanbul. The property was a delight and unlike most other properties that we browsed through, this one is styled in a Turkish theme. This made it unique to us and really allowed us to experience the Turkish culture. The apartment is not modern, but is fully functional and stunning. The ceiling is particularly admirable as it was likely hand-painted.
I have advised the owner to mention this in the advert for the property, but if anyone likes cats, this is the place for you. The apartment comes with a balcony and just over your balcony fence is a roof, which provides a great feeding/stroking ground for cats. My girlfriend spent considerble time and money feeding the cats and getting to know them. Some even wondered into the property! Equally, I expect there to be some people who do not like cats and don't want this interaction but don't be put off; you don't have to open the balcony, nor interact with the cats. I have a cat allergy and I was fine!
The location of the apartment wouldn't be five star in my opinion in terms of convenience and accessability, but it is in a nice, secluded and fairly quiet part of Sultanahmet. It is just a 20 minute journey (walking and tram) from arriving at the Spice Bazaar so really is quite convenient. For once, I didn't utilise a taxi at all, but if you're too posh to walk everywhere, then there is a taxi station just three minutes away from the apartment.
Last, but not least, the reception. What an amazing group of people. I'm ashamed of myself because I cannot remember two of the three people's names, but they were excellent. When we initially rocked up to the apartment, the receptionist that greeted us had limited knowlege of English but seeing as I am half Russian (therefore fluent) I could easily communicate with him and get past the language barrier. After the first couple of days we didn't see him as much and so the main receptionist for us was Alex. Alex was an absolute star, taking great care of us and helping us whenever we needed it. He did a lot for us, such as organising the cleaning of our room, assisting us with any directions, allowing us to keep our baggage at the property on the day we moved out and so much more. What made him stand out to me was his knowledge onf English and therefore meaning we could hold multiple conversations for about half an hour, meaning we could talk about political and worldwide affairs. This is something I greatly enjoy doing. There was also another receptionist, whose name I do not recall, but he was amazing too. Again, having good knowledge of the English language, he was a delight to talk to and helped us just as much Alex.
Overall, a five-star stay. We plan to come back for Valentine's Day in 2022 so hope to see all of you again!