Murat was a welcoming host. He was always in contact with me with quick response to my questions. The positives started with him talking to the taxi driver to get to his place - as a tourist, the taxi would have overcharged me 3-4x if not for Murat's intervention.
Getting to his place with a (google) map is quite easy, though it is up a hill (like parts of Istanbul) and might be difficult to find for those without internet on their phone. For those who like to walk, his place is walkable to all major places within. Otherwise, there is public transportation like buses or the ferry to take. Murat offered to pick me up from the station either ways. I liked that his place is in an old and historical neighborhood, quite a different way of experiencing a city. The building though looked brand new. Everything was as described per the listing. Nice and cozy penthouse. On the first evening, since Murat was free, he showed me around some touristy parts of Istanbul, it was nice being toured by a local. All in all, Murat is a chilled out person and nice person, our similar ages made things a lot more compatible for interesting discussions.