Michele wasn't in Istanbul when we were there but his friend Mon was there at the house when we arrived. Michele gave us directions to the house in Turkish to give to the taxi driver at the airport which was really useful! Mon was really friendly and helpful, and gave us advice on what to do while we were there. The house is exactly what it looks like in the pictures - it's over 3 floors, and the view from the balcony is amazing! It's really homely- there are plenty of pots and pans etc in the kitchen, books, washing machine if you need it. It's quite close to Istiklal Caddesi, shops, restaurants, Galata tower etc but is in a quiet neighbourhood. It's about 15min walk to the nearest tram stop, but you can walk to Sultanamet in around 40 minutes which suited us. The roads in the area are quite steep which is probably worth noting if you have any mobility issues. We loved the house and if you're looking for somewhere quiet but that's in easy reach of all main landmarks then Michele's place is ideal.