I recently visited Istanbul for the first time and my partner and I stayed in Fatih's Galata apartment for 4 nights. It was my first time using Airbnb and everything went very well. Fatih was a wonderful host - he showed us some Istanbul highlights and made sure that we had everything we needed for our stay.

The location is perfect for someone looking for a real Istanbul experience (that isn't overly touristy). The apartment is very close to Istiklal street, which has great shopping and restaurant options, as well as great street life. Our stay coincided with the Taksim protests, but we were able to completely avoid the area when we wanted to - especially because most of the action has moved on from the area altogether.

I would definitely recommend this apartment to anyone looking to have a great time in Istanbul. It is very close to the sites (albeit the entire city is very hilly so prepare to gain some serious leg muscles!). The tünel and tram journey takes about 20 minutes to Sultanahmet although after the first day we ended up opting to walk across the bridge because the views are amazing.

The apartment was exactly what I expected from the pictures. It's small, but just enough room for 2 people. The kitchen is fully stocked (although I suggest you eat as much Turkish food as you can) and the washroom is very clean.