Saban was a good host, and helpful, if sometimes hard to reach. He came by to help when I managed to lock my stuff in the safe without being able to open it.

the place itself:

PROs:
- Reasonable walking distance from the main tourist sites, such as Blue Mosque, etc., also some local eats and shopping nearby
- Good facilities (we never cooked, so can't say how that would have gone, but there were new-looking dishes and pots and pans)
- the apartment we stayed in had an upstairs and downstairs, perfect for my wife and me, traveling with our 20-something daughter
- In a "real" neighborhood, not at all dominated by tourists, so you get a sense of real life in that part of town.
- As in a hotel, Saban has someone coming in to clean, make the beds, and provide new towels daily, which is nice
CONs:
- The downstairs of the place is in the basement (with high windows at ground level), and was rather dank and smelled of mildew. Running the air conditioner helped.
- Being in a crowded Istanbul neighborhood, it's noisy; expect to hear kids laying in the streets, motorcycles going by, etc. (as well as the Muezin's call to prayer late evening and pre-dawn, but that's everywhere and part of the experience of being in a Muslim area)