My wife and I stayed four nights in Istanbul to celebrate her birthday on February 1; we were in the apartment with our son and his girlfriend, who joined us for the celebration. Located on the fifth floor (with lift) of an old (somewhat restored ) building, the apartment has many attractive features: Large (over 100 sqm) size, beautiful/stunning view of the Bosphorus and Bosphorus bridge and the old city, great location in walking distance to shops, restaurants, Taksim square and the famous Istiklal avenue. It has however a number of negatives for its price category, when you factor in the daily cost of over $220/night (each guest above 2 persons faces an extra $$ charge per night): Need for a major overall paint and plaster work as paint is peeling badly in several rooms, wood flooring is damaged/rotten in several areas; the furniture and decor are quite mediocre with only one real bed in one bedroom and an uncomfortable sofabed where my son and his girlfriend slept (when I reserved the apartment we were told that there was in fact another separate bedroom also available - which did not yet show on the site - but this turned out not to be the case when we arrived); the bathroom is un- finished with a mirror so low that only a 10 years old could see himself in the mirror; several windows do not close well , letting air come in .. which was a bit uncomfortable in cold January; no simple common supplies such as salt, sugar.. and cubes for the washing machine which we have (pleasantly) often found in other apartment rentals from Airbnb. In addition the overall rental set-up feels very commercial with a legalese contract to sign upon arrival and a lengthy 2 pages document to read, which outlines the "many" renters' responsibilities and liabilities; there are also extra $$ charges if you check in after 6 pm or after 10 pm, or if you check out after 11 am. Overall, this gives quite an unpleasant business/greedy feeling to this rental which takes out its potential great charm (the offer to provide taxi transport from the airport is also overpriced). So, because of the above reasons and while we eventually enjoyed our stay in the apartment, I can only give 3 stars as my rating. A little investing by the owner in a plaster/paint job and in amenities (overall at a probably low cost) would go a long way in making this apartment a REAL stunning place !