I am so glad we stayed in Balat and Enes' Airbnb was the perfect spot. The check-in process was easy and the place itself was small, but cozy with a very comfortable bed. It's located just on the side of what appeared to be a pretty popular strip, with restaurants, shops, coffee bars, etc. The host made getting our covid test simple by scheduling someone to come to the Airbnb and send us the results later that evening. It was also very helpful to be able to use the washer, as we had been in Turkey for 2 weeks and were in need of laundering. After some busy days in Istanbul, managing the packed public transportation and crowds all around, it was nice to come back to the peaceful neighborhood of Balat. The colors, decor, shops, etc are all so unique and vibrant and I'm just so glad we chose this location for our first stay in Istanbul. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Istanbul.