We arrived in the early evening & were greeted by Elif's mother. She showed us our apartment (BEAUTIFUL & exactly as I had imagined it!) & served us some tea. It was such a lovely week, I was very tempted to extend my ticket. They live in a wonderful small and safe neighbourhood. Elif is such a kind, warm & hospitable person. She was always available if we needed any help & would reply to my messages instantly. I loved our apartment. It was clean & fresh when we arrived. The beds are super comfortable & the kitchen is fully stocked up. We enjoyed cooking many meals during our week there! The verandah offers a gorgeous view of the gardens which Elif's mother has done such a spectacular job on. The roses are fragrant & spice up their air at sunset. Her father lights up the grill in the evening & you can witness a wonderful family getting together to share a meal. One evening they set us up some fire grilled fish. It was delicious. They are thoughtful & so so caring. I have made the decision that when I go back to Istanbul, I will always choose to stay at the Secret Garden. It is a rarity to find good honest humans in this world. And Elif & her family (including her adorable children!) are truly wonderful people. Thank you Elif for the best stay I've ever had in Istanbul. We will definitely be back!