We liked our stay in Enes‘ apartment. It was just a short walk from Taksim Square and the beginning of Istiklal street, and the shuttle bus stop to the airport is within walking distance.
We took a taxi and he got lost. In the end, we had to guide him and he scammed us too. There are tons of small streets around. I think it would probably have been better to have taken the shuttle bus. Much easier.
The apartment is compact. There is no lift so travel light. Most important for us was the comfortable bed and a shower with hot water.
Due to the size of the kitchen, it is advisable to eat out or do takeaways. We found lots of great places to eat at in the neighborhood and avoided the touristy areas.
Be aware though that Taksim/Istiklal are on top of a (very) steep hill. You can’t just stay on top as a tourist. Many things are at the bottom. With some planning you can walk down for the day and look for the metro to return. Or take the metro everywhere but then you miss out on the side streets. :)
We had a lovely stay made more special by all the help and tips provided by Enes. Thank you!