PERFECT Apartment and Location.
I had an absolutely fabulous one-month stay in Istanbul, thanks to Hatice. She is a wonderful hostess and did everything she could to accommodate me, my last-minute schedule changes, and a couple of special requests.
The location of the apartment just cannot be matched. Situated in a little neighborhood, the views from this top-floor apartment are unbelievable! From the time you wake in the morning and see the light slowly coming up over the Bosphorus, to the magnificent beauty of the four mosques you can see as the sun is slowly setting each night, there are no words to describe this experience. And watching the harbor after dark was like being in one of the skyscraper bars, and you have almost a 180-degree view of the surroundings.
The apartment and everything about it were spotlessly clean. The kitchen has enough basic stuff to cook regular meals, and there is a great washing machine. Shower has good hot water and water pressure. You can open the surround-windows in the apartment for a very refreshing flow of air, although I was there during a cold month, so I mostly used the excellent heater to stay toasty and warm. I work online and the internet was steady and reasonably fast.
This apartment is a 6th-floor space at the top of a very winding staircase, so it is important that you can make that on a daily basis. It was daunting for me at first, however, as the days went by, I got stronger and felt it less and was actually happy for the exercise. I was so grateful that Hatice, the strong woman that she is, helped me to bring my large suitcase up on my arrival. By the time I left, I was in much better shape.
I adored this neighborhood. One block down the street is a little corner market with fresh fruits and veggies, as well as some items you need for home life. You can walk down the hill a couple of blocks to reach some restaurants, cafes, shops, and a couple of larger markets. Everyone was walking along the cobblestone streets with their grocery bags and rolling baskets, especially on weekends and the early evenings. It was almost like a little village, and I would very often forget I was in a large city.
However, the place has all the advantages of the city, with excellent transportation options. Using your Istanbulkart, you can ride the bus (the stop is easy walking distance), you can also walk to Istlikal Street for all of the best shopping and restaurant options. Ferries are easy to get to from the bus, and you can get anywhere without a problem just using the suggestions on Google maps for bus times and stop locations. I was quite amazed. It was the PERFECT place to stay in Istanbul.
The people here are so kind. I enjoyed every interaction from shopkeepers to restaurant servers and even people you meet on the street as you are walking around. I am so happy to have had this experience and grateful to Hatice for being such a wonderful hostess. I recommend the apartment very highly and hope that you have the chance to spend some time there.