Serda and Tans apartment is great! Its in a nice old building with high ceilings, beautifully furnished and has a welcoming atmosphere to it. Location wise its perfect: right on the Galata hill, close to the end of Istiklal street and just next to the Sishane metro station. We actually never met Serda because she was out of town but her husband Tan took very good care of us. We learned a lot about turkish politics and he recommended us some great places to eat. When your are very noise sensitive the little bird can be a bit annoying in the morning, but then again Istanbul might not be the best place for you anyway ;) We would definitly stay there again!