Our trip trip got off to a rocky start: we arrived late with a car kindly arranged by the host, however there was no one to greet us at the property and there were no keys left for us. After much back and forth veery late in the evening, we did have to spend the night at a different hotel, which was awful.
Apparently there was an in-company communication issue. Understandably, we were not very happy as we were travelling with a child and an elderly person.
However, the next day the issue was cleared, we were able to check in and the host company was most apologetic and forth-coming after that. We also got a refund, free cleaning and then some for our troubles. Which was much appreciated. A special thanks goes to Ümit for arranging everything.
The same cannot be said for @airbnb, their support or the lack thereof to this day has been atrocious!! It has been like screaming at the wall.
The apartment itself is great, spacious and light although it could use some essentials (oil, salt and pepper etc) and some TLC in certain areas. Communication with the host company was pretty smooth after the initial mishap. All the issues, like bathroom drain or extra towels were solved quickly. There are two bathrooms which is a luxury and plenty of storage space!
The location is good, if sometimes a bit too lively. But the Taksim Square transport hub is conveniently close. The building is modern and well-kept. There are some small supermarkets in the area and shopping on Istiklal St is also around the corner. So all in all pretty convenient.