If you want to experience 5 star service and book a room, you must stay with Umut! This guy was awesome! Umut really went out of his way and far beyond to accommodate me. His communication was excellent- contacting me and making sure I was ok traveling to his place. His English is excellent and you will have no problem speaking with him. At arrival, he met me at the subway station and helped me and my friends with our luggage. We really appreciated that! When we got to his place, he offered complimentary breakfast, and showed us around Faith. Umut is very friendly, smart, and good hearted. After my friends left, I hung with Umut for the rest of my stay. His room is very cozy, clean, and spacious with hardwood floors. It has a balcony in the back for a view of the surrounding area. It was easy to get to his apartment and the main road which is Turgut Ozal. You can find many interesting shops and restaurants in his area that are very reasonably priced. I chose Umut's place because I wanted to experience Istanbul from a local's point of view. His place is in a safe location, and you will not have a problem getting around. Also, do not forget to sign his guest board and tell him that I said "Merherba (hello)"!