We spent 4 nights in Istanbul at Ilhan's apartment. You really are paying here for amazing views and a light, airy and spacious flat. We loved waking up in the morning with light streaming in and the views of the Bosphorus enchanted us late into the night. It's very well placed of the tram into the old city where all the main sites are and is also a short walk to Taksim square. There are great restaurants and cafes locally, lots of cool places to hang out and even though it's pretty Central the flat is high up enough to feel well above the hustle, bustle and noise of the city. Ilhan was very helpful prior to arrival and gave us good suggestions of where to go and how to navigate the city. He even came back to help us work the washing machine. The only down side given the price of the rental was the standard of cleanliness in the bathroom in particular - we had to clean the loo and bathtub on arrival before we could use them. Also the fittings and furnishings were perhaps not as luxurious and modern as the description might suggest. On balance however the views, space and location won us over.