Staying at Pelin’s place was a wonderful experience. It’s in a great location. There are many sights you can walk to. The metro station is very close by. I highly suggest figuring it out. It may seem daunting at first, but once you ride it you’ll realize how simple it is. I took the metro to the Grand Bazaar and enjoyed walking among the beautiful historical architecture. I also took the train to the Ataturk airport upon leaving Istanbul. It was so much cheaper than a cab or Uber and it only took an hour (probably about the same time driving when you factor in traffic).
The apartment is close to a nice outside strip mall with plenty of shops and restaurants. I spent my night hours wandering there and listening to the many talented street performers. A word of advice, don’t be afraid to tell people to leave you alone. Some people are just trying to coerce you out of money. Don’t be shy or too timid to assert yourself. It’s a much different culture from where I’m from (USA).
Anyway, Istanbul was a lot of fun. If you get a chance to stay at Pelin’s then I’d consider you very lucky. She’s very sweet and very kind and incredibly accommodating. She replies fast to messages and she is a genuinely sweet person. I kind of regret not talking to her more.
Safe travels everyone,