My fiancee and I chose Pelin's flat in Cihangir as our second home away from home in Istanbul. Our trip to Turkey was book-ended with a first stay in Karakoy and this stay at the end of our journey. The flat itself is a great deal, and is in a really neat part of the city. Pelin herself was an excellent host--she met us and walked us through the apartment, and also followed up in our second day there to make sure we had everything needed. The bed was cozy, the living room was perhaps even cozier, and we liked having access to a kitchen and a wash machine at the end of our rather dusty trip through Capadocia. This flat itself is close to a few really great kebap spots, as well as some super-trendy local favorites down the road (our favorite was a spot called Journey) and a fantastic breakfast spot (Van Kahvalti Evi). Easy access to Galata, Karakoy, Taksim, tram stops, and Iskital Street.