Pros:
1) Centrally located near restaurants, shops, supermarkets, etc.
2) Price. Very affordable.
3) Pillows on the bed.
4) Management responsive to questions and issues. Maintenance came quickly to fix an issue with the toilet.
Cons:
1) The complex (and the apartment) needs a deep cleaning. The stairs do not look like they have been cleaned at all and there is dust around the apartment.
2) There was a lack of clear communication regarding arranged transport from the Istanbul international airport. The cost for this service thru Babel (the property management) was 35 euros. However, no one mentioned this had to be paid in cash upon arrival. Since we had just arrived in the country, we did not have any cash on hand (which was our mistake), so this created an uncomfortable situation with the driver (who only spoke Turkish) who wanted to be paid after he dropped us in the middle of the night. Better communication upfront about this would have been appreciated and would have allowed us to avoid this uncomfortable situation and the guy would have received his money for his service when he dropped us off.

3) There is no person or staff member available in the building or during check-in/check-out, which is fine to some extent, but the whole experience does not really feel inviting/welcoming as a “guest” if you have questions or issues in the apartment. You can only communicate with Babel via Air BnB messaging or WhatsApp which can take time to get a response.
4) There is a noticeable lack of provisions in the apartment. Based on the price point this is not surprising, but there are no personal touches or special little details that would make you want to return to this place. Our stay was 8 days and we arrived to an empty refrigerator and only two big towels for showers and two rolls of toilet paper. There are more towels, but we had to ask for them and go get them ourselves. The kitchen utensils and cups are old and dirty looking. There are a bunch of old DVDs and books you can watch/read, but nothing that really makes this place appealing. Overall, significant upgrades need to be made in terms of basic provisions to attract guests. No one wants to arrive to an empty AirBnb apartment. More creativity and personal touches for your guests would be appreciated to make it feel like this is not just a business transaction.
5) On several occasions there were piles of smelly trash bags outside the door of the entrance and sometimes when opening the bedroom window (the one in the living room does not open for some reason) there were foul smells coming from around the complex. There were stray cats and bicycles also right outside the door as you open it which was strange and uncomfortable.
6) There were noisy birds at night outside of the bedroom window. If you like to open the windows at night, you might have problems sleeping due to the noise.
7) The door to enter the complex is heavy, old, and hard to open.
8) Although there is hot water, the pressure from the showerhead could be better. All the water goes out into the middle of the floor when you are taking a shower. There are no rugs or extra towels to help absorb the water which is annoying. This also makes the floor extremely slippery which can be a hazard for guests.
9) There is only one small lamp in the bedroom that produces a very dim light (there is an overhead light though), but better and more lights (on real nightstands) would be ideal.
10) The electrical plug in the bedroom is in an awkward location making it less than ideal to plug in a phone or other device to charge at night.
11) The kitchen, refrigerator, and elevator are very small.
Overall, the pics on the AirBnb website look better than the apartment in person. There are details that you can see/smell in person that you can’t online. In short, the “feel” of the place is outdated. If you are looking for a low-cost place in the center of Istanbul and can overlook the cons listed above, then this place might be for you. However, if you are looking for a quality and comfortable Airbnb experience with special amenities and details, you should look elsewhere. There are other options that could make your stay in the city more pleasant.