I had a good 2 week stay at Barkin's place. It's in a nice location in an upscale complex, with a view of the West Istanbul Marina. From the apartment it's about a 1/2 hour walk down to the marina where there are plenty of shops and restaurants. Or you can walk 5 minutes the other way to get to supermarkets and shopping. The apartment itself is very nice - spacious and modern with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I never met the host in person but we interacted by message. Barkin was very responsive and everything went smoothly. I recommend this place if you need a place to stay in this part of Istanbul.