Wow! What an incredible stay we had! First of all, the property is absolutely magnificent… beautiful, spotlessly clean rooms with everything we needed, and a series of amazing outside decks with stunning city views – Galata Tower next door on one side, overlooking The Golden Horn on the other side (we could see all of the famous mosques lit up at night), and in between the Bosphorus and the lovely Istanbul cityscape. The property is centrally located in one of the most-vibrant areas of the city (near Taksim Square), and there’s so much to do: great restaurants (everything from traditional mom-and-pop’s offering savory homemade local fare to exquisite, fancy places serving nouveau international cuisine), bookstores (old and new), music shops (records, instruments), museums (many kinds), and much, much more to see, including the world’s shortest subway just down the street! We also really enjoyed spending hours and hours leisurely walking around the exciting, historical neighborhood -- a wonderful experience. Our hosts Yunus and Asiye were terrific -- very helpful and accommodating. They’re glad to give advice on things to do (boat tours, shopping, how to get around the city) and they were always immediately responsive when we needed anything. The short story is that this is the best place we’ve ever stayed and we’re looking forward to a return visit ASAP!