We had a wonderful stay in Aylin's loft apartment in Beyoğlu. Aylin was the perfect host - dealing promptly with any requests or questions with her unfailing charm.

The apartment was gorgeous, with stunning views over the city, especially from the large terrace upstairs. The beds were extremely comfortable and the shower was excellent. The only issue was the 5 flights of stairs going up to the apartment at the end of long walking days around Istanbul - but you definitely get used to them.

The location is perfect for anyone visiting the city. There are usually taxis waiting at the main road just up the road, and if not, it's only a 5-10 minute walk to either Şişhane metro stop or to the Tünel funicular, and the same distance to Istiklal. One tip is to tell the taxi drivers to take you to Tepebaşi Caddesi, as most seem to know it.

There are also a number of great restaurants and shops in the area. One good breakfast place is Gram on Meşrutiyet Caddesi opposite Soho House. In all, I'd highly recommend anyone to stay here.