Barbaros and his neighbor Ali were quite attentive to the needs of our family. Barbaros communicated thoroughly and with superb response time, even though his son was having surgery on one of the days. The transaction went very smoothly. The neighborhood was just outside the tourist district, yet close enough to all the major sites in Sultanamet. The location was just one block from the wholesale area, which I love to shop for great deals. Just 2 blocks away we found the best spit chicken sandwiches in Istanbul for only 5TL (less than $2.50). The neighborhood was local, down to earth and with an even pulse, which we appreciate after being treated as tourists in Sultanamet. I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes because there are a lot of old cobblestone pathways, and because the neighbors are casual.

As this was our 3rd time in Istanbul and first for our son, staying at Barbaros apartment was a great way to see one of the true neighborhoods of Istanbul that we would not have if we stayed in a hotel closer to the sites. I can't say enough about both Barbaros and Ali's hospitality. They were fantastic.