Our stay in Istanbul was splendid and a lot of it was due to our hosts and their flat. The flat is set in simply the best location in the city, in the historical and charming area of Galata, is very comfortable and spacious and equipped with all needed appliances. Everything worked perfectly. Our host Isel was very welcoming, informative and knowledgeable about the city, provided us with a phone and transportation card. All in all a great and professional experience.
I have to add that even though Istanbul is having some demonstrations at the moment, we did not even see a bit of it.