We had a good stay at Barbaros' place. The apartment is located at the foot of the shoemaking district and along a road that leads to Sultanhamet (about 15-20 minute walk). We initially did not feel safe when we left the apartment to head up to the main street, because there was a lot of trash in the streets, but we realized the day afterwards, that there was a major shoemaking industry in the neighborhood, and it was safe after all. We eventually found other roads to get to the main attractions. There is a supermarket nearby and lots of cute cafes and restaurants. I would recommend reminding the host of the number of guests shortly before you arrive, because we had to wait a while to get the appropriate linens and towels for all us. We found it impractical to cook at the apartment because there was only about 30 cm space between the stove top and the fridge, which was in front of and blocking access to it. Also, there is no dining table or area - just a coffee table between the beds in one of the rooms. But the space was fine otherwise - similar to many small hotels in this neighborhood of Istanbul, where we have stayed in the past. The rooms were very quiet for sleeping and the A/C gave us some respite from the heat outside, so those are two big pluses.