Cute and cozy place on third floor w/ NO ELEVATOR.
I stress the first sentence as this was not included in the description. As I showed up with three very large and heavy bags, I was quite mortified to find the hosts had neglected to publicize this. As I was leaving, the next guest appeared and complained she had to leave a luggage in the basement as she would not be able to manage the stairs.
So if you are not lucky enough to have assistance be mindful of this yone thing. I was able to find several buildings with elevators but did notice that floor of apartment and lift or no lift were many times left from the description. While I had to bring all the luggage down by myself then walk to a Main Street to hall a taxi, many thanks to Emma, Rana’s beautiful mother for bringing the heaviest bag up the stairs.
On another note: there is a very strong smell of cat urine INSIDE of the building. This is the first building where I saw stray cats coming in and out and I imagine that is the cause of the smell. I love cats and fed the cats that I saw. But the odor was intensely off-putting and is the first Ive encountered of any building I’ve visited. While this isn’t Rana’s fault, it does enter the unit if the door is left ajar slightly too long.
On to brighter things: I was a mutable guest. My length of stay and check in dates changed quite a bit. Rana was kind and flexible and highly responsive through it all and further purchased a brand new microwave at my request. The apartment is so cute and colorful. It had almost everything necessary for true users of the kitchen. It’s just missing a traditional frying pan and some smaller sharp knives for when you aren’t butchering.
I can’t imagine two persons in the unit. In my opinion it’s quite feminine and sized for a more petite female. At 5’5” my toes touched the bottom of the bed; I could just barely stretch on the sofa and I had only just enough space in the shower. It was perfect for me. But as a big user of air bnb I know what it’s like to see photos then reach a place and be pleasantly or not so- surprised about size and space.
Lastly: it was the quietest most peaceful place I stayed. I’ve been in 5 units across from cihangir and while I love the district, the walls and windows are thin for the lively Turkish community. I was able to sleep soundly and for that I am immensely grateful.