We had a wonderful stay and loved Istanbul! I think we stayed in the best area. Up by Taksim we were able to live a bit like the locals and eat excellent food at reasonable prices. During the day we took the easy and quick metro to the top attractions, including The Hagia Sofia.

Hasan was very welcoming. We actually came in on a night bus so arrived very early - around 7a. Hasan was welcoming even at that hour- letting us in so we were able to get a good nap in before exploring the city. While our languages were different, he had the Google translator ready to go, which enabled us to communicate and ask about each other's day. He also gave us a great dinner recommendation for the area. We were in a private room in his apartment, but we felt at home and the apartment was clean. We would stay there again. Thank you, Hasan!