Our stay was okay. This was my third time visiting Istanbul and the location of the place made it extremely convenient for us to go around and do stuff but wasn’t the most comfortable stay. Bear in mind that you’re also in Besiktas so it’s often very busy.
Communication with the host was easy and the instructions regarding the use of the flat was clear. She’s really nice and accommodating. Her flat is spacious. The plants she has around gives it life and you can notice the host’s little touches here and there.
However, we faced many problems during our stay. Firstly, the flat was not cleaned enough upon arrival and it was very dusty. My fiancé has asthma and my allergies got worse so we had to clean it to feel comfortable. We wiped the floors and surfaces and had to close the windows because of how quickly the dust comes in which leads me to the second point: You can’t sit or stay in the living room during the morning throughout the day because there is extremely loud construction next to you!
Also the flat is boiling hot and very humid during the summer particularly the bedroom and bathroom. The flat is in desperate need for an AC to handle the discomfort of the weather and the portable fan wasn’t sufficient.
Additionally, the second room is locked and not available to use since the host leaves her belongings there. The host should remove the picture of the room from the listing. Also random but the TV is also old and it’s not smart, you can’t access anything but satellite channels..
Lastly, we experienced an issue with ants and flying bugs in the bedroom which was horrific. Apparently there was a nest and we woke up to bug bites and ants roaming the floor of the bedroom’s balcony. The host rushed to assist us the next day and apologised for the inconvenience caused. Although I appreciated her help, it did not seem like the flat was fit to host travellers because it proved to cause constant discomfort. The duvet of the bedroom also needs replacing as there were disgusting strains on it and seems to be very old.
The host seems like a genuine person but I would not recommend staying in this flat unless some improvements are carried out in regards to the issues above.