Regarding my staying in James' place, there are three things I want to mention.
The first one is the location:
The apartment is just at the heart of Istanbul with lots of cafes, restaurants and bars nearby. In addition, you can find several events within a short walking distance. Amazingly it is still very quiet inside of the apartment.
The second one is the apartment:
The design is a piece of art. Almost everything is handmade by James and his sister (I think they are both great designers). I felt like I lived in an art gallery. The ambient gave me a very nice feeling... the balcony has a beautiful view over Istanbul and you can even partly see the Bosporus. On top of everything it is very clean.
Last but not least a few words about our host James:
he is a responsible, very helpful and especially really kind person. He knows the city well and gives great advice about it, if you want to have some. He was available every time I needed a hand. James is easily a person who you wanna be friends with.