Barbaros, Ali, and Anna were all very kind and hospitable! We gave our taxi driver Barbaro’s phone number and he helped direct him to where we needed to go, making it super easy for us in a country we did not know the language. When we first arrived, Barbaros gave us a city map, helped us get oriented, and a told us a ton of helpful tips for places to see and things to do. Ali helped us to schedule for a local Hamam and even took us there! Anna was very kind and kept our apartment clean daily, hardly leaving a trace of even being there.
Barbaros owns a restaurant very close to the apartment. He was very kind to invite us to eat, help us to order, and made sure we were being treated well. Barbaros was always available nearby during the day and Ali would be around if Barbaros was out. Both were very helpful for our first stay in Istanbul.
The apartment was clean and definitely a good size for the 3 of us (could easily accommodate 4). The kitchenette had all the amenities we needed, although we mostly ate out- Istanbul has so much amazing food to try! The top floor is a private terrace for the apartment in Barbaro’s building. We had our coffee in the mornings up there, enjoying the nice view. The rooms each had A/C and heat so that was really nice to have.
The location was good. It was near a main street, but not too loud inside when the windows were shut. Nearby there are plenty of restaurants and small groceries/ convenient stores as well as some shops. The main attractions (Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazar) are walkable, although you must go uphill part of the way. Istanbul is rather hilly, though, so you’ll get used to it quickly!
Overall a very nice choice for a accommodations in Istanbul with wonderful hosts! Thank you for helping make our stay great!