Had a great stay at Tayfuns flat apartment. It is not posh, but it is very clean and homely. Lots of nice towels, nice sheets and pillows, comfy bed and nice pillows. Good BOSCH washing machine and they provide laundry powder for machine which is nice. I didnt cook and use hot plates as food is so cheap to buy from nearby cafes, and food is healthy and delicious. Internet wifi sometimes patchy, it worked 80% of the time. Tayfun had excellent communication and responded to all texts and phone calls. Mosque is 100 meters away directly across main motorway street with big speakers that blare out singing, chanting at 8.40 PM and 10.40 PM every night.... so dont bother going to sleep early. Motorway traffic was noisy first night but got accustomed to it by the 2nd night, I stayed there 7 nights. Air conditioning in bedroom on 16 degrees so keep door between sitting room and passageway shut... air con is new and works well. Flat on first floor. Neighbors in building are quiet and keep to themselves. Dairy convenience store 40 metres away from front door, they sell fruit and vegetables too. 12 minutes walk to Taksim Square. 5 to 6 minutes walk to Istiklal street you walk under the main road, it is an underpass and walk in a straight line and you will be on istiklal quickly. In nearby park there is a homeless man sorting plastic bottles that lives there and a different homeless man asleep on cardboard every day. A Sunday food and vegetable market 8 am till 8 PM 200 meters away from apartment door. I bought delicious cherries $1.50 nzd for one kg..I bought lovely dried apricots and salted peanuts too...everything at Sunday market is dirt cheap.
Regards john Auckland new Zealand