Sadik was an incredible host. My boyfriend and I stayed with him for a week and he was thoughtful, welcoming, and generous. His recommendations for eating, partying, and getting around Istanbul were spot on, and he was also a great help navigating public transport and getting to/from the airport.

The location was also great. While it is a long-ish walk from Sultanhamet (Aya Sofya, etc) we found this to be ideal. Sadik's flat is in a more residential and quiet area - very safe with many restaurants and cafes nearby. It is also a few blocks from the lively Istiklal St with clubs, shops, restaurants, music, etc. so it is the best of both worlds. Most days we took the tram from Tophane (~5min walk) to our destination. Then, most nights we enjoyed walked from Old to New District, watching the sun set from the Galata Bridge, and meandering slowly down Istiklal and then "home".

We would stay here again, definitely. In fact, we would have stayed forever if he had let us :)