Alev's flat is sparkling clean, spacious and very stylish. It's quite a peaceful location, far enough away from the main drag of Istiklal to feel as if you're in a real Istanbul neighbourhood yet close enough to nip in and out of town easily. There's a bakery, general store and a beer/wine shop just a few steps away from the front door, and of course there's plenty of friendly neighbourhood cats. I found this a really relaxing and comfortable space to come back to at the end of a long day; watching the sun set over the golden horn from the balcony was a highlight of my trip.