Hatice's apartment was small but clean and comfortable with little touches like Turkish tea and plenty of drinking water. The apartment is 10 minutes away from Istiklal, though the walk is fairly steep and challenging for some of us with foot troubles.

Hatice was incredibly helpful and very kind. She arranged for multiple airport transfers for our party and was kind enough to call for taxis when we were unable to secure one. She also runs a cafe on the corner, which was very convenient for breakfast or a snack.