We would like to give you a heads up about the following issues which we just recently stayed. Please read carefully when you make a reservation. We were surprised none of reviewers mention these issues.
1) Transportation
Be aware of what Kenan offers for the transportation. He and the taxi driver are together making money from you. They are very cut throat on the tourists who are like us first time in ISTANBUL. The ride from the Airport to his place only costs $250 tl (Turkish dollar) = $17 USD = $16 Euro but he/taxi driver offered us $40 Euro. You don't need to take what he/his team offers, as soon as you get off the airplane, exchange money to Turkish money and go straight to an Exit door, you will see a whole bunch of Yellow Cabs are waiting outside of the Airport. .
2) Apartment location
The apartment is very hard to find, it would be helpful for the host to give us a clear instruction. Unfortunately, the HOST didn't do that. Here is what you should know: His apartment is located on the 4th floor and a big restaurant on the main (1st) floor. They both are in the same building and also it is next to a nice big Hotel. You may ask him for the names, that will help you/taxi driver to find his building.
3) BAD SMELL (SEWER)
His apartment is smells really, really bad in the Bathroom. That BAD smell comes out from the SEWER of water drain in the Bathroom. There is nothing the owner can do about it. We did ask him to do something about it but he didn't do it besides offered us the spray to deodorize the smell. That is only temporary for a short period of time, unless you keep doing it throughout the time you stay there. We had to closed to bathroom door and opened the windows wide throughout the time we stayed there. We would not come back again to this apartment and so disappointed to see no ones mentioned about this on the reviews. We got very sick with that BAD SMELL and couldn't take it during the time we stayed there.
4) Street Noise
It was loud late at night with all the cars were running and people talking. That will be a problem for whoever need quiet time to sleep at night.