This was our very first Airbnb guest stay and we were very happy indeed.
The host was excellent. He was very helpful and friendly and made sure that our one month stay in Sokullu Hill, Sultanahmet, Istanbul was comfortable and memorable. He responded promptly to our messages and requests and made us feel completely at home. His restaurant recommendations in the area were spot on and we really enjoyed some amazing Turkish dishes at the multitude of good quality restaurants in the area.
The flat is cozy and comfortable with a lovely view. Watching the sunset over the Bosporus from the living room and the bedroom windows was a real treat. The best part of the flat is the location. Its 5-10 minutes walk away from great Istanbul tourist sites like the Sultanahmet BLUE MOSQUE, the Ayasofya Mosque, Little Hagia Sophia (Küçük Ayasofya) Mosque and many others. The Çemberlitaş Tram station is a short 10 minutes walk with the Grand Bazaar just a further 2 minutes away. The tram system is very useful and allows you to explore most parts of Istanbul easily as it has several connections with the Metro system.
I most enjoyed praying in the local Masjid which is exactly opposite the apartment – one of the entrances is just 20 metres away. The Sokullu Mehmed Pasha Cami is one of the masterpieces of the Architect Mimar Sinan who built it in 1571. The masjid is one of the hidden treasures of Istanbul and has four tiny pieces of the Hajr Al Aswad (Black stone) from the Kaaba installed in the marble. A point to note is that the masjid is kept closed and opens mainly for prayer times. At Fajr time the Azan is 10 minutes after the Azaan in the nearby masjids. The Imam has a wonderful recitation Ma’ashallah.
Back to the flat, the furniture is clean and functional. The double bed is comfortable. The kitchen is compact and had everything we needed - though we didn’t cook any meals. The bathroom is compact but clean and has good hot & cold water and a good shower. The apartment is on the second floor and it’s on a hill - it’s not ideal for the frail and elderly people. I would come back to this apartment if I was to stay in the Sultanahmet area again.