Both Mehmet and his apartment were fantastic!! The apartment is clean, spacious and stocked with all necessities. I asked Mehmet if he had a blender and he dropped it off the same day. The shower was amazing - no problems with heat or water pressure like other reviews I have read about other flats. The location can't be beat - it's a 3 minute uphill walk to Istikal street, a 5 minute walk to Galata tower and a 5 minute walk to the tram. It is central to all of the action but just far enough away that you can enjoy a peaceful sleep with no noise. Supermarket is right on the corner

Mehmet is a professional host who wants his guests to have the best possible experience in Istanbul. He periodically checked in on us to make sure we were ok and asked if we needed anything. He was willing to call a taxi and make restaurant reservations for me since I can't speak Turkish. He recommended certain stores for shopping and bars for nightlife - all recommendations were great! What I appreciated most was that he came to the apartment at 2am to help us with our luggage to get the airport. The airport pick-up driver was stuck in traffic so Mehmet and his friend drove my mom and I to the airport at 2:30am on a Saturday night.

Mehmet is a warm, lovely man who genuinely cares about his guests. I highly recommend Orucu Palace as a place to stay in Istanbul.