We had a super, week-long stay in Alex and Birgül's home. The guest apartment is so spacious. The ceiling must be over 12ft high. Your space includes: a large double bedroom, simple kitchenette with washing machine, gas hob, sink and big fridge/freezer. You also have your own space to eat with a kitchen table and a private balcony with views over the harbour and across to Istanbul. The only downside is that the shower (upstairs) and toilet (downstairs) are shared. We were comfortable with this set up as Alex and Birgül are such lovely, laid-back hosts that we never felt like we were getting in their way, and they were very respectful of our space and never imposed.
The island (Burgazada) is easily accessible from Istanbul by ferry of which there are a few each day and it only costs a couple of euro. From the harbour, the house is an easy 5 minute walk (uphill). The island has almost no motor vehicles. All vehicles are battery powered so the first thing you'll notice is how quiet it is.
There are lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from and there are three small supermarkets, a few greengrocers and other stores where you can buy what you need for your stay. We did a food shop in Istanbul city before travelling as we found the big supermarkets were better value than on the island. In fact, everything seemed a little more expensive on the island when compared to the city.
We had a very relaxed time and spent most of our days on one of the beaches along the coast. Our favourite was Mimi Koyu which was not so much a beach as a concrete slab with sunbeds and umbrellas. The island does not have sandy beaches so you have a choice of stoney beaches or areas that have been concreted to give easy access to the water. At Mimi Koyu you pay 120 lira for two beds and an umbrella per day (about €6.50). There's a small beach cafe that sells chips, sandwiches, coffee, beer and a few other bits.
The island is small enough that you can walk most places in 20 or 30 minutes, but we also enjoyed taking the little dolmus bus to the beach in the morning. You can hop on an off using the Istanbul Card and it costs about 25 lira per trip (about €1.50).