This place was just what we were looking for on our first trip to Istanbul!

My partner and I try to skip out on the usual craziness of a US "New Year's Eve" party every year and explore somewhere new. This year we decided on Istanbul. Rather than booking a fancy hotel, we were seeking a more authentic and affordable experience of Istanbul living, and were lucky to stumble upon this gem.

Situated in the neighborhood of Fener, the house is ideally placed right in the middle of what I came to think of as "traditional" and "modern" Istanbul. It's the perfect location for travelers who wisely want to avoid staying in the touristy hubs of Sultanahmet or Taksim. Even with our extremely limited grasp of the Turkish language (read: five poorly pronounced words), we had no problems communicating or getting around the area.

The house itself was impeccably clean and comfortable, with beautiful natural light and plenty of space. After just a couple days it really felt like home, which was such a relief after long days walking around exploring this huge city. The fully equipped kitchen was another welcome amenity, allowing us to try our hand at some of our newly discovered favorite dishes (Menemen!) with items purchased at any of the many vendors in the nearby Fatih market. Make sure to check out the Wednesday market here. The neighbors were also incredibly friendly and helpful; it's obvious that Pete has spent time getting to know these people, and they were quick to inquire after him and welcome us to the block.

Not only are there a number of small food stores in the immediate vicinity, but there seems to be a small and growing main street at the bottom of the hill on "Yildirim" Cd. I highly recommend the Naftalin "Cat" Cafe on that block, a hip little cafe serving traditional turkish breakfast, tea, and coffee paired with good tunes, friendly staff and always at least one cat dozing near the wood burning stove or in a dresser drawer. And for some of the best kofte we had in the whole city, don't miss Fener Koftecisi just a few doors down from Naftalin. It seems like all the small business owners on this street are good old friends and were always warm and welcoming (they even invited us to their personal new years party!).

Pete was polite, professional, and accommodating and there were absolutely no issues with the house our entire two week stay. We will absolutely stay at "Yasemine" (remember, this house has a name) when we inevitably return to Istanbul, and certainly recommend this spot to others for their home away from home.