This was hands-down my best Airbnb experience so far. Israa is a wonderful host and her apartment is lovely. The check-in was smooth and communication was easy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, living spaces and kitchen were all clean, comfortable and well-equipped. When we first arrived at the apartment we thought it was exactly as advertised. After we settled in, however, we realised it was even better than anticipated. There were so many things that communicated a lot of thoughtfulness — such as the coffee, tea and snacks in the kitchen, little dustbins everywhere we needed them, tissues and air fresheners, extra bedding, a travel card for guests to use and a nice welcome note from the host.
We were a group of four friends meeting up after a long time and wanted a comfortable, well-located place to hang out at during our few days in Istanbul, and being able to stay at Israa's place made our visit so much more enjoyable.
The apartment is new and in a quiet neighborhood. There are plenty of shops and cafes around and public transport is a 7-10 minute walk away. Coming back to the apartment involves a bit of an uphill climb, however, which was a bit tiring on some evenings and we took cabs a couple of times (but I think this is the case with many places in Istanbul).
Finally, what was absolutely gorgeous was the view from the sitting room and terrace. I would definitely want to stay here again if I have the chance to :)