THE GOOD : The view is the strongest point and makes the small room feel much bigger along with the private balcony. The bed and pillows are comfortable. Resit is friendly , relaxed and helpful with info (he is a tour guide but will not try to sell you a tour) . The cats are friendly. The location is very good. Walking distance from great cafes and shopping but with a local feel. It feels safe in the area and everywhere nearby I walked, even at night. Shower pressure was very good. Heat is not a problem in the flat! There is drinking water supplied which is nice that you don’t have to buy bottles all the time.
THE BAD: The kitchen is not very clean and counters are cluttered so not ideal if you think you want a place to cook meals. In winter the host may need to enter your room when you are not there to get to the water heater that supplies the flat with heat AND…the heating is connected to the flat upstairs so it needs to be on when the neighbor feels cold…meaning you may have to open your windows if you feel too hot, which I did sometimes (October). In summer this won’t be an issue. The mosque nearby may wake you at about 6:15 am with the call to prayer. This is something that I find a part of the charm but may not be for everyone. It’s hard to avoid in Istanbul with so many mosques, bring earplugs.