I had a wonderful time in Istanbul. This was the trip of my dreams and I am glad I stayed here. As a solo woman traveller, I was a bit cautious going to Istanbul by myself but having Atilla (the reception desk clerk) as my daily guide, made a world of difference.
Atilla was there for me when I arrived, during my stay with tips and suggestions, and when I left by helping me with my heavy luggage at 2 a.m.! I'm not sure why we girls shop so much! He was extremely polite, funny, attentive and respectful. Despite not speaking English, he had a Microsoft Translator and communicated well back and forth with guests.
I will give you my honest review of the apartment:
PROS:
1) The apartment was 5 -15 minute walk from major attractions.
2) The bed was very comfortable and the apartment was clean.
3) Well-decorated with a mini-area for small food preparation. Not huge cooking.
4) Reception is available on site 24/7 with security cameras in every floor and main entrance.
5) The building has no elevator so you get a good workout going up and down the stairs.
6) There's a very good restaurant with affordable prices next to the building.
CONS:
1) The apartment is much smaller than the pictures show. It was okay for one person despite the queen bed.
2) TV channels are all in Turkish, except for the News, which were in English, but unfortunately, only Russia vs. Ukraine news. No movie channels in English.
3) Internet connection showed "connected" but I realized it was using my own data from my phone. My tablet showed connected but with no internet.
4) I was first on the second floor. It was very noisy at night because of the restaurant immediately below. I also had a mouse problem, which was immediately addressed and I was moved to the 4th floor, where the noise was much less and no mice.
5) There's no elevator. Even if you travel light, you will not resist buying things in Turkey, so the elevator would be key but there's no room to build one.
6) A good shower is a must-have after a long day of walking. The water in the shower flips from cold/hot/cold which can be annoying or you can get burned, and the shower drain railing sticks outs (both apartments had the same problem). I kept hurting my foot/toe. The space to have a shower was very tight.
7) The air-conditioning is only serviced in the summer. If you are one of those people who like sleeping at a certain room temperature, the room can get very hot during the day on sunny days and, therefore, you come back to a hot room. I suggested having the airconditioners serviced to run all year round.
This was my first experience with Airbnb. I'm not sure it's right for me, but it was certainly enjoyable despite some problems.
I provided some feedback to Yusuf, who seems to be the manager, and hope he will take steps to improve his services as he's running his business very similarly to a hotel with various rooms available for booking.
Thank you Atilla and Rahima for making my trip enjoyable and for helping me during my stay. :-)
Teşekkür ederim!