Samet’s place is in an excellent area which is kind of low key compared to some of the ultra high pace hustle in the area to the “front” of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. This AirBnB is in “back” of those iconic buildings where there just seems to be a little more room to breath. That’s not to say there isn’t a million places to eat or shop (there’s a mini Bazaar just a couple blocks away). Just about all of the restaurants near by are incredibly good (despite being clearly aimed at tourists). And because they are aimed at tourists you do indeed pay a bit of a premium. That said they food is good enough to warrant that.
We selected two separate Airbnb’s with Samet. My brother stayed at the top floor and I stayed at the bottom floor (this Airbnb). I’ll be reviewing both.
This Airbnb was the perfect place to kick back and relax after discovering Istanbul. It had its share of amenities and the stairs were not too much to deal with. Also you are never far from a magnificent view of the Bosphorus. There’s a microwave, a refrigerator, overnight, stove, some cooking supplies. Oil, salt and pepper - a lot of the basics. The bathroom was stocked with soaps, both liquid and regular. There was also a great shower and a jacuzzi.
There are some small issues here and there, mostly minor repair items, and nothing dangerous.
The bed is funky and the mirror on top is kinda hot. There are a lot of charging ports everywhere, but you do need to have your own adapter. There is a smart TV, but you must rely on the TVs speakers because there is no bluetooth option and no sound bar. The lack of Bluetooth was a little disappointing. The wifi was fast enough for streaming and all in all very reliable.
There are two bedrooms total and both have large beds, but only one of the rooms have the circle shaped bed. There is colorful lighting which helps create whatever vibe you desire.
Samet is terrific and is always willing to help. He goes above and beyond every time. He helped arrange our drop off to the airport and he also helped secure a COVID test which was necessary for our return to America. The best part is that the person came right to our Airbnb and did the test for everyone. All in all, highly recommended.