I know where I'm staying next time I'm back in Istanbul (soon I hope).

LOCATION
As they say with homes, it’s all location location location and Doruk’s spot exceeds, exceedingly. THIS is the place you want to come home to each evening after exploring the wonderful parts of Istanbul (more on that below). His place is situated in Galata which is an incredible blend of cafes, bars, and shops that would make hipsters in NY weak at the knees.

The part of town wakes up late and sleeps late, so you’ll find that it picks up around noon and sleeps late. Lots of places to eat in walking distance and cool cafes to chill out at and work or read (I recommend Mavra)

You can walk across town (and bridge) to all the mosques and museums in < 45 minutes and on a beautiful day it’s well worth it. Otherwise, you can easily take a tram to the bottom of the hill (Galata is a giant hill) and hop on the metro to get anywhere in the city in < 15 minutes. Doruk leaves a tram card which you can refill and it’s super cheap and fast to get around. Taksim is 15 minutes walk away with a major shopping district as the path.

PLACE
Doruk's flat is amazing and unique. Spacious, well lit and equipped. The family was extremely comfortable and we felt like we could handle anything. There's security at night (though neighborhood is safe) and he's always around to help out. Also, the wall art changes as different artists hang their work in Doruk's awesome place. One helluva bar (and well stocked) too.

HOST
Doruk is incredible in that he's the most accommodating and thoughtful host I've ever met. It's unsurprising to me he's considered a Super Host - not only did he buy us beers on arrival, he setup a boat tour and generally hung out with us. None of this is required (on either side) but it was genuinely fun and I learned a lot about the city through conversations with him. The key is thoughtfulness: just tell him what you're trying to do or need help with and he's resourceful and can find a way.

ISTANBUL
Just wanted to finish with a quick recommendation on this city. It's awesome, and deeply cultural. It blends the best parts of Europe and MENA in my opinion. The outcome is a vibrant place, full of great sightseeing, eating, and socializing. It's young and old at the same time. Worth seeing in this lifetime!

Thanks Doruk!