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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Sleeps | 8 |
| House | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| No Pets |
| No Smoking |
| Suitable for Children |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 42 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
Get the real scoop!
All reviews are written by verified travelers
Details
| Rental type | House |
| Minimum Stay | 3 nights |
| Living space | 100 square meters |
| Bedrooms |
3 Total
Show Details ►
|
| Bathrooms | 1 Total |
| Sleeps | 8 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyNo Smoking allowedNo Suitable for childrenYes Suitable for the elderlyAsk Wheelchair accessibleNo |
| Theme | Historic, Romantic, City, Downtown |
Description from the owner
Sleeps 7 people in comfort. Renovated in January 2011. Redecorated in March 2013. Great view. Exceptional location. Easy to go everywhere. At the center of the city. In an old Italian neighborhood, a new and trendy entertainment center. 120 years old building. Experienced by 816 people in 201 group since March 2008, (22.04.2013) from around the world, UK, USA, Canada, Germany, Holland, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, France, Russia, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iran, Crotia and more. Homey, lovely, center of hospitality. Please read until the end of this description to see what you will have in Istanbul with us.
...Read more
Amenities
Location
Lovely flat with historical view in Istanbul, No.7
Istanbul, Istanbul & Marmara, Turkey
located in Istanbul, Istanbul & Marmara, Turkey, but cannot be displayed on a map. Contact the owner for more details
Additional Location Information
Location Type City, Downtown
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $85 - $195 | $85 - $195 | $500 - $1,170 | $1,750 - $4,000 | 3 nights |
| May. 14 2013 - Oct. 31 2013 Until the end of Oct. 2013 |
$195 | $195 | $1,170 | $4,000 | 3 nights |
| Nov. 1 2013 - Dec. 31 2013 For 3-4 people |
$125 | $125 | $750 | $2,625 | 3 nights |
| Jan. 1 2014 - Feb. 28 2014 For 3-4 people |
$85 | $85 | $500 | $1,750 | 3 nights |
| Mar. 1 2014 - Mar. 31 2014 For 3-4 people |
$135 | $135 | $810 | $2,835 | 3 nights |
| All Other Dates | $195 | $195 | $1,170 | $4,000 | 3 nights |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
Additional notes from owner
The prices are for 3-4 people. We can host maximum 7 people in this flat. No charge for infants until 3 (three) years old. Add 25 USD for each additional person per night. Please ask for the couple rates.
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: May 20, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
Overall Rating
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Gersty
Atlanta, GA, USAAwesome flat in Istanbul - Amazing Views
Left on 05/15/2013 for a stay in May 2013
Where to start? Awesome owners and awesome views! Aydin was absolutely wonderful from the moment we emailed him about the flat. We were greeted with a warm welcome in Istanbul, a neighborhood orientation walk, terrific restaurant recommendations, and several memorable chats about life in Turkey. Unfortunately, we only met Evrim on the final day, but no doubt we experienced aspects of her hospitality during our stay. We felt like locals.
Location is perfect. The flat is set above French Street, with live music at night. And about the music, we were two couples late 30's early 40's, and throuroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, even with open windows. It was like we had live music to help us relive the day's experiences and catalog photos over a few drinks in the living room.
The view from the balcony is memorable and evocative, especially at night when Sultanahmet and the Galata Tower light up. It's worth the climb up French Street, and the several flights of stairs to the flat. There is a lift for the top floor restaurant, so you can use that if carrying bags, or if it's been a long day of walking.
We ate at several of the restaurants on aydin and Evrim's orientation map, and especially recommend the meatball place just up the street, and the Cezayir Garden restaurant just at the top of French Street and to the right. All recommendations were great, or as aydin would say "good to go"!
As two couples, we felt the new layout of the flat is pefect for privacy and communal gathering.
We just can not say enough about the hospitality from aydin and Evrim. The flat is recommended without hesitation. We sincerely hope to stay in touch with the owners, and get back someday to see how the art gallery turns out.
Istanbul is hilly. If you're in a group, buy an Istanbul Kart for public transportation, load it with TL, and share it amongst the group (just swipe it, then hand it back at the turnstyle). Worked perfectly for us.
Viva Istanbul. -
Andra
BucharestVery nice experience
Left on 04/29/2013 for a stay in April 2013
I've traveled with my friends in Istanbul for 6 days and enjoyed every day.
The apartment where we stayed is very large, with 3 bedrooms - 2 with double beds and 1 suitable for kids + a living, kitchen and bathroomand It is fully equiped.
Aydin and Evrim are very very nice, friendly and polite. When we arrived, Aydin provided us a map, told us about the surroundings and recommended some places to eat, visit, etc.
The location is perfect, 5 minutes away from Istiklal street, where you can find a lot of shops, terraces, etc.
I highly recommend this place: central location, perfect hosts and cute cats :) -
NaS-Ajm
Jeddah SA.It was home , and aydin was brother
Left on 01/19/2013 for a stay in January 2013
When travel you need a great location, clean and nice place to stay with a helpful owner who is around when you need him. Aydin and his wife evrim were great owner at every part of our stay. The apartment was very beautiful and well located. Overall it was one of the greatest stays for me and my friends.
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Graeme and Jan
Wellington New ZealandIstanbul's first visit and experience
Left on 10/24/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We very much enjoyed our three-day stay in Istanbul. It is lovely flat is very well located were just a short walk to Taksim Square and similarly easy access to the waterfront.
Our host were very kindly and helpful and keen to ensure that we had an enjoyable and successful visit. The flat is roomy and reasonably well equipped and we felt it gave us a very authentic feel for Istanbul.
The flat is in a restaurant area. As advised by our hosts it can be noisy up until midnight, or even later on Friday and Saturday nights. We notice this, but accommodated it. Overall the accommodation was very well suited to our tourism purposes.
Graeme and Jan
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Scotty
Fleet, Hampshire, UKGreat location, lovely view & very friendly hosts
Left on 10/08/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We were a group of 5 ladies staying in this apartment at the end of September and really enjoyed our visit to Istanbul. Aydin & Evrim were extremely helpful and assisted us with taxi bookings and any information we needed. The apartment has lots of old-world charm and would also suit families as it has a nice living room & separate dining room. There are lots of bars & restaurant right outside the building and it felt like we were part of the local community rather than in a tourist area. It came with a bit of noise, especially on the Saturday night, but didn't bother us as it was friendly & happy sounds. We felt very safe the whole time, and the infrastructure of Istanbul was great - clean, new, air-conditioned trams and a well looked after city with a mix of old and new!
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John and Linda
Woking, EnglandGreat environment and friendly owner
Left on 10/06/2012 for a stay in September 2012
Well placed in a lively and interesting area. Cumminication with aydin was great. He was away during our visit but his friend Sezgi was very helpful taking us around the area when we arrived - thank you for printing our boarding passes when we left. Useful hand written maps supplied as well. We enjoyed the food at Di Peri in particular
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Paulus_Maximus
Manchester, EnglandA relaxing and welcoming place to stay
Left on 10/04/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We stayed here for three nights in September and had a great time. Aydin and Evrim were so welcoming when we arrived and nothing was too much trouble for them. They had prepared a printed guide of good places to eat, drink etc. in the area, and their recommendations were spot on. (The Ice Cream shop and the Turkish Delight shop were both excellent, and the restaurant above the apartment was very good with a fantastic view).
The place was clean and well furnished. It is air conditioned, which was very welcome. There may be some noise from the bars below, but it’s a good-natured sound and we didn’t mind it at all. I can’t think of a single complaint about the apartment, to be honest. We had a problem with one of the keys to the door not working, but aydin was round in 2 minutes and replaced the key.
When we needed a taxi to the airport, Aydin called one for us. Which was a relief after some of the very poor taxi drivers we had.
All in all it’s a great place to stay and if I visited Istanbul again, I would definitely stay here. -
Zahid
Lahore, PakistanFelt right at home in Istanbul
Left on 10/01/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We had a splendid time staying at this very comfortable apartment. The unit was self sustained and we got a feeling that we were right at home. Aydin and Evrim were very hospitable and made sure that we got a great orientation of our surrounding area. The location of the apartment was excellent and we were very happy about the fact that we were within walking distance from a host of exciting places. We plan to come back and stay in the same place and hope to stay in touch with the owners.
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Agger
AarhusCompleted our stay in Istanbul in a perfect way.
Left on 08/03/2012 for a stay in July 2012
Our family of six, parents and four daughters from the age of 16 to 25, had eight wonderful days in Istanbul. The apartment not only had a historical view. It also embraced us with ancestors history represented in each piece of painting and furniture completing our stay in Istanbul in a perfect way.
We have already recommended this apartment to our family and friends, who wish to go to Istanbul.
Definitely we would choose the same apartment once again, if we were going back. We could use another month to experience it all.
Thanks to aydin to welcome us in such a warm and friendly way. It saved us a lot of time to get an introduction like that. Very centrally placement - easy to get around.
No problems with the singing from the restaurants. We easily fell a sleep after a day of adventure in the city.
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Javed and Neeraj
DelhiA pleasant home away from home
Left on 07/29/2012 for a stay in June 2012
The apartment was spacious, pleasantly furnished, and comfortable. It is in the middle of a very lively place, with rows of outdoor cafes which offer food and drink and music till late in the night. A grocery store is conveniently located right opposite the building and stocks everything you might need. The happening Istiklal Street, as well as the tram station at Tophane are both a three-four minute walk on either side. Evrim and aydin who personally supervise everything are warm and caring hosts who go out of their way to make you feel at home. Their useful tips about places to eat at and things to do or not do were very helpful. We highly recommend their apartments. A word of caution. Some people with infirmities and disabilities might find the steep climb to the apartment difficult. Though Javed who suffers from peripheral neuropathy met this challenge quite well.
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SAM
Manchester/UKGreat hosts and great location
Left on 07/23/2012 for a stay in June 2012
Evrim and aydin were great hosts and very helpful. We were group of 8 plus 2 children which more than defined guests for this apartment, but aydin told me in advanced. We enjoyed our time and we had fantastic holiday. The apartment is in a great location right in the middle of market area and close to all Tourist locations. The only problem is the noisy weekend due to very close bars and restaurants, so I believe this is great location for people who enjoying nightlife too!
If I'm lucky enough to return to Istanbul then I prefer to return to this apartment again.
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Mister Nivelles
Kingston-Upon-Hull, EnglandExcellent authentic apartment with great hosts
Left on 04/07/2012 for a stay in March 2012
If you like to stay in identikit hotels or thrive on interiors designed by Ikea then this place is not for you. This apartment has a truly authentic feel to it from the moment you step through the 10 foot solid wood door. The spender continues inside as antique furniture fill the rooms and old paintings and pictures hang from the walls.
This was everything I'm looking for when I rent an apartment in a foreign city. The comfort was second to none and all facilities were in good order and I had the feel of living like a local.
The owner, as is Turkish tradition, was a great host. After a look around the apartment he then took us for a short half hour walking tour of the local area pointing out all the things of note. He even went out if his way to drive us across the city to get some football tickets.
The apartment is close some restaurants which have live music playing into the wee small hours on a weekend so it may not be best for you if plan on going to bed early but if you want to enjoy the local cultures & pastimes then look no further than this place.
If I'm lucky enough to return to Istanbul then I will also be returning to this lovely apartment.
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Don and Edie
Blacksburg, Virginia, USAComfortable, clean and welcoming!
Left on 04/03/2012 for a stay in March 2012
Thanks to aydin and Evrim, we had a wonderful stay in Istanbul! Aydin began by giving us a walking tour of the neighborhood which helped to orient us. (Thanks for the map, too, Aydin - we have it still!)
The apartment is roomy and comfortable with everything we needed. I think we could have spent a week just exploring the local area, but we ventured much farther and found that we were perfectly situated to use all means of public transportation.
If you are going to Istanbul, you won't find a better apartment or better hosts! -
Dave
BristolWelcoming hosts, great location and a great apartment!
Left on 02/26/2012 for a stay in April 2011
The flat was fantastic - clean, spacious, comfortable and in a great location with fantastic views. Evrim and aydin were great hosts and even gave us a tour of the surrounding area on arrival.
It did get a bit noisy in the evening due to the live music below, but it usually stopped around midnight and it never really bothered us.
This is a great place to stay if you are looking for a homely base to go exploring this great city from. -
Kathy
Golden, Coloradonice apt, helpful owner
Left on 10/30/2011 for a stay in October 2011
Nice, spacious apartment. We were two couples staying there and had plenty of room. Location is good, a short walk to Istiklal Street. Good for nightlife-near many restaurants and bars, but can be a little noisy on weekend nights if you are in the apartment and not out enjoying the nightlife! Apt owner, Aydin, is very nice and helpful, speaks excellent English.
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Yorky
EnglandMarvellous Holiday
Left on 10/26/2011 for a stay in September 2011
My wife and I spent a week in Istanbul which really was not long enough.The city,which is in such picturesque setting,has so much to offer in terms of history,culture,fine food,friendly people and overall"charachter"and atmosphere where the West truly does meet the East.
Aydid and Evrim's apartment,which is situated in a vibrant,lively area is extremely spacious,well furnished,spotlessly clean and ideally located for all amenities,whether you wish to explore on foot the interesting alleyways,shops and restaurants(it did occur to us the the local hobbies seemed to be eating and shopping) or use the excellent transport facilities which are close by.It was a pleasure to sit on the balcony , see the alpine swifts whirling overhead,as the sun went down,and look across to the Topkapi Palace-a wonderful view-before deciding where to eat that evening.The icing on the cake,however, was that aydin and Evrim are wonderful hosts and extremely helpful in all manner of things.Their help extended to posting us a few things that we forgot to take when leaving.
We cannot recommend the apartment highly enough.
Many thanks aydin and Evrim. -
Andrew R
LewesWarm welcome and perfect way to relax in an amazing City
Left on 08/30/2011 for a stay in August 2011
We had a simply brilliant holiday in Istanbul this year. Aydin and Evrim made us feel very welcome and the flat was ideal for us and our children. We had lots of space and the owners are very thoughtful in providing just the right amount of help, supplies and attention. The view of Topkapi palace and the Hagia Sophia is enchanting at sunset from the balcony. The location is excellent: you are right in the heart of the historic European district. There are lots of great restaurants nearby and all you need to do for a wonderful evening is to walk up the stairs to the 'Artiste's Terasse', a rooftop restaurant with super food (I had the lebanese salad and house red wine 3 times) and very friendly service.
Turkey is ideal for children. The people really love them and there is so much going on in Istanbul that they are as amazed as you are. You can also take a boat to the Prince's Islands for a swim in warm clear sea.
I recommend this as a great holiday and we are looking forward to going back! -
UD & MB
LondonFantastic view, very spacious, 'home away from home'
Left on 08/21/2011 for a stay in August 2011
It was a real pleasure staying in aydin & Evrim's flat and we would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul!
Pros:
- Fantastic views and a little balcony.
- Great location - easy walking distance to Istiklal Cadessi as well as to tram stops.
- Huge, very clean and homely flat with all amenities.
- Great value for money.
- Discounts at some of the surrounding restaurants & bars as aydin's 'tenant'.
Cons:
- Very noisy at night due to location close to main restaurants & bars (one of which is directly above the flat), especially on weekend nights. Fine for us, though, as we were always up late.
- Main bedroom has a constant low-pitched buzzing sound the reverberates throughout (maybe a fridge from the bar above?) - we moved to another room in the apartment as we couldn't sleep there.
Thank you for a fantastic stay, Aydin & Evrim, and hope to stay in one of your apartments again when we next visit Istanbul! -
Kim
Sydney, AustraliaGreat location & rustic apartment to enjoy Beyoglu like a local
Left on 06/14/2011 for a stay in May 2011
Terrific location and rustic apartment to enjoy the many bars, restaurants, shopping and little side streets of Beyoglu and Taksim Square area of Istanbul. You must be comfortable with public transport systems to visit the Sultanahmet side of the Bosphorus and not mind the noise from the live music played in the very nearby bars & restaurants that surround the apartment. Ear plugs are a must on some nights! If you enjoy a vibrant city atmosphere and want a taste of the local Instanbullu life, this apartment is well equipped and suitable for 2-3 couples. Aydin & Evrim were most helpful and knowledgeable hosts. Highly recommend this property, mindful of noise and public transport considerations which are quickly adapted to.
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roxelane
belgiumcozy and comfy in istanbul
Left on 04/22/2011 for a stay in April 2011
Evrim and aydin are very good and very helpfull host.Very easy to reach.
...So much was said about the ideal location...what else?Really fabulous position for view and access to everything of interest.Lovely, friendly,atmosphere...5 minutes walk from Istiklal (main shopping high-street leading to Taksim Square),from the tram stop to get metro and go everywhere (Sultanahmet,Nisantasi, the ferries...) The flat is bellow a rooftop restaurant which seemed to be a hidden-away favourite with locals, surrounded by bars and restaurants with live music...but It didn't really bother because it is accoustic, pleasant and provided a great atmosphere.Maybe create a borrow service cell phone with local sim card for those who are travelling for and with business colleagues:-))) -
Aussie Expats living in Dubai
DubaiGreat Location but Noisy
Left on 04/11/2011 for a stay in March 2011
Aydin is a great host and very helpful. The apartment is in a great location right in the middle of everything and close to all Tourist locations. The apartment itself has been recently renovated and gives a real feel for living in the middle of Istanbul. The only problem we experienced was that it is located above a busy and Noisy (at night) restaurant precinct. Great if you go to bed very late at night but not recommended for those with small children.
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Linda Cockburn
Leeds, UKSpacious, well-located flat
Left on 04/10/2011 for a stay in March 2011
The flat is very spacious, with more than enough room for 3 friends travelling together. The kitchen is adequately equipped for a short stay. The flat is located in a small street across the Galata Bridge from the main sights such as the Blue Mosque, but within easy walking distance of everything a visitor would like to see. There are some very nice restaurants nearby and we would recommend Gani Gani and Mer Balik, both 5 to 10 minutes' walk from the flat. Taksim Square, a good place for public transport and taxis, is only 5 minutes on foot. The only small problem is the live music in the adjacent restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights. But we were so tired after walking all day that it was not such a big problem for us. Many thanks to Evrim and aydin for their warm welcome during our trip.
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Joshua Foss
Karlskrona SwedenPerfect flat for experiencing the heart of Istanbul
Left on 01/05/2011 for a stay in December 2010
A group of us, all international friends, stayed in this flat for a week over the holiday break this past year. We were excited by the opportunity to explore a vibrant and cultural city, and found that our high expectations were somehow exceeded. This flat was a key contributor to our wonderful experience. It is located in an extremely lively district, with hundreds (probably thousands) of pubs, cafes, restaurants and shopping destinations within easy walking distance. The flat was expansive, clean and offered nice views across the Golden Horn to the great Mosques. It was also a great value for our group and afforded a nice home base to cook, share meals and the like. I have already referred a friend who is planning on visiting Istanbul soon to stay in the same flat!
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Cathy
Reims FranceAt the heart of Istanbul
Left on 10/04/2010 for a stay in September 2010
Very friendly welcome.
Appartment is very spacious and very convenient for getting to most places.
It is pleasant, clean and has the 'Istanbul' character.
It is in the heart of a very lively area so if you like to go to sleep at 10.00pm you may not think it is for you. -
Cathy
Reims FranceAt the heart of Istanbul
Left on 10/04/2010 for a stay in September 2010
Very friendly welcome.
Appartment is very spacious and very convenient for getting to most places.
It is pleasant, clean and has the 'Istanbul' character.
It is in the heart of a very lively area so if you like to go to sleep at 10.00pm you may not think it is for you. -
HK
Mill Valley, California, USAAmazing apartment
Left on 09/27/2010 for a stay in April 2010
We moved to this apartment in Beyoglu, Istanbul after a few days in a hotel in the Sultanamet. The location was fantastic, very near the popular pedestrian street and walking distance to Taxim Square. The bars and restaurants just below it were fun to have as neighbors. We loved the view and the antique furnishings. The owners could not have been nicer or more helpful. We would definitely stay there again and are already recommending the building to friends.
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Kate
SheffieldPerfect location, stunning views and friendly people
Left on 08/31/2010 for a stay in August 2010
A group of 5 of us (male and female, 25 - 34) stayed in this apartment for a week. It was very spacious and had everything we needed for our stay. We could often find aydin and Evrim working on another flat on the ground floor in case we needed any help or advice, which they were more than happy to provide to us.
The flat is located 5 minutes walk from the main shopping high-street leading to Taksim, and 5 minutes from the tram stop to get to Sultanahmet, the ferries to the Princes Islands, etc. The flat is on the second-to-top floor, below a rooftop bar/restaurant, which seemed to be a hidden-away favourite with locals. The flat is situated in an alley in the best area for eating and drinking, and is surrounded by bars and restaurants with live music. Despite being on the 4th floor, there were bars outside our windows across the alleys, because of the many rooftop bars. The music seemed to stop by 2am at the weekend, and earlier in the week, but it didn't really bother us (and I am a very light sleeper) because it was accoustic, pleasant, and provided a great atmosphere.
The views from the flat are beautiful and fascinating, with a 180 degree view across the city. This reaches from the neighbouring apartments, where you can see locals going about their usual business - sitting on balconies and casually climbing around unharnessed on 5th floor sloping roofs, attaching unneeded kitchen appliances - right up to the Blue Mosque across the Golden Horn.
If you're coming in august, then I would advise you to bring plenty of light, airy clothes! There is air conditioning in one bedroom, and fans in the other rooms, but the city was very hot during our stay with no breeze to relieve us, and the temperature did not drop much at night.
In summary, we had a fantastic stay in Istanbul. The location was ideal with a lovely, lively, friendly atmosphere and helpful owners, and there was so much to do that we are already planning another stay next year!
Response from Evrim and Aydin Balcik - 09/02/2010
Owner
Wow, what a review. Thank you Kate for your time. I should say something about August. It is always the hottest month in the year. But, this was a little bit exceptional, the humidity was very high, sometimes 95%. Usually Istanbul has several winds including in August makes you feel comfortable. Every 2 or 3 days it blows. But this year it didn't. :) So, yes light close are good idea for August. But take some sweatshirt also, because the weather in Istanbul likes to make surprises every time. For example, 31st August was hot, 1st of Sep is not :) That is one of the specialties of Istanbul. Thank you Kate. Let see what will happen in February. :)
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Caglar Yardim
San DiegoAmazing Location, Great Landlord
Left on 08/19/2010 for a stay in July 2010
We stayed in aydin's apartment twice as a group of 10 young professionals traveling Turkey. First we stayed in the 8-person rental just below the rooftop restaurant with live music. In our second stay we stayed in a 6-person and a 5-person rentals in the same apartment.
We loved the rentals, especially the 8-person one. The location is perfect. in the hearth of the city. Istiklal street is right next to it. Although it is right below the restaurant this one is the least noisy since it is higher than all the restaurants and cafes below. I should also mention that the music was not annoying to any of us in any of the three rentals but if you want a quiet evening this is not the right place. And aydin tells you upfront about the music. Also the view from the 8-bed rental is just incredible. As for negatives: Since it is a very nice historic building with high ceilings, I can appreciate a lot of items being antique, which actually adds to the beauty of the house. But the restrooms should entirely be redone asap. Also certain doors and windows do not close. And there is mold if you stay in the basement rental. Since he is a very nice welcoming guy, I talked to him about these, and he said he is working on fixing them.
Overall, this was an excellent stay, I would highly recommend it. The restaurant in the rooftop was nice. It is expensive but the walls are full glass giving a 360 degree view. Go have a beer enjoying the view at night. The owner was nice to us keeping the place open just for us. Also a warning for all the cafes below. They are tourist traps that will overcharge you, avoid them. They said they will give us a 25% discount since we stay here, then tried to charge a large amount for half a piece of baklava per person, and after I showed them that even with the extremely inflated prices the number of baklava eaten would not make that, they dropped the price a bit and didn't give the discount.
Response from Evrim and Aydin Balcik - 09/02/2010
Owner
Dear Caglar, thank you very much for your review and the tip about restaurants, I didn't know that. Actually, when the guests has arrived, if the time suitable for me, I show them around, especially Istiklal street and the restaurants, drink houses etc. So, there are lots of options in Istiklal in 5 minutes walking distance.
And I should say something about restroom in the big flat. We will rebuild it on January. We couldn't change it before, because when we had time, there were guests there, and when there was no guest, we were working on the other issues.
Actually there is no window cannot be closed. The doors of the toilets has been repaired.
Next year there will be very special changes in the flat. New paints on the wall and some of other things.
From the beginning of 2010 we have started to big renovation process. We transformed our basement into a flat and also our second floor of our shop. The second floor will be advertised in 10 days and it will be very special one. We love this business, we had great guests, thanks to them we could develop our business from one flat to 5, next year it will be 6 and our services will be much more better. Thanks again Caglar. We'll let you know about the process.
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Alex
OxfordWell situated spacious apartment
Left on 08/19/2010 for a stay in June 2010
Comfortable, clean, good location, good service from owner-managers. Only drawback - we found nearby restaurants were lively and therefore quite noisy till late at night. Very peaceful in the morning though!
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Howard
UKFull-on Istanbul
Left on 06/09/2010 for a stay in June 2010
Fabulous position for view and access to everything of interest.
Owner picked up at airport and gave guided to and around appartment, was helpful during stay, which was extended by Ba strike and organised trip back to airport.
No secret that French Street is at the centre of busy restaurant area so does get the benefit of full-on night time entertainment, so suits music lovers and night owls.
Having said that we were all 60ish and loved every minute. -
Sarah
LondonWe had a great time.
Left on 05/27/2010 for a stay in April 2010
We had a lovely time at aydins flat and would love to go back to Istanbul soon. Aydin was very kind in picking us up from the airport and telling us about Istanbul on the way, and also showing us around the area when we got there. Galatasari is a really lovely area and you can walk or get the tram to anywhere you need to go. There are lots of restaurants nearby and cafes with great cakes, in fact some of the best cakes I have ever eaten, and great bars. Everyone is very friendly and I would really recommend Istanbul as a place to take children, everyone kept cuddling our two-year old and he loved the trams and boats (and there's a good playground down the hill).
The flat we stayed in had beautiful views across Istanbul. It was noisy (especially on saturday night) but not annoying noise, just lots of folk music from the bars. And its a noisy city! The flat was very atmospheric and had everything we needed and was really spacious. -
Thomas Rawls
Norwich EnglandBeautiful view from the lounge!
Left on 05/25/2010 for a stay in April 2010
Enjoyed a great time in the flat, nice rooms and great places to eat just around the corner - not farfrom the main street either. Bathroom needed some work but apaprt from that the time was magical. Aydin was fantastic!
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Andy Causer
Nottingham EnglandFantastic Trip
Left on 05/14/2010 for a stay in September 2009
The apartment is ideal. Fantastic views in a great location. The facilities are ideal for a city break everything we needed was available and we can both say it was one of if not the best city break we have had.
We can highly reccommend it to anyone.
Andy and Gretchen Causer -
S + K
Sydney, AustraliaThe perfect Istanbul location
Left on 05/13/2010 for a stay in June 2009
What a great place to spend a few days in Istanbul. We loved everything about the place - the location, outlook, buzz of the area and the brilliant places to eat and drink nearby.
While the apartment is pretty basic, it's got plenty of room - we spent most of our time crammed onto the balcony drinking in the view and great atmosphere (and plenty of G and T's). It's in a great location, but requires a bit of an uphill walk to get onto Istiklal Caddesi. Be prepared to drag your bag up plenty of stairs to get into the apartment and to get around generally.
There's a fair bit of noise from nearby restaurants and one on the roof above, but it didn't stop us from sleeping well every night. If you like being in the middle of city life , this is the place for you.
The owners Aydin and Evrim are fantastic. They could not have been more friendly and helpful, we'd recommend the place based on them alone.
It's a brilliant place that has it's flaws, just like Istanbul itself, but thats what makes it so worth the visit. -
Streety
Herts, UK and Kalkan, TurkeyFab-u-lous
Left on 05/13/2010 for a stay in July 2009
Lovely old building in great buzzy area, located well for Istiklal Cad (shopping), Galata Tower (views), walk downhill for river and sightseeing. Sitting in the morning looking over the rooftops to see the Bosphorus with Topkapi and Hagia Sophia in the distance was always a joy.
Aydin and Evrim will make you very welcome. We are going back to finish off what we didn't manage last year, this July.
Have recommended to friends and they have also been very happy -
Sophia
Lancaster, England.Floating on the roof of the world
Left on 05/13/2010 for a stay in August 2009
We landed in Istanbul with some trepidation but we need not have worried as Aydin was an excellent host. The flat was all it was said to be on the web site. The view is amazing. We traveled on local transport from the bottom of the street into the center and bought goodies from the local shops. I would happily recommend this location and accommodation to anyone - and indeed have over recent months. We can't wait to return to the flat and visit the City of Culture.
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Alida baba
Midlands Englandvery welcoming
Left on 05/12/2010 for a stay in June 2009
This is a fantastic apartment! Lots of space and very central in the middle of bussling beyoglu. From the little balcony at the back you could see the sunset over the Bosphorus. All very clean and some homebaked biscuits were awaiting us. Don't know about the heated loo seats!! It must get very cold in winter. We were a group of four ladies and we had a wonderful time. Istanbul is a very exciting and beautiful city. Lots of lovely restaurants and sights on the doorstep. We also visited the Princess islands which is very easy to do as a day trip. Evrim and Aydin Balcik very reliable and welcoming. They also. arranged a taxi for us to go back to the airport.
We definitely want to go back again
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janandhenk
hollandfine apartment on a first class spot
Left on 05/09/2010 for a stay in October 2009
Nice flat, excellent service
there are more resturants in the neighbourhood then you wil have time to visit.
But that also means it can be noisy in the weekends
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LKP
LondonA great base
Left on 05/08/2010 for a stay in March 2009
A warm and personable welcome was the perfect start to explore the lovely city. The apartment had character and was very spacious and excellently located.
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krisje
Belgiumour stay in Istanbul
Left on 05/07/2010 for a stay in November 2009
We staid with our family for a week in Istanbul.
The flat is very beautiful, big rooms and the view is great.
Sometimes the noices from the restaurants below is a minus but we staid there with 2 small children and they didn't wake up from it.
Aydin and Evrim are two wonderful people, they would do anything for you. We enjoyed our stay.
Thank you Evrim and Aydin.
greatings from Belgium
Krisje Roel Jolan Lena Jos -
Katherine Budd
Essex, UKCulturally immersed
Left on 05/07/2010 for a stay in October 2009
We received a very warm welcome and a very helpful guide tour by Aydin of the local area. The apartment is very traditional and in a fabulous, central area with all amenities close by. The apartment was clean and tidy but desperately needed refurbishing, e.g. bathroom and kitchen were very dated and old. One main issue was the toilet seat in the bathroom that needed replacing. The welcome biscuits were a nice touch but in the UK we are used to having a 'welcome food pack' included as well (milk/water/bread/butter/cereal/tea/coffee). We loved being on top of a very vibrant, bohemian area and fully immersed in the Turkish culture. The holiday break was a memorable experience.
Response from Evrim and Aydin Balcik - 05/09/2010
Owner
Thank you Kay. We replaced the toilet seat. You are right about it. And we will change the toilet when we get an opportunity to do it. We are nearly always full, we need a week. I can't make a promise about 'welcome food pack', but we will have other surprises. :) Thanks a lot.
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The Hooper Family
Sydney AustraliaBest location in Istanbul
Left on 05/07/2010 for a stay in December 2008
This comfortable and well appointed appartment is in a beautiful part of Istanbul close to fabulous shopping and stunning restaurants and short walk to the Galatia Tower and was perfect for our family of 4. Get up early for the sunrise over the rooftops - gorgeous. It is an interesting 15 min walk to the old town, with easy to navigate public transport nearby. Our hosts were wonderful giving us a private tour of the area, pointing out their favourite book shops , best coffee and seafood restaurants. We felt welcome straight away. The teenagers have been all over Europe and Istanbul is still their favourite city - largely due to the wonderful hospitality by our lovely young hosts. The only down side I would say was that a nearby venue had music playing late, but we were in an international city and that comes with the territory.
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