Vacation Rentals by Owner

Fabulous apartment - incredible views & perfect location!

Guest: W W. (Atlanta, Ga.)
Date of Stay: 04/16/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

Cihangir 1 was the perfect place to stay for our first-ever visit to Istanbul, and it will be the perfect place to stay for any subsequent visits! Elif, the apartment manager, is a joy - the person you would always choose to meet at your rental apartment, especially after an overnight flight. She's competent, efficient, thorough, & on top of all that, the nicest person imaginable - we felt that we were "at home" from the moment we walked in. The owner also included a wonderful service - an hour with personal concierge Jessica - she provided maps, our first tram tokens, & a great introduction to Istanbul and "our" neighborhood. She helped orient us day one which enhanced our visit immeasurably. We went to the Friday market in Uskadar with her & had one of our best days - it was absolutely everything that one wants when visiting a foreign country - so perfect in all the little ways that travelers love but that are so hard to describe! The apartment has incredible views and a fabulous location - so easy to get to all the tourist sites while still having a neighborhood home to return to at the end of the day - a great experience in every way.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fabulous - incredible views & perfect location!

Guest: W W. (Atlanta, Ga.)
Date of Stay: 04/16/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

Cihangir 1 was the perfect place to stay for our first-ever visit to Istanbul, and it will be the perfect place to stay for any subsequent visits! Elif, the apartment manager, is a joy - the person you would always choose to meet at your rental apartment, especially after an overnight flight. She's competent, efficient, thorough, & on top of all that, the nicest person imaginable - we felt that we were "at home" from the moment we walked in. The owner also included a wonderful service - an hour with personal concierge Jessica Stockwell - she provided maps, our first tram tokens, & a great introduction to Istanbul and "our" neighborhood. She helped orient us day one which enhanced our visit immeasurably. We went to the Friday market in Uskadar with her & had one of our best days - it was absolutely everything that one wants when visiting a foreign country - so perfect in all the little ways that travelers love but that are so hard to describe. Cihangir 1 has incredible views and a perfect location - so easy to get to all the tourist sites while still having a neighborhood home to return to at the end of the day - a great experience in every way.

Recommended for:

Email from guest who stayed in Cihangir 1

Guest: Wimberly & Van
Date of Stay: 04/16/12 Review Submitted: 04/28/12

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful apt. & for providing an intro to the neighborhood & to Istanbul from Jessica - she helped orient us day 1 & enhanced our visit immeasurably - a fab service to offer to your guests! We went to the Fri. market in Uskadar with her & had one of our best days - absolutely everything that one wants when visiting a foreign country - so perfect in all the little ways that travelers love that it's hard to describe! Your manager, was a joy,competent, efficient

Recommended for:

View, location, view

Guest: MIpartyofFive (Birmingham, MI USA)
Date of Stay: 03/29/12 Review Submitted: 04/21/12

This apartment has a terrific view that pictures don't do justice. Watching all the boats on the Bosporus was an unexpected highlight. We traveled with 3 kids and had plenty of room. The kitchen and furnishings are basic. The selling point is location and view. The tram to the city is a 5 min. Walk as long as you don't mind 200 stairs. Taxi stands are also 2 min. Away if you wish. (the tram line leads to many toursist destinations so being so close is a big plus) The grocery store is a block away. The apartment is in a good neighborhood, just far enough away from the tourist hype. we never felt unsafe. For those in need of Starbucks and little Caesars/dominos they are a 5 minute walk. Drivers picked us up at the airport and dropped off for a fair price, which takes away a worry about taxi and luggage for a group of 5. Elif was helpful on checkin.

Recommended for:Families with young children

would rent it again!

Guest: Suz (San Francisco and Ankara)
Date of Stay: 01/03/12 Review Submitted: 02/08/12

This is my third time renting from this owner, and the great view, location, and personal touch made it a great trip. I used to live in Istanbul but now live elsewhere in Turkey, so bring friends and family to istanbul is always something special. CIhangir is my favorite neighborhood and of course it's not istanbul without a view. The location is close to shops, restaurants, the touristy sites, and right in the middle of it all. but it's charming and quiet. the beds are comfortable, and the manager and staff helping to get you settled in are very friendly. Definitely worth it. Whether this is your first time to Istanbul or returning for another memorable trip, renting this apt, or another one from this owner is the way to do it.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful stay in Istanbul

Guest: Bibo (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 11/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/11/11

The apartment is bright and cheerful and has a marvellous view of the Bosphrous. The bed is comfortable and there are plenty of closets. There is a nice sitting and dining areas and a balcony with excellent views. Robin was professional and booking the apartment was easy and she answered all our questions. A driver was waiting for us at the airport and took us to the apartment where Davide was waiting and explained everything. Aleef the manager also came and was very helpful and arranged for a driver to take us at 3 30 Am for our flight back to the states. The area is a quiet residential and there are groceries and fruit merchants close by as well as cafes and resturants. I would defintely rent again from Robin when I come back to Istanbul. To go down to the main street you need to manage many steps but it was no problem though myself and my wife are in our seveties. There are many sites to visit in this beautiful city, you can reach the Domachbache palace on foot in 15 minutes. Taking the tram is easy and cheap and let you see people. The Bosphrous boat tour is a must. BS Foad, M.D

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best that Istanbul could offer.

Guest: Farzad & Shelley (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/23/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

My wife and I are from Vancouver, Canada. We stayed in one of Robin's apartments near Galata Tower and had my family from Iran to have a reunion in Istanbul in May of 2008. We were very happy with the look and feel of the apartment, location and her professionalism. We came back to Istanbul again at the end of May 2011 for another family reunion and stayed in another one of Robin's apartments, this time in Cihangir. The experience was even better this time - fantastic apartment, gorgeous view and another amazing location. We really felt part of the neighborhood during our 2-week stay. We would highly recommend her places. If we go back to Istanbul we will absolutely stay in one of Robin's places again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic View, easy to access by public transport but steep hill

Guest: Alyssa (Moscow, Russia)
Date of Stay: 02/19/11 Review Submitted: 02/20/11

We have really enjoyed our time in this beautiful flat. The view is unbeatable and the flat is very spacious. The tram stop is very close by and is a straight shot into city center. The only downside is there's a steep and long staircase between the tram stop and the flat, which was difficult for us with a small child (and would be very hard for older people or for someone with disabilities). We would definitely recommend this apartment though and would stay here again.

Owner response:Thank you Alyssa! We enjoyed having you as our guest. I just wanted to take this opportunity to point out that if one does not wish to take the steps, they can walk 10 minutes to Taksim Square where there is a funicular that connects directly to the tram. Robin

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful!!!

Guest: mere (atlanta)
Date of Stay: 10/22/10 Review Submitted: 11/01/10

This apartment was exactly as advertised and better. The pictures don't do this place justice. My family was able to comfortably fit 5 adults in this apartment.We go to Istanbul every year and rent apartments every single time. The view from this apartment is simply amazing. Not only will be be renting in the future, we are letting our friends(who will be travelling to Istanbul) know we found the perfect place. The location is wonderful as you have perfect views, the convenience of Taksim, yet you are far enough away to avoid the noise. You are also very close to the Tram and ferries. Additionally, there are grocery stores, the Cihangir Cami( great reference for cab drivers) and the Cihangir cab stop in close proximity to the apartment. Upon entering the building the apartment is actually located about 5 steps down from the entrance so you don't have to climb flights of steps to enter. The apartments balcony is large and spans the length of about 3/4's of the apartment. 5 of us were able to fit on the balcony. The landmarks seen from the balcony include the First bridge, Domabache Palace, and the Princes' Islands. Finally the place was extremely clean and the area was wonderful.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Nice 6-8 guests Apartment

Guest: marcus (dresden)
Date of Stay: 09/04/10 Review Submitted: 09/14/10

The flat is situated nearby Taksim quarter where you can find a lot of bars to go out and most of the shopping possibilities. You can also walk down to Galata bridge in about 10 minutes. The flat itself has 3 bedrooms and a lof space in the corridor and q quite nice living room. The bedrooms looking like IKEA but this doesn´t matter ;-) Furthermore there is a kitchen with all things you may need (big fridge, dishwasher). The flat contains of 2 bathrooms which is useful when you travel in a group. The landlord gave us some good advices how to use tram/metro as well as some further information about Istanbul. All of us were happy with the flat and will hopefully come back again. Greetings, Marcus

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Perfect!

Guest: Ann L. (Essex, MA)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/18/10

Dear Robin, We absolutely loved Istanbul! Your flat was perfect in all respects--it was so convenient to everything and such a peaceful place to return to at the end of the day. We were a group of 5, and there was more than enough room for us all. Loved the balcony and the 'sultan sofa!' I know we'll be back, and we wouldn't hesitate to rent your flat again. Thanks for helping to make this trip so wonderful. Elif was so helpful, everything worked out perfectly.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect!

Guest: Ann L. (Essex, MA)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/18/10

Dear Robin, We absolutely loved Istanbul! Your flat was perfect in all respects--it was so convenient to everything and such a peaceful place to return to at the end of the day. Loved the balcony and the 'sultan sofa!' We were a group of 5, and there was way more than enough room for us all. I know we'll be back--and I wouldn't hesitate to rent your flat again. Thanks for helping to make this trip so wonderful. Elif was so helpful, everything worked out perfectly.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Perfect location for a week stay

Guest: Sarah N. (Parksville, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/22/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

Four of us stayed here for a week in April and spent most of our time on the deck watching boats run about on our amazing view of the Bosphorus. The apartment was beautifully decorated with antiques and little touches that made us feel at home. Unfortunately two of the beds seemed to also be antiques and were a bit painful to sleep on, but ok once we added an extra layer of blankets and slept on top. The location was our favorite part; away from tourists but still very central. Within twenty minutes walk to the tram to the old city, to Taksim shopping district and metro, and some of my favorite cafes and restaurants in the city. If we moved to Istanbul, Chihangir is the area we would live in. Our correspondance with the owner was flaky at best, but we were greeted by the very friendly and helpful Elif who brightened up our stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

exciting

Guest: me and friends (Freising, Germany)
Date of Stay: 04/05/09 Review Submitted: 04/21/09

We stayed with six persons for a wonderful week in the apartment between April 5 and 12, 2009. We found all as described on the homepage. The flat was very clean and the hints in the house-book were very precise and useful. We loved to explore the surrounding streets (Cihangir) and to use the tram to reach all attractions in between 10 minutes. The view to the Bosphorus will follow us for a long time in our dreams. We could have spent the whole day, only sitting at the window and counting the passing ships as Orhan Pamuk recommends. Karl

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Beautiful & comfortable

Guest: reza (Sandefjord , Vestfold , Norway)
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/19/08

I and my family saw pictures of house, we love it.it is so beautiful.If we rent it , we can write more about its positivites!

Owner response:Thank you. I guarantee that this flat will far surpass your expectations. Really nice. Warm and cozy in the winter. cool in the summer. Beautiful. Charming. Wonderful neighborhood. Walk everywhere. Feel part of this great bohemian neighborhood. Close to public transportation. A slice of Istanbul you'll never experience from a hotel room.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, families with teenagers.

Amazing Apartment

Guest: TM (Russellville, AR USA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/19/07

My husband and I absolutely loved this apartment! The view was so beautiful. We loved watching the boats traveling in the day and the lights at night. The apartment was very comfortable and safe and had all the conveniences of home. I would highly recommend it.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.