Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beats any luxury hotel in Istanbul!

Guest: Elif and Marc (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 11/20/11 Review Submitted: 12/19/11

I am Turkish and we stayed here for a week with my husband during our wedding celebrations. I can't think of a better option. The locations is superb as it is right by the shoreline and has easy access to the TEM highway. The view is just breathtaking not to mention the modern minimal interior decoration as you can see in the pictures. We are definitely coming back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Modern architecture and a great view of the Bosphorus.

Guest: B (EU)
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 11/02/11

I am originally from Istanbul, now living abroad, but visit Istanbul often. I stayed in this apartment in October 2011. This is indeed a very nice apartment with a modern architectural style and a great view of the Bosphorus. It has a very large terrace (VRBO refers to it as “patio”, but I think “terrace” is a better word, as it is not on the ground level but on the roof (6th) floor of an apartment building.) The apartment is clean and the furnishings are new. The pictures and the descriptions of the apartment and the amenities in the VRBO are accurate. There is a small grocery shop called Narcuteri only a few steps (to the South) from the apt. It has a decent selection of wine, cheese and carries even some fruits and vegetables. If you need a larger selection, then you can try MacroCenter inside the Istinye Park shopping mall. This modern mall with about 300 stores is well worth a visit (15 min by taxi). It also has a Bazaar section with some good restaurants, food and souvenir shops. For breakfast you can go to the Oba Restaurant (7-8 min walk North), where you can enjoy a rich buffet breakfast by the water. (Oba also has a café with the same name shortly before the restaurant part, but it serves a buffet only on Sundays.) There is taxi stand about 100m to the South and a few restaurants there. If you walk about 15 min further to the South, you come to the Bebek district, where you can find many shops, banks/ATMs, restaurants and cafes.

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

4 days in paradise

Guest: Nagy (Calgary)
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/01/11

My husband & I ended our cruise vacation with 4 days in Istanbul. This unit was all that was promised. If you are looking to get out of the hustle and bustle of main Istanbul, this is a great location. The cab ride is about 20 minutes and reasonably priced ($25 TL). The neighbourhoods within walking distance have restaurant, boutique shops, markets and marinas. A great place to stay if you like to walk around and explore. Yasemin was great in getting us information in advance. Ahmet, even he didn't speak english was very helpful and we especially loved the morning delivery of bread. We thoroughly enjoyed the views and the relaxing patio. If we return to Istanbul we would definitely stay here again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Perfect Week in Istanbul - September 2011

Guest: Lea5 (SF, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/22/11 Review Submitted: 10/24/11

The view of the Bosphorus and the bridge (with its light show & fireworks) was spectacular. It was spacious for the two of us and we just thoroughly enjoyed looking at the view at from dawn to dusk to dawn. I appreciated the free wifi, TV, airconditioning and washer/dryer. There's a deli withing 5 minutes' walk where we bought our groceries and sundries for the week, fresh bread every day was a treat as well. It allowed us to have a relaxing breakfast before doing our daily explorations. Rumeli Hisari is an upmarket, safe, resdential neighborhood that is far from the maddingly crowded Old Town, being able to walk along the Bosphorus with locals made me feel like I was one of them too. The Istanbulkart (bought them at the Eminonu train station) gave us the freedom to take the bus/tram/funicular to explore the city and not just depend on the taxi. If we only stayed 2-3 days in the city, I wouldn't suggest staying here but if you had a week or more-one week was truly not long enough- this is a perfect spot. Many good neightborhood restaurants are within walking distance so you don't have to venture far to dine well. This was our first time in Istanbul and certainly will not be the last, I would recomend this apartment. Thanks for your hospitality, Yasemin!

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

A panoramic three days that we will always remember

Guest: On 6 month sabbatical (San Diego CA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/23/11 Review Submitted: 11/23/11

We stayed in Istanbul in June 2011 as the first stop in our urban sabbatical. We loved this apartment with its vast views of Bosphorus and the very contemporary interior design. You could just stay in and enjoy the view from the morning till night - which is what all we did for one day. It is a bit difficult to get around if you don't have a car; however I would highly recommend this apartment for short stays and if you want to indulge yourself in the beauty of Istanbul.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lovely Views and Relaxing Setting

Guest: SanFranciscoFamily (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/08/11 Review Submitted: 06/28/11

I stayed at this beautiful apartment for 2 weeks with my family of 4. The apartment was beautiful and fully equipped with all of the necessary amenities. The views were spectacular. We only had a couple of questions when we arrived, and our questions were answered promptly. Although the apartment is approximately 35-40 minutes from the old city sites by cab, it was a fabulous place to come back to at the end of the day. After a few days, we learned to get around by the T1 public transporation (easily reached by a 15-20 minute cab ride from the apartment). We felt very safe, and there were some very nice restaurants nearby. The area was absolutely beautiful, and I would highly recommend this apartment if you want to see Istanbul and yet experience the life of a local.

Recommended for:Sightseeing

Most Romantic Honeymoon

Guest: Honeymooners (Chicago IL) (East Dundee)
Date of Stay: 03/24/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Words can not describe how perfect this apartment is for ANYONE looking to be outside of the mass tourists sites. Everything in the apartment is as described - if not better. The owners answers all emails quickly and fulfill any reasonable requests. The neighborhood is easy to navigate; Bebek is a nice walk to the right of exiting the apartment. The views and balcony are beyond words. For those interested in the tourists sites, taxis and buses are easily available; however the traffic on the weekends is congested; therefore recommend seeing the sites Monday through Friday noon. We will be returning this year to the apartment because we had such a fantastic time. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent Stay

Guest: Happy Travelers (Brazil)
Date of Stay: 01/23/11 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

My family of four (two young adults in college and parents) stayed in this lovely apartment for five nights, which didn't allow us enough time to explore the fascinating city of Istanbul and the many unique and charming neighborhoods in the vicinity, such as Bebek and Ortaköy. The apartment itself was stocked with all the basics, such as laundry soap, tea and mineral water, as well as any gadgets you might need--plug adaptors, screw drivers, bottle openers, etc. The comfortable beds and quality linens and pillows were gave us heavenly nights' sleep. For a few rainy days we had more than enough to keep us entertained with the many and informative books and guides, DVDs, and the amazing 180 degree view of the Bosphorus, with the constant traffic of boats and ships, and even a submarine. Living in a big city ourselves, we found the time and distance to the Sultanahmet very manageable. Our preferred route was a pleasant taxi ride along the beautiful coastal road to the Kabatas tram station. It's location right alongside the second bridge made for an easy landmark for taxis. We enjoyed the nearby large and luxurious mall - Istinye Park, with an excellent variety of shops, restaurants and cinema. All of my inquiries with the property owner were answered very promptly. We had a truly wonderful stay in this vacation rental.

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

For an excellent Istanbul experience, seek no more!

Guest: Pinar (Shanghai)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 01/23/11

Originally from Istanbul but now living abroad for work, I wanted to relive Istanbul on my holidays and seeing this listing on VBRO made my heart jump! It was in the very right location- one where you can enjoy the Bosphorus and its seagulls above, where you can walk and reach great breakfast places as well as nice restaurants, where you can just forget about the hectic city and feel like you are living above all the chaos. Once we were in the flat, I was jumping up and down on the beautiful terrace. The terrace is a dream! The flat is very nicely designed! This is just what I needed for a reunion with the magnificient Istanbul. I will definitely want to stay there again in summer!

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful View, Mixed Reviews

Guest: Tdh (Phoenix, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 10/10/10 Review Submitted: 12/12/10

I stayed October, 2010 for 9-10 days in this condo. I arrived in the evening and found the key that was sent to me did not work. Fortunately a friend of mine had picked me up from the airport and was able to communicate with someone in the building to discover the locks had been changed the day before. We had to wait 30 minutes for the correct keys to arrive and after 26 hours of travel this was a little inconvenient. I had asked for groceries to be placed in the apartment as I was arriving at 9 pm and would be tired, not wanting to go out. There were no groceries, they were actually sitting outside the door the next day and had to be thrown out because they were perishable. The flat does certainly have an amazing view. The flat is located in a trendy area of Istanbul. I have been to Istanbul many times and wanted to try this area. I would not choose it again because to visit museums, restaurants, one must fight traffic (sometimes one hour) and pay 15-18 TKLY for each cab ride which can add up. The condo lacked many things, the door below the kitchen sink was broken, the clothes dryer was broken and we had to hang our towels throughout the condo. I never saw how to get the warm bread delivered that the advertisement spoke of. It would have been helpful to have a notebook with menu and contact information from nearby restaurants as well as where food markets were located. We also did not have any contact information about questions on the condo. The condo was very dirty and I spent the next day washing the floor because there was a very dirty and visible film all over the floor. I really looked forward to staying at this condo with my boyfriend and was disappointed in the maintenance of it. The pictures are accurate in the listing.

Owner response:As you can see this has been our only negative review! They keys were changed the very day before due to the door being repaired, happens once in a blue moon, so for this, I was very sorry. If you ever have a problem please just contact me via email or text and can help immediatly. If you stay over a week and say nothing, I can't help you or make you more comfortable. We have instructions in our manual how to operate everything and how to get around and even how to order online with our favorite food delivery service. I did not charge her for the groceries of Redbull, juice and eggs. We are very agreeable and if there are any problems you must tell us immediatly so we may act quickly and you can enjoy your stay at our lovely flat. We want everyone to have a wonderful tme!

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We will return to Istanbul so we can stay at this incredible view apartment again!

Guest: Kathy and Paul (San Francisco Bay Area)
Date of Stay: 06/01/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

Of course to see Istanbul again too. The apartment itself was a highlight of our 10 day stay. The view, the view, the view.... We could have sit on the patio for hours watching the traffic on the Bosporous, but of course we were there to visit the city as well! It was a perfect place to stay, since a visit daily into wonderful Istanbul, can also be busy, hectic and touristy. So we would have a wonderful day in the city and come home in the evening for part two of our day, relaxing on the deck, dinner in one of the many restaurants right outside the door, and a hot tub with the view. Highly recommended. A bit out from the center of the tourist area, but that is why we liked it. Rumalihisari is delightful with its fort and you are walking distance to fashionable Bebek.

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

Spectacular place to spend some time away from it all

Guest: Sarah N. (Parksville, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

My husband and I just adored this exquisite apartment, we hardly ever left it during our week stay. The view of the Bosphorus is spectacular and the jacuzzi out on the deck was the perfect place to lounge and contemplate it. We ordered food in and cooked for ourselves, enjoying the solitude of our fabulously outfitted white fortress. A warning to those unfamiliar with the area: due to traffic it can take several hours by bus or taxi to get to Taksim or the old city, so not a great location for sightseers. But if you plan on staying put, this apartment is perfect for some time alone.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

A Perfect Stay in Istanbul

Guest: wgl (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 04/04/10 Review Submitted: 04/19/10

Considering that this was our first trip to Istanbul, my wife and I wanted to stay in a central location for sightseeing, but also in a district that was peaceful and relaxing in the evenings - - that was exactly what we found in this property. The views provided in the “bio” were spot-on. Each morning we would wake to a phenomenal view of the Bosphorus and the Rumeli Hisari neighborhood. The apartment’s location was superb with not only a bus stop steps away, but also serviced by any number of taxis. The apartment was extremely comfortable, furnished with fine linens and plenty of great cookware and dishes. The patio and outside furniture served to enhance the beauty of this apartment. The owners were a delight to work with, answering all our communication in a very timely manner, making sure that our access to the building was complete and all inquiries relative to ground transportation were addressed. We look forward to our next stay in Istanbul and would consider none other than this apartment our home while there.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Jessica77 (-)
Date of Stay: 02/22/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/10

The apartment was divine. The view was absolutely amazing and the light incredible. We really enjoyed our stay and especially loved the fresh bread delivered in the mornings and the cafes along the river! Thank you!

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Guest: Ece (-)
Date of Stay: 02/15/10 Review Submitted: 02/15/10

This place is really breathtaking... I can't imagine any better place to stay in Istanbul, especially if you are seeking for a comfortable, luxurious stay full of tranquility of the Bosphorus. We enjoyed it so much, not to mention the great audio system, elegant decoration, unique collection of books & dvd's. Every need of you has been thought and placed, from dental floss to first aid kit. I strongly advise this place for an unforgettable stay. Plus, you'll meet with such a helpful lady who is ready to help you in every manner she can.

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Loved it!

Guest: Kathleen A. (Texas USA)
Date of Stay: 11/19/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

We loved staying here last November (2009) for 5 nights. The apartment is so lovely and comfortable it was hard to leave to go sight seeing. The bread that's delivered fresh in the morning is wonderful also. When my husband and I return to Istanbul we'll stay here again.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: always in the aisle seat (New York City)
Date of Stay: 10/26/09 Review Submitted: 10/26/09

This is a wonderful penthouse apartment. The view is breathtaking, the interior is flooded with light and the locale is perfect. Not in the heart of the city--but if you don't mind taking a 20-minute ride by cab (very inexpensive), you'll miss the tourists and kitsch of Sultanahmet and the noisy clubs of Beyoglu. The location is in one of the most upscale neighborhoods of the city--close to great restaurants and boutiques in the town of Bebek. Much more of a "local" experience--and a home I'd gladly return to.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/12/09 Review Submitted: 10/12/09

Our stay was fantastic! The house had amazing view, location and all the amenities. We will definitely stay there on our next trip to istanbul.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/21/09 Review Submitted: 09/21/09

We stayed at this amazing apartment for a long weekend following a cruise. It looks like a place where magazine photo shoots with models take place and is the perfect place to get away from touristy Istanbul and enjoy the fantastic city that so many rave about. I'd been to Istanbul before and didn't love it until we stayed here! Its pretty easy to get into the city on a bus/train from the apartment, but why leave? You have everything you need right there in Rumeli Hasari. Great restaurants right down the street too - amazing traditional turkish breakfast.

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Guest: Bill49 (Washington DC)
Date of Stay: 09/20/09 Review Submitted: 09/20/09

I stayed for several days in September. I split the trip, several days at a hotel in Taskim and then at this property. I had some trepidation as I've never used VRBO and was concerned about legitimacy, logistics and the property itself. I can assure you everything was *fantastic* The property has unmatched views. Is a very easy cab ride (10 bucks) to the Old City or shopping malls or stores if that's your thing. If I had to do it again, I would have skipped the hotel and stayed here exclusively. The owners couldn't be more helpful or responsive. I would have no concerns about returning and most surely will.

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Guest: Hassan M. Eltaher (Ottawa, Ontario - Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/21/09 Review Submitted: 08/21/09

Now that I have stayed in this particular property in Istanbul, it will be very difficult to stay anywhere else in that magnificent city. This was my fourteenth visit to Istanbul, where I stayed in dozens of hotels of almost all categories, but this was my first time in a furnished apartment by choice. This property is just a doll, and whoever plans on a medium to long term visit should seriously consider staying there. Not just for the gorgeous view on the Bosphorus. It is a paradise for ship lovers, but also for the quality of the property, its simple but inspiring artistic beauty, the location, the availability of public transportation for those who prefer not to drive, or only rely on taxi cabs, and the great support offered by the owners at all times. This place is great not just for tourists who want to take it easy and not have to chase museums, mosques, churches and palaces all day long, but also for corporate visitors who want to mix between work, recreation and an environment conducive to better thinking and planning. The detailed VRBO site was rich with very useful information. I will be back next year. Cheers.”

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Guest: Nigel & Lindsey (Northern Ireland)
Date of Stay: 08/20/09 Review Submitted: 08/20/09

We stayed in this fantastic accomodation near Istanbul. The apartment is finished to a very high standard and has breathtaking views over the Bosphorus. Highly recommended.

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Guest: Tracy Goodwin (-)
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/01/09

We loved are time in this fabulous apartment. The flat had every thing you could possibly need and the decor was inspiring, full of light colors and sleek, modern lines. The neighborhood is picturesque with cute cafes and beautiful waterside restaurants.There are parks up and down the coast and a big walkway right by the water for your evening strolls . There is also a fantastic new shopping mall about 10 Minutes away called Istinye Park.Don´t miss it. The neighbors in the building are most friendly and helpful. And the owner is very caring and attentive, answering all my questions. My family cannot wait to go back to this Bosporus jewel.Tracy Goodwin

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