Excellent location, good access to public transportation and amenities like groceries and dining. Historical neighborhood, if a little run down. The host was friendly and responsive to all of our requests, and kept sure the apartment was cleaned regularly every week. Most facilities needed for extended stay were available.

The only major negative was the comfort of the bed. The frame was not sturdy and the quality of the mattress was below average. While fine for maybe 1-2 nights, it wasn't adequate for long stays. Other minor points would be the lack of a microwave oven and the location of the air conditioner, which would probably be more effective in the bedroom.

It's a great way to experience living like a local, in probably one of the last remaining untouched communities in central Istanbul. There is vibrant street life, interesting shops, cafes, and restaurants aside form basic neighbourhood shops. Best of all, the tram station was nearby to get into other parts of the city.

The apartment was beautiful, provided that authentic feel, stunning views of the city.

We used google maps and it took a couple wrong turns to find the property, eventually had to ask a lady walking on the street. Upon check in we had assistance with our luggage, at checkout we had to struggle down very steep, narrow stairs with our luggage.

- Nice apartment - Nice decor - Very supportive and helpful owner; always on hand to help

- Not fault of the owner but do some research about Balat. It's a cool area with nice houses and things to see but it is conservative.

The biggest plus is a localisation in the old part of the city, close to the area with a lot of cafe's and restaurants. You will see more local people as tourists here. In all this places are normal prices. Is close to buses and to tram. In the appartment there is washing machine, fridge, hair dryer. Its a budget very nice place.

Everything was fine

Comfortable, clean, friendly and helpful owners. We’ve been interrailing across Europe and it was a godsend so stay somewhere with a stovetop AND a washing machine! The owners put together a comprehensive guide to the area, using public transport, using the apartment facilities (washing machine etc) and even some recommendations for local hammami. They were also gracious enough to store our backpacks the day we checked out.

We were very happy to be able to discover Istanbul from Elele! The staff is lovely and very helpful, they are always there to guide you. They also offered to book a taxi from the airport - very nice and easy solution to arrive. The apartment was little and simple, but clean and nice. We appreciated folkloric decoration and the district: authentic and vibrant with colors and people! It is quite easy to go to the center by bus, and you will surely appreciate a wide choice of restaurants and coffees in the area!

Our apartment was on the 1st floor, which turned out to be a little bit dark and humid. If I knew, I would choose an apartment on a higher floor or on the last one, with a balcony. But still, everything was clean and nice, so it was not a big problem.

Great place. Having a separate living room with full kitchen utensils, with a washing machine was super comfortable. We will stay definitely longer next time. Located in a quite street in an authentic, lovely neighborhood with lots of little cafe’s and shops. Balat is a new trending part of Istanbul. It is very central and special must-see place on the historical island. It is very recommended to explore the historical island on foot starting from Balat and respectively Eminonu and Sultanahmet. Having super fast internet (around 90 Mbps) helped me a lot for working remotely. All in all a very advantageous place and neighborhood to stay.

Amazing place. Beautiful and comfortable room and the balcony ❤️ it is located in quiet part of Balat but it is not far away from restaurants. Room was clean. Staying there was really nice experience.

Perfect location in old district with very scenic views, old mosques, small houses and narrow streets. Relatively far from the crowds and relatively close to the historical center. Nice, cozy apartment, easy check-in. Highly recommend.