Elegant library flat with panoramic Istanbul vista

Entire condo in Istanbul, Turkey

  1. 3 guests
  2. 2 bedrooms
  3. 2 beds
  4. 1 bath
Rated 4.86 out of 5 stars.167 reviews
Hosted by Jason
  1. 11 years hosting

Listing highlights

City view

Soak up the view during your stay.

Dedicated workspace

A room with wifi that’s well-suited for working.
Some info has been automatically translated.
Perched on the 4th floor of a listed, historical 1913 walk-up, 5' walk from Istiklal Street, this well-equipped, tastefully decorated apt with a huge library and rare documentary photography travels you back to Istanbul's 19th century. The library spans Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Central Asia-specific literature, philosophy, travel writing and current affairs. Renovated in 2016, 5' walk from Istiklal, 10' from trendy Cihangir and Galata districts. Discount* for architects & writers.

The space
There are many apartments around Taksim but it's rare to get access to an architect-designed one with such a well-stocked library and furnished with custom-built bookcases, Ottoman sedir seating and Levantine, North African and Viennese antique furniture. Rounded off with a modern kitchen and bathroom, this beautiful apartment is decorated with antiques from around the Middle East and Central Asia, and illustrated with documentary photography shot by its owner, a Mediterraneanist who employs print, photography and video to highlight little-known aspects of the region's shared past.
This fully-equipped 100m2 flat is part of a network of centrally-located properties in Athens, Beirut, Istanbul and Tunis, dedicated to reminding us of an earlier, kinder period of cosmopolitan coexistence in the Mediterranean.

Guest access
High-end electrical appliances (washing machine, gas stove, oven grill, electric juicer, fridge), plasma LED TV with international and Turkish channels, laptop hookup, free Internet included.

Other things to note
Those booking, you get the owner's personal, 30-page guide to Vintage Istanbul, a compendium of epicurean information about the city's lesser-known neighbourhoods, pleasures and absences.
A 10% discount is made available to writers and architects who are not also benefiting from the weekly or monthly discounts. Proof of profession is required.
Renting the apartment does not imply consent for its use in the production of audiovisual material to be used for news, entertainment or any other professional purposes. Use of the apartment for filming or photography must be cleared with the hosts ahead of the booking. Non-adherence to this rule will result in a case being opened in the Resolution Centre and a €5.000 fine.

Where you’ll sleep

1 of 2 pages

What this place offers

City skyline view
Kitchen
Wifi – 40 Mbps
Dedicated workspace
Free street parking

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4.86 out of 5 stars from 167 reviews

Guest reviews mention

Where you’ll be

Istanbul, İstanbul, Turkey
This listing's location is verified.

Neighborhood highlights

The surrounding area is blighted by gentrification but populated with crumbling historical churches and turn-of-the-century apartment buildings once inhabited by the Greek minority.
One street over is the city's best and largest organic veg-and-fruit Sunday market, and of course you have all the distractions of Istiklal just a hop, skip and jump up the hill.
Taxis are hailable from in front of the apartment, the sights of Sultanahmet are a 10' taxi ride away, and nearby metro stops in Şişhane and Taksım deliver you to the malls and offices of Levent or the boats of Karakoy, Kabatas and Besiktas to cross to Asia or visit the Princes' Islands and Asia.

Meet your host

Host
192 reviews
4.83 out of 5 average rating
11 years of hosting
My work: Corbis, BBC World Service, al-Jazeera
Speaks Arabic, English, Greek, and Turkish
I've been travelling since my mother bundled me onto a bumpy transatlantic Olympic Airways flight in 1979, a few months after I was born. Since then, I've learned to share less of my tears, screams, and dinner portions with fellow travellers. Now, I work as a Mediterraneanist, meaning that I write and make films seeking to raise awareness about the heritage-at-risk of the body of water connecting the three cities I live in: Athens, Istanbul and Tunis.

Co-hosts

  • Yorela

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within a few hours
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Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in: 2:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Checkout before 11:00 AM
3 guests maximum
Safety & property
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm
Not suitable for children and infants