Fener sweet

Pros: What an excellent stay! The room was nicely decorated and very clean. There was complimentary water and Nescafé/tea - a lovely bonus! We visited in winter and were worried about the temperature inside, but the room was really warm and cosy! We also liked the vibe of the neighbourhood, and the hills weren't an issue for us. Finally, Murat was an outstanding host. He made our stay as comfortable as it could get! We would happily return!

Best host ever!

Pros: My host Murat was very warm and helpful. I needed to go to the hospital during the trip, and Murat went above and beyond to support me with this. If you are looking for a place like a second home in Istanbul, this is it! :)

Enjoyed our stay and good value for money.

Pros: We were very happy with our stay at Fener Sweet. The rooms are small but for the price in this part of Istanbul it was good value. The bed was comfortable, the air-conditioning worked well, as did the shower. And the room was very clean. Those are always our primary requirements when traveling. The host, Murat, was very helpful and lent us an Istanbul card for travel on the trams, and took us down to the Balat tram station on the first morning to show us how to top up the card. Fener Sweet is in a quiet residential area. It’s a fair uphill walk on cobbled streets to the house, so probably wouldn’t suit anyone with mobility issues, but for the active budget traveler, Fener Sweet is a good choice. There are many good restaurants and cafes at the bottom of the hill (about 10 minutes’ walk down).

Cons: Our only issue was that on our last night there were very noisy guests in the room above us who woke us up several times, but as accommodation hosts ourselves, we realise that accommodation providers have little control over the conduct of other guests, especially in old houses with wooden floors. But fortunately on the previous three nights the house was very quiet.

Charming location, Superhost with everything you need

Pros: It's a compact room that has everything you need; a very comfortable bed, excellent wifi, a window to open for air & light (with block out curtains too, if you're a late sleeper), a soft carpet underfoot after a long day, a tea&coffee station and a private bathroom off the hall, just next to the room like an old-style hotel. It's very clean, private and safe, feels like a spare bedroom in a family home but with privacy. Murat is an exceptional host, he is clearly a very decent person; communicative, kind and helpful.

Cons: If you are a very sensitive sleeper you could be disturbed by neighbourhood noises on the street; the room is on the ground-floor with windows that open onto the cobbled lane, but all the houses are like this in the area. You may also be disturbed by the fact that you can hear people talking in the room above through the floorboards - and their footsteps - it can be a bit loud, but these are very old buildings. It initially disturbed me and then i got used to it and I found it almost comforting.

Pros: The best accommodation I had in a long time. The hosts are very kind, giving recommendations and a warm welcome. Room was squeaky clean and the location calm although only a few streets away from places of interest. Hope to come again soon!

Cons: No downsides, but be aware that it’s a climb to reach it

Fantastic

Pros: Fantastic location, we didn’t realise when booking just how close to the tram and bus the property is. Very close to busy fener/ balat and 20 minutes from eminonu. Lots of little things that made such a difference to our stay- shampoo/ shower gel, wifi, water, comfy bed :)) loved our stay

Cons: For us, we loved everything. But it is very steep hills to get to fener sweet. Also we were able to taxi one evening no problem. But consider if you have any disabilities or difficulties walking up cobblestone steep hills!

Sweet spot for budget travellers

Pros: The owner is outstandingly friendly and helpful. The room and basically the whole house was very clean. The room itself was exactly what I was expecting, not big but accommodating, i.e. a comfortable bed and an own wash room close by. All in all probably the best you can get for this competitive price.

Pros: Property very clean, host nice and friendly, totally recommend

Loved being there, would love to go back.

Pros: The location, the helpfulness of the owner and the general atmosphere of the area.

Cons: A little noisy one night from guest upstairs.

A short stay after a long trip. Very glad we chose Fener District for a change. The hotel was charmi

Pros: Great location, comfy bed and friendly helpful host