These guys are just fantastic. Mustafa (one of the staff and an excellent cook) really saved my life. Being tired and foolish I left my phone in the taxi, I thought it was gone for sure but Mustafa actually went and reviewed the cameras, got the plate number, called the municipal authority and got the drivers information, called him and he found the phone and drove it back to me. Nothing short of remarkable. The honesty and integrity wont be forgotten.
Now onto the property and the food. The location is awesome, close to the airport and an amazing view of the Black Sea. Arnavutkoy is exactly how you would imagine an ancient european fishing village to be. The culture, architecture and feeling of the area is great, not at all touristy and the people treat you just like another human being, not a mark like in Istanbul. Dont get me wrong Istanbul is amazing in its own way but I wouldnt stay there, stay here and take the 500 Lira (25 USD) taxi into the city to visit and sight see.
The food was authentic, tasty and well presented. The first night when Mustafa was busy fixing my mistake the owner invited me for dinner, drinks, fresh bread, it was just fantastic and if you can believe it when I tried to pay he refused to take any money. This speaks to the quality of the people here.
If you're looking for a spot to spend a layover or touristing in Turkey this is the place to stay.
Ill be back in May! Thank you again for a great experience.
