Elena is a great host! Her place is nice too. She picked us up from the train station. We messed up the stops and got off at the wrong stop so we were actually 30 min later than expected, but she was so nice and still waited for us. Her place is quiet and outside of the touristy areas. It's about 30 min walk to St. Marco square & 15 min walk to piazza Roma. She left some toasts, eggs and fruits for us which was really nice of her. The only thing is that the hot water tank is small- she did warn us when we get there. Knowing it though even with trying to shower quickly I still got some lukewarm water by the end of the shower. So as long as you're prepared for this little thing, Elena's place is great! I'd recommend staying at her place.