A truly magnificent apartment, perfectly situated for the Biennale or for anyone looking to experience the more local side of Venice. We stayed for 5 nights (two couples and one baby) and could not have had a more pleasant experience.
The apartment is much larger than we expected, ridiculously large for a Venetian apartment in fact. Two huge bedrooms (each with its own bathroom and shower), one on a second floor, gave both couples ample privacy which was particularly welcome as the baby did cry a bit at night but didn't disturb our friends at the least. The showers had no shortage of hot water and the beds were probably more comfortable than the ones we have at home. The apartment was generally very baby friendly - we felt comfortable letting our 9 month old crawl around and explore and Annabella graciously provided us with a baby cot, which was much appreciated.
There is a living room / dining area with a nice sized dining table and a wonderful, huge kitchen that was better stocked with appliances than any airbnb I've stayed in. We cooked great meals with fresh products from the local greengrocer boat, fishmonger and butcher that are all five minutes away, as well as the local supermarket (Prix Quality) where we found the prices to be very reasonable. In the vicinity of the greengrocer etc. there's also a local wine shop where you can buy wine by the liter filled directly from the casks (the locals bring their own plastic bottles to refill) - we bought terrific young reds, whites and a summery rose' that were all wonderful and very cheap.
The apartment features soaring ceilings with wood beams, thoughtful decor and huge windows over a small canal which bring in lots of natural light and plenty of fresh air.
Annabella was a gracious and attentive host. She had just given birth and was unable to meet us herself, so she sent her friend Manuella to meet us at the Arsenale Alilaguna stop and show us to the apartment. All our questions were answered promptly and courteously, we couldn't ask for more.
One small caveat - the stairs leading up to the apartment (on the second floor) are very steep. This wasn't an issue for us at all and we had no problem navigating the stairs, even with the baby and his stroller (which is lightweight and folds very small), but perhaps there are some who would find it a little difficult.
That is literally the only slight issue with this great airbnb stay. If you're coming for the Biennale or just prefer (as we do) to be slightly removed from the tourists, look no further than Annabella's apartment.