If you want a stylish, spacious apartment in a great area of Venice look no further. This was the best experience I’ve had on Air bnb. Antonina’s place is exquisite.
At the time I booked the apartment there were no reviews so I just went off the photos and Antonina’s brilliant and speedy communication. My expectations were incredibly exceeded.
Before arrival Antonina sent through a huge list of local restaurants, bars, attractions and yoga studios. The ones we tried fulfilled more than we could ask for. Definitely try the restaurant directly across from the apartment, where the food and wine are gorgeous.
Antonina also gave me very detailed advice on how to get to the apartment and the various prices it would cost. We opted for a water taxi from St Marco airport that drops you outside the door and I can’t recommend it enough. You feel like James Bond!
Arriving, Antonina was there to greet us, showed us up to the apartment and took us through how everything worked. She was lovely, charming and made us feel like this was our home in Venice and left us to enjoy it. I contacted her a few times throughout our stay with various questions about sights and getting around and she was very quick to respond and extremely helpful.
The apartment is across three levels. There is a striking entry room with library and reading desk, then a very well equipped kitchen, bathroom and stunning high ceilinged master bedroom. Up the stairs is a huge space that includes a lounge room with ridiculously comfortable couches and beds, or day beds, at the other end. Up from there is the apartment’s crowning glory: the rooftop that overlooks Venice.
When we arrived Antonina had left us a chilled bottle of Prosecco that we took upstairs and it’s where I asked my now fiancé to marry me. Yep it’s that stunning! After that we were up on the rooftop at least three times a day taking in the beauty of our surrounds.
The area, Dorsoduro, is sublime with a huge array of great restaurants and supermarkets minutes walk away, but quiet enough to enjoy the real Venice. It’s only a 20 minute walk from St Mark’s Square and a ten minute walk away from Piazzale Roma where the buses take you to the airport.
Obviously I’m biased because I will remember this place for the rest of my life as romantic and wonderful, but I would whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to get swept up in the style and romance that Venice and Antonina has to offer.