The location of Mario's place cannot be beat! A stone's throw away from Piazza San Marco, yet without the relentless noise and crowds, you're staying where everyone else wishes they were staying!
Check-in was extremely simple, at Hotel Fontana just over the street in a gorgeous little square. The apartment itself looks over one of the many little Venetian canals, so the only noise out your window is the occasional sound of singers, guitar and accordion players serenading people in gondolas - fabulous!
The room is very spacious (much more so than the photos, I think), with a large bed (note that this is 2 large single beds pushed together), dining table, a vanity desk, a kettle/mugs area (bring your own teabags though), and a large wardrobe with a safe inside. The air conditioning unit is powerful - we could leave it on during the day and come home to a lovely cool room to sleep in.
The bathroom is perhaps a 15-20 metre walk down the corridor, but have access to this room. The shower floor was quite slippery so perhaps I wouldn't recommend this to people who are a bit less steady on their feet who would be concerned by that.
Breakfast is available for €8 per person at Hotel Fontana, and comprises of cereals, boiled eggs, cheese/hams/salamis, mini pastries and croissants, and tea/coffee/juice. This is worthwhile if you really try to fill yourself up to avoid spending much on lunch, but it would have been nice to have a little more selection (like proper bread and a toaster). If it's a nice day, there's a cute rooftop terrace up the stairs from the dining area where you can eat breakfast outside!
This place is a hidden gem in Venice, and I'd say as long as you're happy walking down the corridor (past a few other holiday-rental rooms) to use the bathroom, this is perfect. Highly recommended!