Irene's place is exactly true to the photos. My husband and I felt like locals staying there! Irene was completely at our disposal, helping us with questions/suggestions throughout our trip. She arranged for someone to meet us at the bus station upon arrival and walk us through the dizzying streets of Venice to her apartment (we arrived via cruise ship and it was not an issue). Irene went above and beyond as a host.

We were very nervous that the apartment has no A/C, since we were staying during one of the hottest weeks of the year. It turned out not to be an issue, as the apartment is well shaded and has fans to circulate the air. This was a very welcome surprise!

I stayed at a very high-end hotel, Hotel Monaco, during my first Venice trip years ago (this was my second trip and my husband's first) and I would pick Irene's place on a future trip due to the overall experience it offered as compared to the hotel.

Positives:
- Apartment has everything you could need, including a welcome bottle of champagne and local cookies upon arrival!
- Nice view of canal from bedroom and living room.
- Very comfortable bed (it's two pushed together, but that was not an issue). Softest sheets EVER.
- Lots of information/books on Venice provided.
- Grocery store very nearby.
- Great shopping and restaurants within immediate walking distance.
- Safe area off the beaten path.
- Instant water taxi access from apartment (we bought a two-day pass and found it highly convenient).
- Tons of windows (lots of natural light and great air circulation).

Negatives:
(None of these negatives were a real issue to us, but might be to others):
- Not super close to St. Mark's Square (probably a 20 minute walk from the apartment or just take water taxi, which is much more convenient).
- Stove top heats up slowly (but there's a microwave to use as an alternative).

We Suggest:
- Purchasing tickets for the water taxi. Not cheap, but totally worth the walking you save!
- Visiting neighboring islands (Murano, Burano, Lido) via water taxi. This was my second trip to Venice and I had never seen these; I can't believe I didn't do it the first time!
- Nearby restaurant Gam Gam (Kosher food). I recently traveled to Israel. This food was 100% authentic and my carnivore husband said it was one of his favorite restaurants of our entire trip, which included Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Spain. Amazing cuisine at CHEAP prices!!
- Nearby bakery Majer (specifically, the lemon meringue tarts and chocolate mousse).

Overall, we would definitely recommend Irene's place. Irene is very hospitable and her apartment is everything you could need!