Silvia's room is in a tiny street in the Dorsoduro district of Venice. It's very quiet and at the same time the perfect starting point to explore Venice. St Mark's Square is just a 15-minute walk away. The nearest vaporetto (boat) stop as well as a small supermarket are just around the corner, which is also extremely convenient. If you're not up to a grand night out, you can easily find a wide variety of restaurants, take-aways, bars and a bigger supermarket in the Dorsoduro district on Campo Santa Margherita. - All in walking distance.
Since I stayed there in November, I didn't really use the patio but I imagine it would be nice place to enjoy a cup of morning or afternoon tea in the summer.
Anyway, the location is really great so I often just popped back in in the afternoons to rest a little or put down my shopping bags before venturing out again.
Silvia is and extremely friendly and helpful host and you are lucky if her room is available. She made me feel welcome and at home from day one. :-)
Btw: On the last pages of the guest book in the room, there are some restaurant recommendations.
If you're staying for only a few days, don't worry about buying an expensive travel guide. In the room there are several travel books you can borrow and other information about the city (in English), which I found very convenient.
Also, don't worry about not finding the place on google Maps. Silvia will send you detailed instructions how to get there - I found it right away although it was rainy and dark and I'm not good with maps. It worked perfectly.