From the directions to get to the apartment from the airport, to recommendations of where to eat, Paolo was a terrific host. And his apartment was great too -- central enough to easily reach anywhere we needed to be, but not quite in the vortex of Venice's busy center. For a July stay, it was also great for a breather in the middle of a hot day -- reading on the couch while listening to the city bustle below was really pleasant before heading out again!