I had a very pleasant stay in Venice at this apartment. Irene was helpful and friendly from the beginning. She sent me information on how to get to the house from the airport, and because she couldn't make it, Cristina, the cleaning lady, was there to receive me from the water bus at the station. It was raining, and she had an extra umbrella for me, which was such a nice gesture. When we got home, everything was explained nicely over the phone by Irene, and Cristina showed me around the apartment. She also walked me over to the closest grocery store, which is only a 5 min walk away, and its a big store with a wide range of food and toiletries, etc. The apartment is nice and big, and was very clean. The area in which it is located has a lot of cafes, restaurants, and shops. It is a 10-15 min walk to Piazza San Marco, or Saint Marks Square, which is the touristy area. From here you can also get a water bus or taxi to a lot of places. It was also easy to walk to the biennale venues, with Giardini being a 30 min walk away, but it was a comfortable walk, with cafes and restaurants/bars to stop and take a break on the way back. Arsenale is a shorter walk.

Irene was also helpful, and came over and provided extra pillow cases for my friend who joined me a few days after I had arrived in Venice. She is friendly, and easy to talk to. She provided us with useful advice about places to see, to avoid, and restaurants we could eat at. As she knew I was visiting Venice for the biennale, she had also provided books like the Biennale art guide to the city 2015, which was very kind and thoughtful of her.

The house also has english television, and Italian television, if you do understand it. There is also a music system, and I found and enjoyed an Italian music CD. Irene has also provided an iron and hairdryer, which was much appreciated. The views from the apartment are also spectacular, and they were much enjoyed and are missed.

I would love to be back in Venice, and stay here again. If you are looking for a place in Venice, I definitely recommend staying here. It's in a great location, the apartment is great, and Irene was a wonderful host!