Good bed, that’s the first thing—at least for us it was, cuz we’re getting old and stuff like that matters. But then again, who stays overnight anywhere without a good night’s rest as top priority? This place had a mattress someone spent coin on and it should give most, if not all, a fighting chance of sleep. The en-suite bathroom was immaculate, complete with soaking tub/shower combo, which is a rarity in European B&B’s because they take up too much space. Water was hot and plentiful—decent pressure by U.S. standards since spoiled Americans shamelessly want more of everything. Don’t expect lots of moving around space here, or in most European rentals, because these places don’t got space to burn and real estate is always more of a premium than in the U.S. Besides, Pietro’s not advertising a place to host parties. He’s advertising a cozy base for experiencing Venice and it delivers: good location close to train and bus stations; and walking distance to all the sights, assuming you’ve got legs and are willing to use them. Getting lost down a few side streets will probably be enjoyable, like it was for us. Do yourself an Information Age favor and ditch your smartphone for a while. Try looking up and around you, old-school style, and notice where you’re at and what’s going on around you. You might like it. Pietro’s heating systems worked—a controller in each room. I assume cooling is just as good during warmer months. The nook loft (no railing) had just enough space (barely) for a very comfortable leather chair, perfect for a good read, device fix, or just a snooze after tourist overload. Stairs are steep (think ladder) so be careful, but it’s worth the climb. I wished I had something similar back home, with the same window view on a stoney Venetian street complete with canal. Be advised that the outside courtyard acoustics can amplify street level sounds, but nothing too dramatic—depends on what you’re used to. Perfectly quiet it wasn’t, even during later evening hours, but again it’s Venice (a city with nightlife) and people and daily activities are close. Any disturbance was short-lived and all went quiet during witching hours (midnight to about 7am). Kitchenette was small, but surprisingly complete with a mini-dishwasher. It gets basics done with all the right appliances—small but serviceable. Don’t plan to make big meals here, but if you’re in Venice it’s understood you’re looking to have Venetians do most of the cooking. Finally, Pietro loves Venice and people, or he had me fooled on both counts. He spent time connecting and sharing with us. He hung out and answered questions about whatever. His history of the Jewish part of Venice was accurate, based on what I know, and informative. This is all the stuff you don’t get at a sterile, been-to-one-been-to-all hotel, right? Bottom line: If we’re back in Venetzia, we’ll be back at Pietro’s. Thanks, man. Long live one of the most unique and storied cities on planet earth.