Stop your search--BOOK NOW!! Here are all the reasons I love Francesco's place and some helpful tips too.
1) It is located about 20-25 minutes walk from Piazza San Marco, away from the crowds and next to Garibaldi Park which is so so lovely. The walk to San Marco is next to the water the whole way which is so refreshing and beautiful. Try getting up early one morning (before 8am) to see Venice in a whole new light. The fisherman are my favorite during this time. Or, stay up really late (minimum 12am) for another awesome perspective. Doges Palace is open until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer and it is EMPTY. Talk about a photo opp!
2) It is 100% safe. Two keyless main doors and the same for your individual room. The front desk is staffed during business hours and everyone is so friendly. (English speaking too! But learn some Italian because you're in Italy and the Italians appreciate the effort...I think?!)
3) The room: Simple accommodations are as depicted and do not disappoint, especially the COLD AC and private bathroom. Rooms are cleaned every day with fresh towels.
4) Wifi: Strong signal, low speed. This is because of Venetian wifi in general. Max speed is 7mbps. Hot tip--use it downstairs next to the computer and you won't have any problems at all. I did this every morning at breakfast.
5) Speaking of breakfast...it's great! Served from 8-9:30am and doesn't run out of food. "Typical Italian breakfast" means a selection of meats, cheeses, breads, sweets and juices.
If you made it this far in my review, here's a bonus. These are the exact directions from the airport to Francesco's place:
1. ATVO bus to Ple. Roma (8€)
2. #1 vaporetto to Giardini, in the direction of Lido, second to last stop (7.5€)
3. Walk straight in the direction of the park, do not cross the BIG bridge over the canal, cross the little one in front of you. Take the very first left, then a right and you should be on San Domenico.
4. Download CityMaps2Go on your phone before you leave home and sync all your maps to "offline" mode. It helps to pay for the Pro version if you're visiting more than one city.