Communication with Giacomo was great. I didn't get to meet him in person but he was always quick to respond to messages and texts. Arranging the key swap went smoothly, with his friend Grace who met us at the determined time and place. The apartment is in an old palazzo, with all of its charm and some of its quirks. The entryway and interior courtyard is huge, like a knight on a horse could easily walk around in there. Then you climb some graceful wide staircases to get to the unit. Inside, there are very high ceilings, felt like 20 feet high. The living room has stucco reliefs and there are two beautiful Murano glass chandeliers. The bed was big and comfortable. Hot water isn't unlimited (I don't think it is in much of Venice), but there was plenty for two of us to take showers. Water pressure can be a little soft. We used the air conditioner in the bedroom and it was very modern and powerful and effective. The bedroom windows do indeed look out onto a canal, as well as a pedestrian walk that has lots of bars and restaurants. Light sleepers will want to bring ear plugs, as the bars downstairs can get busy, and the big windows do let in some sound. I loved the neighborhood, as it was nicely removed from Venice's most touristy areas. Felt much more local and low-key, but was still really easy to reach all the main sights. I also like that this apartment was a short walk from the train station, yet was nicely removed from the tacky touristy stuff that's immediately around the train station. A great home base with a great view for exploring Venice.