ALL STAR HOST. I would give Irene 6 stars out of 5 if I could; her hospitality was a standout, over and above in every way. She helped me to book a hair and makeup appointment at a fitting salon, which would have proven unnavigable for me to figure out on my own, without speaking the language or knowing the area. She accommodated our extra- late checkin and checkout times, which made our whole stay a lot easier. She gave us fitting and savvy recommendations for the hole in the wall type places we like to go, once she got the idea that we were not looking for the typical tourist experience. And she was incredibly communicative, able to answer and help with my random questions about how to get around Venice and even book an extra night with her last minute. She was awesome, and I couldn’t recommend her more.
Now, the flat: the pictures don’t do it justice. It’s lovely. It’s tucked away a bit from the hustle and bustle, on the top floor of a (1400 year old?) castle. Wow. Breathtaking views, and clean simple design with all the things you’d expect from a modern apartment- with two bathrooms at that! The air conditioning works well too- which was very much necessary a couple of the summer nights we stayed. And the outside was not too noisy at all - actually, quite quiet for most of the time (and this is something I am sensitive to when I travel). The neighborhood is one that is easily accessible to everything, yet doesn’t feel like it’s overcrowded with tourists. There are cute local shops just a couple steps away, and late night local restaurants.