Irene was a most helpful host. She went above and beyond in meeting me at the station and helping me get an Italian sim card for my phone. Her apartment is darling! It is charmingly decorated and everything functioned very well. It was amazing to sit at the breakfast table overlooking a canal, watching boats go by. The neighborhood is in the old Jewish ghetto and feels like a real neighborhood as opposed to a tourist area. It is a quieter area yet one can quickly get to the main attractions by boat or on foot. Staying at Irene's made the visit to Venice even more special.