Beautiful Venice

Guest: M.M (Victoria, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/15/12 Review Submitted: 02/08/12

My family (2 adults and 2 children, aged 12 and 14) stayed in this apartment in January 2012. It is easily accessed with two vaporetto stops nearby. We bought a 3 day pass and simply hopped on and off whenever we didn't feel like walking. Venice is magnificent and we were not disappointed by the apartment. The photos accurately reflect the apartment. The main bedroom is very spacious with a stack of storage space in cupboards. We did not use the loft space as it is rather tiny but used the pull out sofa bed instead. The apartment has all utensils and appliances that are needed as well as a small supply of the basics (tea, coffee, oil etc). It is important to stress that the stairs are very steep and the stairway is narrow but this was really only a problem upon arriving with luggage and then again leaving (but we were forewarned and besides, we needed to burn off some calories!) We felt very safe in Venice (actually in all of Italy) and we would love to return. The streets around the apartment reflect more of a 'local' feel than other parts of Venice, so it was very quiet and relaxing. Thank you Linda, we hope to return one day.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

A Serene Getaway in La Serenissima

Guest: Desi (Sicily)
Date of Stay: 01/19/12 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

This apartment is perfect for families of small children. Myself, my husband, our three-year-old and our five-month-old have just completed a stay here and enjoyed it thoroughly. The location is ideal for sightseeing - an easy walk to Piazza San Marco. Via Garibaldi is a thirty second walk away where you can find super markets, restaurants, a few fabulous bakeries and anything else you could need or desire. The island of Sant'Elena is very close as well and perfect for a morning or afternoon run - there are also playgrounds on Sant'Elena and a little closer in the Biennale gardens for your children. The views are amazing. The apartment itself is well stocked with pots, pans, dishes, linens, etc. I definitely recommend choosing this apartment for your stay in Venice. Ms. Burbank is a pleasure to work with and very accommodating. You won't regret it :)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Perfect Venetian Apartment

Guest: Camille (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 10/16/10 Review Submitted: 12/29/11

Myself and 2 friends took the trip of a lifetime and visited Italy in October of 2011. Venice, and this apartment was our first stop. The Apartment was easy to find (thanks to Linda's detailed instructions on how to get to the apartment). We were wary of the many steps the previous reviewers had mentioned but honestly, they weren't that bad! The only time they were a trifle unfortunate was when we had to carry our luggage up them. This apartment is perfect locationa as well. The thing to remember about venice, is it's actually pretty small. My friends and I walked the entire city, and it the walk at night to the apartment was a lovely way to wind down the night. The area is also very safe. We were 3 young ladies on our own and never once felt in danger in/around this apartment (or really, in Venice at all). There are restaurants and wine bars literally around the corner from this apartment as well. I would recommend this apartment to anyone! The only problems we did have were with the electricity and convertors, but I think that was more user error than a fault to the apartment. Linda is super responsive, and upon arriving when we did not have enough linens, she very quickly responded to my email to tell me where I could find them. She is super helpful. This apartment was great, and we really enjoyed our time there.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Our Sept 2011 stay in Venice

Guest: Randy M (Leawood, Kansas)
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

The owners left very detailed instructions on how to use everything in the apartment, as well as a thorough list of shops on the nearest main street. The rooms were very clean and well-ordered, and the description / photos showed us exactly what to expect. I would also add that the owners are available to answer questions via e-mail. It was close to tourist attractions via boat but far-enough off the beaten track to be quiet at night. We really felt we were in the real Venice!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Lived like Venetians!

Guest: Karen (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 09/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

My husband and I along with our 2 teenage daughters spent 3 wonderful days in Venice, and lived like Venetians in Linda's great, great apartment. Yes, you must climb 58 steps to get to "the dream", but it is SO worth it. Linda was great about communicating with us, she has a detailed "manual" in the apartment that lists everything from pharmacies to her favorite restaurants. The WiFi is such a bonus, as is the washer - we rented a couple of other apartments on our trip, and they didn't come with a washer, which makes it a bit tricky as far as either packing enough or figuring out where to wash clothes. That is obviously NOT an issue at Linda's place. We loved being there, and would recommend the place to anyone looking for a real-feel Venetian apartment.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Wonderful Apartment and Terrific Location

Guest: Camille (Jackson Hole, WY)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

A friend and I came to Venice for the Venice Biennale opening in early June and had the very good fortune to stay in this Dream of Venice apartment. The location could not have been better for our purposes. We were located between the Arsenale and the Giardini - only a short 5 minute walk to either place and just off the Grand Canal. This location was not only very convenient for the Venice Biennale, but the neighborhood was charming and there were not the hoards of tourists in the streets that one finds closer to San Marco. The vaporetto stops are equally convenient to access other parts of Venice with little to do. The guide to the neighborhood left in the apartment was extremely helpful as well. I was able to locate anything from a coffee to an adapter with very little hassle. And the phone that was provided in the apartment saved me! The apartment is simple and clean and perfect for a couple and a child (or two if you use the pull out couch) or one additional adult. I extend a huge thank you to the owners for making our experience so great.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, families with young children.

Pleasant stay in Castello

Guest: Beeb (Brisbane, Australia)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 05/12/11

My husband and I stayed in Linda's apartment for two weeks in April 2011. It was very comfortable, especially the bed which was beautiful (more like a king size) as was the bedroom itself with the afternoon sun streaming in providing a lot of cozy warmth. We enjoyed the views of the lagoon with the large ocean liners coming and going and the park next door. We loved the neighbourhood, Castello, which is a real Venetian neighbourhood with only a smattering of tourists which makes you feel as though you are really living in Venice which is want we wanted. Via Garibaldi is the main street in Castello and has absolutely everything you could require and Linda provides a good directory to all the shopping and amenities in the area. There is a really good internet point in via Garibaldi run by Gianni who is very nice. We dropped our camera and needed to buy another one which we did from Gianni at a price I don't think you would get anywhere else in Venice - such is the beauty of living among the "real" Veneziani. The apartment itself is smaller than it appears on the website and I would suggest that it would not suit larger sized people as the bathroom and shower are quite compact and the steps up to the loft are more like a ladder which I did not feel inclined to use. My husband did use them, however, and he felt that the loft space would be mostly suitable for children rather than adults as the ceiling is low and the room very compact also. Linda let us know that the television was not working the week before we arrived in Venice which was a bit disappointing given that we were staying for two weeks and we did not have a computer so contact with the outside world was minimal although we did buy an international newspaper daily. The last thing I should comment on are the 58 steps which Linda makes no secret of in her website and reviews. The steps are demanding, not just in number but also that they are steep and the staircase narrow. Luggage is a challenge to take up to the apartment (although you only have to do this once) as is shopping but my feeling is that if you are in any way unfit or unsteady on your feet or have small children, this apartment would not be suitable for you. Other than these few points I hve mentioned, I really enjoyed dealing with Linda who was very helpful in all ways associated with the rental.

Owner response:I was happy to hear how much these renters enjoyed their time in Venice, our neighborhood, and our apartment. We do everything we can to make sure that everyone's stay is pleasant. Unfortunately, the television was stopped working before this guest's stay, but it is working again now. The apartment does have free high-speed wireless internet access so it's easy to keep in touch with people back home, but guests need to bring their own computers, iPads, or smart phones. Thanks to this reviewer for the good tip on the local internet point for those who travel without electronic gadgets!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Amazing apartment

Guest: Ed (Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/06/11

After traveling for over 3 months staying in Linda's apartment is definitely one of the highlights of my journey. Every need that could be conceived Linda has anticipated and provided for. The apartment is immaculate and the location is superb. You can soak in the key tourist spots only moments away and just as quickly find authentic, atmospheric Venice. Linda was more than willing to provide advance email advice to make my arrival go smoothly. Canadians will appreciate that the apartment is just around the corner from Giovanni Cabotto's home!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+.

We Loved Every Moment

Guest: Pam, Alan & Katie (Victoria, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/17/11 Review Submitted: 03/27/11

Thanks to Linda and Sam and their charming apartment, our 6 night stay in Venice was a dream vacation. The apartment was spotless, comfortable and well situated in a lovely neighbourhood. Especially helpful were Linda's notes on practically every shop and restaurant on the nearby Via Garibaldi, with notes on each to help us choose where to shop. The location was perfect - only 10 minutes from San Marco Square, with the Biennalle Gardens just around the corner. The views from the windows were lovely, the beds were comfortable, and the kitchen was very well equipped. We cooked several lunches and dinners, which made us feel at home. The second small bedroom was perfect for our teenage daughter, who was delighted to have her own space. Yes, there are indeed 58 steps, but we needed the workout. Our dream is to return one day to Venice.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

The perfect place to stay

Guest: Bob (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 04/15/09 Review Submitted: 01/10/11

A delightful apartment and the perfect place for our 6 week stay in Venice. On the top floor of a quiet building in Castello, the apartment is just far enough from the central tourist area to offer relief from the crowds but close enough (and Venice is small enough) that we could walk to Piazza San Marco in 10-15 minutes. Steps away from the apartment in one direction is Via Garibaldi, the neighborhood shopping area frequented by locals where we bought our groceries. Steps away in the other direction is the bay, a magnificent view of the city, and a pleasant-enough café where we often had a cappuccino and brioche in the morning or an afternoon drink. The apartment itself is clean, well-maintained and thoughtfully furnished, with a large and comfortable master bedroom, a smaller bedroom/study that we used when we had guests, a loft study that provided a wonderful writing retreat, and a kitchen/dining/living area that had everything we needed for cooking, cleaning, and hosting guests on the pull-out sofa that is firm and comfortable both as a sofa and as a bed. As the pictures accurately show, the apartment is very attractive and we found it a very pleasant place to be when the weather kept us indoors. Linda was wonderfully helpful from the moment we first contacted her about renting the apartment – we’ve rented apartments abroad before and have never felt the kind of concern that Linda shows that her guests have a great experience of the apartment and of the city. We couldn't recommend it more highly.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers.