Views on Venice was founded in the late 1990’s when the concept of short term apartment rentals was in its infancy and rarely considered an option by most visitors to the city. As a ‘thirty-something’ Venetian excited by the new business and communication opportunities offered by the internet, I decided to link up with a close childhood friend in creating a partnership which, at the time, was a novelty in Venice. The idea we had in mind was to approach the traditional management of my family’s apartments from an entirely different angle, while at the same time resisting the attentions of those wanting to transform my family's palazzo into a prestigious hotel. Our aim was to offer these apartments, as well as those of friends, for rental to an international clientele who’d take pleasure in the comfort, freedom and authenticity of ‘living at home as a Venetian’ rather than merely observing the city from the confines of an anonymous hotel room or suite. The common denominator then, as now, was to offer ‘something extra’ amidst an already extraordinary city - an added dimension which turns a ‘stay’ into an ‘experience’ and a 'dream' into 'reality'.

An ancient canal-side palace within minutes of St. Mark’s Square. Hidden away on its landside within the secret courtyard ‘Corte Rubbi’, on the Castello/San Marco border, this once forgotten building has been magically transformed by restorers with vision and interior design savoir-faire Corte Rubbi 5 – on the 2nd Floor reached by stairs – sleeping 2+2 A beautifully attired bijou studio enjoying canal views from its 2 windows to the fore and comprising: A charming main living / dining / sleeping area in fashionably clashing shades of flamingo pink and scarlet with Venetian terrazzo flooring, wooden beamed ceiling, a double bed with twin bunk beds to the rear, a well-equipped kitchenette for light cooking, and a dining area seating 4 A luxurious bathroom to the side with marble walls and chromotherapy shower

Close to a host of shops, restaurants and bars including the much-lauded Alle Testiere, the upmarket Bistrot de Venise and Alle Corone of the nearby Hotel Reali, the charming Osteria Al Portego (delicious cicheti!) and Osteria Ae Sconte, plus Ristorante Santa Maria Formosa with its tables on the campo. Also within easy reach of 4 well-stocked supermarkets – a Despar at Calle al Ponte de la Guerra, a COOP at Salizada San Lio, and a COOP and a Despar on the Riva del Carbon (near the Rialto Bridge), along with a ‘Vino Sfuso’ (wine on tap) shop on Calle del Mondo Novo and a greengrocer’s stand at Campo Santa Maria Formosa. Within a short stroll of the vaporetto (water bus) stop at Rialto for exploring the city, the ‘Traghetto’ gondola ferry carrying passengers across the Grand Canal between the Riva Del Carbon and San Silvestro in the San Polo district and the vaporetto (water bus) stop at San Zaccaria for trips around town, visits to the Lido beaches and to the Biennale Pavilions at Arsenale and Giardini.