Words cannot express how wonderful our stay was at Rafael's apartment in Ipanema. We arrived on Christmas day, and Rafael was kind enough to meet us in person to make sure we were able to get in okay. Multiple times a day we commented on how great it was to be seconds from the beach (literally a 1 minute walk), and it was also a great location to walk around and enjoy restaurants, cafes, and shopping. The apartment was plenty spacious, and the pull out sofa cushion bed was comfortable. We felt right at home at Rafael's and wish we could have stayed longer. Beyond the comfort and location of the apartment, Rafael himself was incredibly kind and accommodating before arrival and throughout our stay. I will definitely be back!