We changed to Pauline's and Rodrigo's place from a noisy neighbourhood and were relieved to find a quiet environment in such a central location in Rio.

We didn't have the chance to meet Rodrigo, but Pauline is a very helpful, trustworthy and attentive host. We could even leave our suitcases with her while going on a short trip from Rio for a couple of days.

It's a popular neighbourhood and the walk uphill is indeed steep - but at least it improves your leg muscles. Bear in mind that at night it is rather difficult to catch a taxi from the house unless you have the means to call one - which can be a point if you plan to go to a lot of Samba or Choro venues and don't want to walk down the hill every time.

Overall a great option for (quite) little money!