We had a fabulous Rio experience staying at Apartment 4. Jake was not around the day we arrived (our flight was delayed) but he sent Adam, a friendly resident in the house, to meet us and show us around, and he made sure to check in with us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed. The location is simply ideal, a short 10-minute walk from Leblon beach, and with the minivan buses running every few minutes from the bus stop at the bottom of the stairs for a mere $1.50 flat rate it is fast, easy and cheap to go to Ipanema, Copacabana, Leme, etc. From our bedroom window we had a gorgeous view of Ipanema beach, and the main window overlooked the ocean at the Sheraton across the street (great place to get an excellent morning latte before a quick swim or heading out for the day). The quaint house has lots of charm (we really loved the three patios, the outdoor shower, and the Copacabana-patterned tiles on the stairs). Free wireless was a great bonus to check out places to go out for eating, drinking, and music. We would definitely come back to Jake's house. And the price was right too.

This being said, there were a few things we were not expecting. We are not the 5-star hotel type and we have traveled a lot. But judging from the pictures and descriptions posted on the web site, we did not expect having to flush the toilet by emptying a bucket of water into it, paint peeling off the ceiling, or the handle falling off the accordion door. What we did expect was a clean place. When we checked in, the apartment was not as clean as we would have liked, and over the course of our 12-day stay it was never cleaned (only the wastebaskets were emptied daily) although the price included a house cleaning fee.

All in all, we had a wonderful stay and really enjoyed the place and the atmosphere. It was just right for us. But it may not be for everybody.