My stay at Cristina's was wonderful from day one. I was in Rio for the summer doing an internship and stayed a total of 2.5 months. The location of the apartment is perfect, just 5 minutes from both the Cantagalo metro station and Copacabana beach. There are all sorts of shops and restaurants around the area so finding food is not a problem. My favorite places to eat were these restaurants that allow you to pay based on the weight of the plate. There is one very close to the apartment and I ended up eating there almost every day. There is also a supermarket just a block away.
The apartment itself is clean and comfortable. She has a very sweet lady, Maria, come clean the apartment every week which can include your room if you would like. Cristina gave me plenty of space in the fridge to store my food as well as a whole cabinet in the kitchen. Though I didn't cook as much during my stay, the kitchen was fully equipped and great to use.
The room I stayed in was small but it was all I needed. It was nice to have my own bathroom as well though I ended up showering in the other bathroom just because it was bigger and more comfortable to do so.
Cristina is a great host and was attentive from the moment we met. She always made sure I felt at home and would respond quickly to any questions or concerns I had. During my stay my dad came to visit and we were able to rent the other room in the house. He loved her too!
Rio was a wonderful experience and I know some of that had to do with me feeling at home and comfortable at Cristina's place. I hope to stay with her next time I'm in town!