We had a great time at Barbara's place - the apartment is really close to Ipanema's beach, there are two Metro-Stations nearby that will take you to the historic city centre without the traffic, the lagoon with great views can be reached in a few minutes by foot and there are several great restaurants, Cafés, bakeries and supermarkets within walking distance.
Barbara is a very welcoming and helpful host, she responded within minutes to any question we had. Thumbs up and big thanks!