I was very pleased with my stay at Martha's for a Christmas week. The location is excellent - 2 short barefoot-walkable blocks from the beach or from the Lagoon, lots of shopping (fancy and everyday), dining, and buses right there. This is a well kept dorman building. The room (as pictured) is nice and quiet (for Rio anyway). The bathroom, which doubles as a shower, is tiny but gets the job done. The only drawback (depending on the temperature of your blood) is that the gas water heater is tricky to operate, which wasn't a problem for me during this hot summer stay. Martha is a very kind and helpful host (also speaking enough English). She provided me with helpful advice, strong coffee, and an incredible juice of her own invention. We even had a nice Christmas party with her family featuring guitars, songs, and inspiration. Thanks Martha!