First of all, Sonia is the perfect host. Super friendly, helpful and proactive.
The apartment was nice, a bit dated in terms of decor though, but this wasn’t really an issue. Brazil has bugs so be prepared for that, make sure you don’t leave one crumb otherwise they will be out.
The apartment is four blocks from the beach and one block from the metro station. The local area can seem a bit rough, but you’ll get used to it. I didn’t feel unsafe at any point. I felt like a real local Carioca living there for over a month.
All in all I felt it was good value for money.