My husband and I stayed in Alex's apartment in Copacabana for 4 nights during December.

The host: Alex communicated to us well before, during and after our stay. He met us at his apartment the day we arrived and helped us with our bags, gave us a free map with all sightseeing/attractions in Rio plus some of his own recommendations. Upon departure/check out from the apartment Alex met us again to say goodbye and help us with our bags again which we appreciated.

The apartment: If you are on a budget, and would like something affordable in Rio, this is the place for you. The apartment is simple, and has everything you would need for a short stay in Rio. The bed was a little uncomfortable, and the pillows weren't amazing. The entire apartment looked a little dusty and looked as though it could use a thorough cleaning, and the shower pressure is not very good (the water isn't overly hot either) but that did not stop us from enjoying ourselves in Rio. The wifi signal is very strong which we appreciated. During December the weather in Rio is VERY HOT, and the apartment has a fan which we had on continuously during our stay, plus a humidifier right by the window which really cooled down the whole apartment and we felt so refreshed and cool. The view from the apartment is of tall apartment buildings which is quite nice and you do get great air flow. When we arrived at the apartment, Alex had provided us with cold bottled water in the fridge which we really appreciated after such a long journey from Sydney! By the way, the fridge is a decent size which we thought was great!

Safety: During our time at Alex's apartment in Rio we felt really safe. The apartment building is monitored by security guard 24/7, monitoring who goes in and out of the building. We felt at ease knowing there was always someone there. In addition, we were on the 10th floor in the apartment building (Alex's apartment) so we felt even safer!

Location: The location is perfect in Copacabana! Walking distance to the supermarket, bank, and just minutes to Copacabana beach! A word of advice, do not take anything you wouldn't want stolen from you down to the beach, you are best to just go with your towel and shoes, especially when in the water and no one is watching your things. Copacabana beach is packed but it is in walking distance! The best (and safest!) way to get around Rio is to get an Uber everywhere. Ipanema and Leblon are close as well if you want to check them out. The Christ the redeemer is 30 minutes away with Sugarloaf mountain about 20-25 mins away which was convenient. Alex advised us to take Uber and it was the best decision!

So, if you're on a budget and need a central location in Rio, Alex's apartment is a good choice for you!