We had initially booked a different apartment from the same host, but it became unavailable due to a water leak. Fabio was able to get us another place on short notice in the same general area.
This place was on a very busy arterial 3 blocks from the beach. There was much police presence and we felt safe walking during the day. This being our first visit to Brazil, we were surprised that the only hot water was in the shower (it sounds like this is not uncommon). The bed was very comfortable. The kitchen was sufficient for our yogurt and cereal breakfasts. The WiFi was nice and fast.