I stayed with Marcio for a night. He is a very cool guy, knows a lot about Rio and the surrounding areas. He showed me how to get around easily and I had no problem communicating with him and getting in an out of his place. His place is a 5 min walk from Copacobana beach and a very nice 30 min walk to Ipanema beach. Very good area. Very safe. He is a very nice guy who will help you out with anything you need. For the price and what he provides, it is well worth a stay here!