My wife and I stayed in Djamila's apartment for almost two months,
and we had a fabulous time there. The apartment, with its gorgeous
views of Rio and plenty of storage places, just could not have been
better. Although the rent is somewhat steep, we felt that for the two
of us (both well over 70) it was worth every penny. The building is on
Rua Timoteo da Costa, close to the top of the hill of Alto Leblon, next
to the twin peaks of Dois Irmaos, so the walk to Leblon beach takes
about 15 minutes. However, for the faint of heart (leg?) there is a local
bus that circles on Rua Timoteo da Costa and passes the house every
ten minutes or so. Also, taxis are still cheap in Rio (who knows for
how much longer), so it's not a great hardship to take one up he hill.
One of our main considerations when choosing an apartment was to
nd one where I could work (I am an academic): Djamila's apartment
was perfect for that as well.
We have been to Rio half a dozen times, but Djamila's apartment
was by far the nicest place we have stayed in. And not only is the
apartment great, but the porters (who are there 24 hours) are also
most welcoming and pleasant.
One should not leave out that Djamila was an excellent hostess. In
Rio you have to expect minor (and sometimes not so minor) niggles:
Djamila was always very helpful.
The hard evidence that we have found this apartment wonderful is
that before leaving we rebooked it for ten days in the summer, when
we'll be back in Rio for a major international conference.
Thanks, Bela