We had a nice stay at Marilene's place and liked the close location to supermarkets and Ipanema beach. The apartment is well stocked with essentials and toiletries, which was a big plus! For us the apartment was quite small, and we bumped into shelves etc. (especially with our heads!) which made it less relaxing. If you are tall/fat and more than two people, it will definitely feel cramped. Marilene is a lovely person and quick to communicate, although sometimes we had difficulty understanding each other due to language barriers! Overall it was a good stay and not bad value for Ipanema.