My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience staying at Nando and Deia's! At first glance their location is prime - 5 minute walk to Copacabana beach, 5-10 minute walk to the subway station. There's an endless list of restaurants, shops, and bakeries nearby - you NEED to check out the bakery on the diagonal corner!
Nando and Deia were fantastic hosts. We had the pleasure of meeting them at check in and also when we checked out - they gave thoughtful advice of how to get around, where to go, etc. You can tell they really love their neighborhood. They also offer a lot of helpful information in their manual - we referenced that very often.
As for the apartment itself, it is incredibly spacious and clean. It was a really nice retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle of the outside. You will need it after a long day wandering Rio. The building is gated with a 24-hour door man to allow you in and out.
Overall, we had an enhanced experience in Rio thanks to Nando and Deia. It was very sad for us to leave!