We enjoyed our stay at Rafael's apartment. It is ideally situated less than 1 minutes walk away from Ipanema, and a 5 minute walk to Copacabana. The apartment itself is set back from the street and surrounded by a fence and tall plants so it is very private. The area is safe and well-lit at night, and close to lots of good restaurants and bars. There is a supermarket close by as well. The kitchen is well stocked and Rafael left us local snacks and drinks as a welcome gift. Rafael lives next door and is very responsive to any questions, and provides several recommendations for bars, restaurants, etc upon arrival.