I am a hotel snob and always a little hesitant when staying at an Air BnB. All of my concerns disappeared when we got to the apartment. The apartment is exactly as it looks in the pictures - stylish yet practical. The beds are firm and the AC is powerful (important, as we visited in the middle of summer when temps were as high as 40* during the day). We did not cook, but could have easily done so. The kitchen is equipped with a stove, oven, blender, coffee maker, refrigerator, etc... There is a 24/7 doorman, a gym, and an office where you can use modern computers with internet.

The first night we had a powerfully hot shower. The following nights, however, the water never even got warm. We did not bother complaining to the host because it was so hot outside, the cold shower was refreshing.

Another small problem was the issue of teeny tiny ants everywhere. My guess is that this isn't a problem with the apartment or Giorgio but with the cleanliness whoever stayed before us.

The best part about this apartment is the neighborhood. It is near Santa Teresa and a few blocks walk to the heart of Lapa. There are more bars, live samba clubs and restaurants than you ever imagined. We love live music, so being able to catch a show and walk home to sleep was great. Even better is that this apartment is not located on the strip of bars and it faces the inside of the building so it is quiet (I am very sensitive to noise). One note is that Lapa is home to many prostitutes. Many of them work the corners not too far from the apartment. While this wasn't a problem for us (we never felt unsafe), it could be for some travelers.

Finally, Giorgio was very responsive. We were without luggage our first two days and he let us give the airline his phone number until we could get a phone number of our own. He also responded to our messages within a few minutes which is key when you are in a new place.

In short, we were very happy with our visit, would stay again and can recommend this apartment to other travelers.