I stayed in Alexandrea’s apartment for 3 months during the Christmas holidays, the best location which is in the middle of Barra Da Tijuca, beach across the street, rental bikes, lots of restaurants and bars down the street and several malls are very close and for me the Olympic Golf course is not far where you can also take helicopter tours of Rio. Everyday was a vacation as there is always something to do or just relax at the pool, sauna, or go to the gym. Also this area is one of the safest in Rio.
For the apartment, I found it clean and had everything I needed for an extended stay. Nice king size bed, 2 TVs and plenty of kitchen utensils. The view is outstanding, every morning seeing the surfers out early catching the waves while having breakfast on the patio before heading out to enjoy the day. And the host was very responsive when needed, answering any questions to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Good price too.