I highly recommend Marcelo's apartment. It is a great location, right next door to a food market, one block to Banco Brasil and a currency exchange for travelers, two blocks to the beach and the Copacabana Palace Hotel, and one short block to the Metro which gets you both downtown and to Ipanema in about 15 minutes. Marcelo was a very responsive host, quick to correspond.

The apartment itself is basic but very clean and comfortable. The bedroom does get bright in the morning, and the only air conditioner is in the bedroom, which might be an issue if 3+ people were staying in the apartment. There is a large ceiling fan in the living room also. I didn't cook anything but the shower/bathroom worked just fine. The building has 24 hour security with a locked entrance, and the porteiros (doormen) are really friendly and funny too. I had a late flight out of Rio and they allowed me to store my luggage so I didn't have to carry it around all day. A great experience overall.