My husband and I went to Rio for the first half of the World Cup and wanted to stay in Copacabana. The hotel prices were absurd so I looked on Airbnb and found Alex and Anastasia's listing. We basically paid 1/3 to 1/2 of what we would have paid for a comparably nice hotel room. The studio is exactly as pictured and just blocks away from the beach. It is renovated and definitely the nicest in the building. It had everything we needed to feel like we were staying in our "home away from home". The kitchen is well-equipped, and we even cooked some meals there. There were extra sets of sheets and towels, which we appreciated since we stayed so long. The AC, WiFi and large flat-screen TV were luxuries we really enjoyed. It is right by the Metro so getting to the Maracana for games, and to other areas of town like Ipanema and Lapa, was easy. The gate and doorman made us feel safe, but we were always comfortable walking around the neighborhood as well. Though it is on the 8th floor, there are two elevators. It is right next to a fabulous Japanese restaurant and walking distance to Marius, where we had great Brazilian barbecue. We walk most places and felt safe doing so, with the studio as our home base. Alex and Anastasia were wonderful hosts and made the trip extra special. They made us feel cared for and safe, with their recommendations and prompt responses to any questions we had about what to do or where to go. Alex met us at the studio when we arrived, showed us everything, and told us to contact them with any questions. We ended up meeting them both for dinner one night and Alex showed us around Petropolis on our last day, an absolute treat, and something we wouldn't have done otherwise. They are wonderful people and we were very sad to say goodbye to them. We are happy to be home, but our stay in Rio was comfortable and enjoyable due to the comforts of the studio and the kindness of our hosts.