Luciana's apartment was beautiful and completely clean! I never had the chance to meet her because she was at work when I arrived, but she arranged a very smooth check-in process and was available by message for any questions I had.

Vila do Pan-Americana (which is the development where this apartment is) is very nice, but it is isolated from the rest of the city of Rio. There is a free, private bus which operates from the Vila to many of the main shopping malls in Barra (the district if Rio where the apartment is located).

The staff at the development are all very friendly, if you don't speak portuguese, you will probably be able to find someone who does and will order a taxi for you. You can expect to pay between R$15-20 for a taxi each way to the main part of Barra.

I came to Rio for a job interview, so the isolation of the Vila was perfect for me, but know that there are no restaurants or stores within walking distance.

All in all I thought it was a great apartment, a friendly host, and an excellent price!