My stay at Elena's place in Botafogo was excellent. Her description of the apartment and the conveniences of its location were spot on. Additionally, Elena went out of her way to help me fulfill many of the objectives of my trip, which, in additional to some of the usual tourism one might partake in while visiting Rio, included PhD research at the Biblioteca Nacional. Elena was generous and kind, and we enjoyed several lengthy and spirited conversations about our cultures, which added a great deal of richness to my overall experience in Brazil. Regarding the neighborhood of Botafogo, Elena's apartment is completely central, on a safe street, with plenty of things to do nearby. Additionally, Botafogo is not a tourist mecca, which means that it's a bit easier to cruise around there, as opposed to Copacabana and Ipanema, where most tourists tend to go and either visit or stay. That said, Botafogo is a 5 minute metro ride from Copacaba and 15 minutes from downtown. For me, it was the perfect location to enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of Rio de Janeiro. As someone who has traveled extensively in South American capitals, I would highly recommend staying at Elena's place.