Pedro is a wonderful host! Very attentive and super quick communications.
The location of the apartment is amazing! It's a block away from the beach, and tons of restaurants and bars nearby. There is also a gym inside the building which you can go to. The fee is quite reasonable (~R$ 30 for day pass).
Overall, I would recommend staying at Pedro's apartment. A few things could be better though:
1) The apartment wasn't as clean as I had hoped. I didn't trust any of the dishes, so I washed everything before using.
2) The water heater in the bathroom is a little wonky. The water would be super hot when it's running and then quite cold when it shuts off.
3) The neighborhood is a bit loud, but that's to be expected in Rio. When I was there, there was a dog nearby that wouldn't stop barking.
4) There was no good place to work in the apartment. There was no desk in the bedroom, and no air conditioning elsewhere in the house.