August 14, 2016

Our first trip to RIO during the 2016 Olympic Games was truly a thrill! We were lucky to have Carlos’ apartment as our base. When we arrived, we simply picked up the key from the doorman, and settled into his lovely apartment. The homemade coffee cake on the counter was a nice treat and we immediately felt the warm welcome of the city. The apartment itself met all of our needs: comfortable beds, bright/airy living area, well-stocked kitchen with pans and utensils, and though there were many units in the building, we didn’t hear any noise from our neighbors. The doorman and everyone we met were kind and courteous. Even though we did not meet Carlos, we talked with him by phone on the day we arrived and he checked up on us through email, several times, just to make sure everything was in order. Carlos was flexible with our arrival and departure times, allowing us to check in early and leave later, in order to accommodate our flight times. He was a super host!

The location was convenient: a lovely coffee shop on the first floor and a grocery store two blocks away; wonderful restaurants (Venga!, Bar Astor, and Terzetto Café, were some of our favorites); Copacabana beach is a block and a half away; General Osorio subway station and the post office are a 10 minute walk; convenient bus/taxi service is right outside the door. We walked for many miles and felt safe on all the streets in the area. We left RIO with many warm memories that we will always cherish.

Peggy and Mike
Milwaukee, WI