I checked in 23:00 Christmas night with little fuss. It was immediately clear that the building was very secure. All the staff were welcoming and friendly. I met Vivian at her restaurant the next day and we chatted for a while. I have visited Rio many times so I was not very demanding.

The apartment was a nice sized one bedroom with everything i needed. The kitchenette was well equipped although i ate out every night. Water pressure was excellent for the shower, wifi was reliable and fast and i had plenty of storage space in the bedroom. I did not use the TV but it was a good size with international channels.

The maid service was something i hadn't really thought about when i booked but turned out to be a godsend. Having fresh sheets and towels throughout my sixteen night stay was nice.

There is a launderette very near as well as juice bars and a por kilo restaurant. The beach is two minutes from the front door to the building. A recent addition is a free bike station which has just been erected next to the apartment where you can have a bike for one hour at no charge. (Registration required).

Although Brasilians can be lively in the evenings outside, I noticed little noise other than car horns occasionally in the morning. I would often walk back from Sequiro Campos late in the evening and did not feel uncomfortable at any stage, although out of habit, i always dressed down so that i did not look like a tourist.