I had a lovely 3 night stay in Giselle's apartment just after the new year. Giselle and her family are very friendly and despite me not knowing more than a few words in Portuguese we talked about many things from local food to sights etc. (albeit with the help of a dictionary). The apartment is secure with 24 hour concierge and the location is perfect. It is situated just across the street from one metro (subway station), so going to city and coming back is very convenient. Highly recommended for solo travelers as the room is small for 2.