Having been in Ipanema before, I knew what I was doing when I opted for this unique apartment: I wanted to be close to the beach, I wanted the unit to be self-contained, and I wanted to avoid the generic, anonymous "flat-in-a-highrise" experience--and possibly get a flavor of the days when Ipanema was a beach resort. Marcia's unit fits this bill admirably: Hers is one the few houses left in Ipanema. The approach to the house from the curb is unpromising because the entrance is wedged between a highrise and an empty lot, where undoubtedly there will be yet another highrise soon. Yet, stepping through the gate, you find yourself in a lovely mini-garden (shown in photo). The apartment (called #1) is downstairs from Marcia's apartment. By US standards, the unit is small, and is odd in containing a single bedroom and two full bathrooms! The size of the unit did not bother me because I spent my time in town, on the beach, or in the small garden. The fully equipped kitchen is bigger than the living room, which contains a sofa sleeper. The unit can sleep two couples. The bedroom has a powerful air conditioner wall unit and a ceiling fan. The living room has a ceiling fan and a large-screen TV.

The location of the flat is unbeatable. You can hop on a westerly bus from the street in front (Prudente de Morais) or ride east from the street one block north, Visconde de Piraja. The metro (Osorio) is within walking distance, as are a number of quality restaurants, bars ( like the Garota de Ipanema, where the song was composed) and the nightclub Vinicius (with nightly live Bossa Nova performances).

Marcia has equipped the unit with every possible thought for the traveler. Everything, and I mean everything, is provided for your comfort, even up-to-date local information (maps, books in the big closet in the living room). She had also gone out of her way to make my stay enjoyable: The kitchen and fridge were full of food and drink, to the point that I had to shop rarely during my ten-day stay. To top it all, Marcia had even bought for me "havaianas" ( the Brazilian flip-flops that I had planned to buy on arrival) with the image of Posto Nove ( lifeguard tower #9), the closest tower on Ipanema beach.

There are, surely, cheaper places to stay in this area, but I doubt very much that you'll find a unit so welcoming and with this much character.