For a great time in Rio, stay at Mariza's place.
You won't find a nicer more helpful host in Rio than Mariza.
Mariza was fantastic with the communication right off the bat. She made it so easy to get into the apartment by writing a note in Portuguese to show to the doorman in order to get the keys. The doorman read the note and gave us the keys right away.
The room itself is perfect and had everything we needed for our short stay in Rio de Janeiro. The place looks like it's brand new. The kitchen is fully equipped and perfect for cooking and storing food. You can sit comfortably on the chairs provided next to the kitchen counter. The room has enough space to stow your luggage and clothes. You won't have trouble finding what you need in Mariza's place.
The area around Mariza's area is great because of all the places to eat and all the supermarkets around. If you exit through the southeast exit, there is a BT Sucos to the right of the exit. There you can find great omelets and sandwiches as well as really good acai. If you walk to the corner to the left of the exit (walking west) you'll see a place called Bigbi. It has some pastries and sandwiches too. They also have great acai too. It's a great place for a quick bite. If you turn the corner and walk north all the way to the end of the block and cross the street, you'll find a place called Sumol. It has pasta and some good pizza slices. You can also order a whole pizza if you'd like.
There is a market across the street from the BT Sucos called Zona Sul. You can get all your groceries from there.
The best thing about the location is that it's so close to Copacabana Beach. Maybe about a 5-minute walk.
Like I said, Mariza could not have been nicer.
Our flight was at 8 pm and we asked Mariza if we could leave our luggage at the front desk. Mariza was nice enough to offer her place until we decided to leave for the airport. We were so happy because it gave us a chance to see more of Rio.
Mariza went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable.
We are very grateful for Mariza's generosity.
Thank you again, Mariza!