Came to Rio for the World Cup and couldn't have picked a better place to stay... at the risk of restating what everyone else has already said, it's a great location with a wonderful family. I wish we were there longer.

Location: it's walkable from the cardial arcoverde subway station if you don't have a lot of luggage (and definitely once you're there without the luggage to get places)... basically go along the beach and then left onto rua anchieta, around onto rua general ribiero da costa until you reach that windy road to go up the hill. Go up that, left at the T intersection, up some more, (the "rio chill hostel" is here) around to the right, then up some stairs bisecting an ?apartment complex, left when you're back on the road, and at the end is a cul-de-sac where the apartment is. Or take a motorcycle up for 3 reals.

Experience: Excellent. The top floor is a large covered balcony with a tasty breakfast served every morning consisting of bread, pound cake, many fruits, cheese/meat, fruit juice, and the usual tea/coffee/jams. The view is outstanding, as is relaxing in the hammocks on the other balcony on the lower floor. Thiago is very easygoing and his mother is very good at seeing to it that guests are well taken care of. Thiago speaks excellent English although elsewhere English won't get you too far; high school Spanish won't do much good, but if you speak Spanish fluently you'll have no trouble understanding or being understood in Brazil. The neighborhood kids are always up for a game of pickup soccer (and quite good!) and the beach has goals set up everywhere. I guess it is located in a "favela" although I can't recall a time feeling even remotely unsafe. Being in Rio itself is a wonderful experience, made better by staying somewhere like this. Highly recommended.