I cannot even begin to tell you how pleased we were with every aspect of our stay at Ricardo's apartment. After nearly 3 weeks traveling throughout Brazil, our trip culminated in a long weekend in Rio for Carnaval. Booking strictly on the view alone, my 3 friends and I decided to stay in Ricardo's flat. Needless to say, we are anything but disappointed. The flat is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, spacious and luminous. The photo hardly does the view through the apartment's floor-to-ceiling glass windows justice, which are wonderful for taking in the sunrise, the sunset or a birds-eye view of the beach below. This is no false advertising, the beach is literally RIGHT below. Breathtaking and with crystal-clear waters, it is much less crowded than it's Leblon and Ipanema counterparts. Though I was told it is a public beach, it is directly behind the Sheraton Hotel and that may trick the tourists into believing it is only for guests. Back to the apartment. The apartment is equipped with a fully-stocked kitchen (plates, silverware, pots & pans) stovetop and refrigerator, washing machine, but no oven. However, it's probably not often you're in Rio, so I encourage you to take advantage of some of the cities wonderful culinary offerings…but in a pinch, you have everything you need right here. The bathroom is modern with plenty of room for two people to be getting ready to enjoy a nice dinner or the city's spectacular nightlife at the same time. Never fear if you are four, as there are four mattresses, two tucked underneath the mattresses you first see when you walk in, and on rollers for ease in setting up at night. The apartment has plenty of room to place the additional mattresses, so no fear in sleeping directly on top of each other. One final note, the location is absolutely phenomenal. 10 minutes by cab, or 25 by foot to the beautiful beaches of Leblon and Ipanema. Guests to this apartment have the great advantage of the Sheraton's location right next door. Taxis are constantly waiting in the hotel's taxi line, streamlining the process of hailing or calling for a cab. This is also great for guests who may not speak Portuguese, as the hotel's concierge will see to it that you get to where it is you're going. As an individual who has spent extensive time living abroad, I promise you that it is also much safer this way. I will save the remaining words for Ricardo, and I hope you've stuck around this long. Ricardo as a host is absolutely PHENOMENAL. From the initial emails, to day-before arrival details and check-in procedure, Ricardo made communication very easy. Once we arrived, we finally had the pleasure of meeting each other, as he invited my friends and I out, taking time out of his own life, during one of Rio's most hectic weekends to show us around. Ricardo goes above and beyond, and I am now pleased to call him my friend! Thank...