This place was really cool, you can't imagine that you're in Rio. That's why of course you have to take some transports to go to beaches, it takes 30-40min of metro-bus, but it's easy (one bus, one métro with good frequency).
You're so close to "arcos de Lapa", the place to be for music, pubs, nightclubs in Rio.
The area (Santa Teresa) is full of charm: street art, artists's houses and chip/good restaurants, that's what you'll find there.
This last point is important because, as write in the annonce, you haven't anything to warm or cook some food, excepted a barbecue in the garden.
The garden is so beautiful with a big mango tree, which attracts some little monkeys in the morning if you're lucky. Then you've got a nice vue of favelas and the "sambodromo" from this garden. You can even see the Christ Redemptory, it's far but you can see it.
We stayed one month and Ion was a perfect host !!
He knows very well Rio, the history of Brasil and so many languages, so that was easy and pleasant to talk (learn ? :) ) with him. He drove us with his car, when that was on his way or if he had time, in Santa Teresa or metro station, to visit his place or to help us for transport.
He was really friendly so was his Wife, even if we met her at the end of our stay.
If you want to discover Rio by another way than beaches, that's your place !!!!