My husband and I stayed at Jane's apartment in Ipanema a few weeks ago. The apartment was excellent, exceeding all expectations. We could have not been happier with it and would strongly recommend it to anyone wanting a home away from home in Rio. I am expat Brazilian, born and raised in Rio, and living for about 7 years in Australia. My husband is Australian but has lived in Rio for several years. So we are locals and definitely know our way around the city. Jane’s apartment is exceptionally well located, right in the Ipanema beach front and a 5 minute walk from Copacabana beach. It’s also very convenient for public transport, with several bus lines nearby and a short stroll away from the excellent Rio metro. General Osorio square is just around the corner, with its great farmer’s market (on Tuesday mornings, if I remember correctly) and the fun arts and crafts market on Sunday. There are also heaps of cool bars and restaurants nearby. The view from the apartment is gorgeous. None of the photographs even makes it justice. From the apartment veranda you get a great view of Ipanema beach and the Christ statue, as well as a small view of Copacabana, towards the other side. But the real showstopper is the rooftop swimming pool. You really have to see it to fully appreciate, it is awesome! You can even catch a view of the sugar loaf! Be aware, you may find very heard to leave your banana lounge overlooking the ocean! The apartment itself is super comfortable and it was immaculately clean when we arrived. We had just the two of us staying which was a luxury, but it’s a perfect apartment to share with another couple maybe. The main ensuite is very private on the top level, with a great TV and a really nice and large bathroom and closet. The beds were very comfortable and the lounge in the living room was great. The kitchen is small but very well equipped and smartly designed. Cable TV and wireless internet worked just fine without any incidents. The building is very secure, with 24 hours doormen. The staff was very nice polite and helpful. Jane has a cleaning lady that comes in weekly and she was lovely and very efficient. She even did a little bit of ironing for us. I was told she would be able to do a bit of cooking if we wished, but I was keen to cook myself and did not use this service. But I’m sure she would be a great cook. Jane was fantastic! Such a gracious host! She was very flexible and understanding and even made available a car park in the building to make it easier for my parents and grandparents to visit. My father has Parkinson disease and it’s not very mobile, so the carpark made a huge different in our stay. Jane would promptly help us in any way possible and it was delightful to...