The Good:
Our check in and communication with Silvia was great. She provided great directions and was a pleasure to deal with. Location is wonderful. Apartment is located on a quiet street, only a few steps from Ipanema beach and roughly 8 minutes to Copacabana beach. Secure building with great security staff in a safe neighbourhood with plenty of food and drink options nearby. Apartment is spacious for two with a washer that works great.
The not so good:
Overall the apartment is much more tired and worn than the photos would indicate. Hot water was very infrequent and air conditioner did not work at all. We also found the place to be in need of a serious clean. The bathroom and kitchen in particular were especially grimy. The bedsheets and towels were very worn and definitely in need of replacement. It was not a cozy space at all and we did not spend very much time in the apartment as we did not enjoy the space. Lastly, the worst part. Somehow this apartment seems to be joined to another by a false wall that does not go floor to ceiling. It has an opening in the kitchen at the top 0.5m of the wall that is directly into the adjacent apartment. The bathroom window, which is in the shower, is permanently open and is also directly into this apartment. It literally feels like you are sharing this place with the other tenant. We could hear every conversation, bathroom noise etc. and they could hear the same from us. It was very uncomfortable to say the least and actually quite creepy.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay in the area. Rio and Ipanema in particular are wonderful places but we did not enjoy our stay at Silvia's place and would not stay there again.