The apartment is just as described in the listing and the photos. It is clean and tidy and beautifully light. One double bed is in the same open space as the table and the small kitchen and facing huge windows with an amazing view of the sea and beach. The other double bed is in a "loft" over the kitchen with quite a low ceiling. The air conditioning works very well and keeps the whole space cool even on very hot days. There are a lot of steps from the road to the apartment. This was no problem at all for me but something to keep in mind if you have difficulty with steps.

The location has its pros and cons. It is quiet and green and feels a bit immersed in nature (though you do of course see plenty of buildings around you too, in particular the Sheraton looms large) which is not the case for most places in Rio. The downside of this is that you need a good 15-20 minutes walk to really get anywhere where anything is happening. Buses and taxis are easily available so they are also an option, but it just means you cannot pop out for a quick juice or beer. On the other hand of course, most apartments close to shops and bars generally look onto dark courtyards or noisy streets....

Jeanne and Attilio were very friendly and arranged a taxi to meet me at the airport, and generally made me feel completely at home. They clearly put a lot of thought into the renovation of the apartment and it it really nice and comfortable.

All in all I had a great week there and it was extremely relaxing to come back to this apartment in peaceful surroundings. If you don't need to be right in the thick of things then it is a great base form which to explore Rio.