I had been staying with a host family in the mountainous regions of Alto da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, volunteering my time at a local organization for about a month, which made it relatively difficult to really experience all of what Rio has to offer. I knew that at some point towards the end of my trip that I would have to stay somewhere close to the world-renowned beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, where live music, friendly people, and exotic food thrive. This apartment was at the perfect location at the affordable price I was looking for. I could not pass it up.
Julia and her mom were so sweet and kind from the very beginning, providing maps and detailed info regarding their favorite dining places and sites to visit. Immediately I felt at home.
Ipanema is less than a 5 minute walk, and Copacabana is no more than 10. There is a bike station conveniently at the end of their block, on the side towards Ipanema Beach. The service is called Bike Rio, which I highly recommend for anyone that wants cheap exercise while visiting sites all around Rio. Unfortunately, I ran into a bit of a problem with one of the bike stations, where it did not recognize when I returned the bike, costing me a few extra Reals/hr. As a foreigner who does not speak Portuguese I was a concerned as to whether or not this problem was going to be fixed! Thankfully, Julia and her mom individually took it upon themselves to look into the situation, call customer service for me and get to the bottom of what was going on. They were always very helpful if there was ever a question or concern I had.
Not once did I ever feel unsafe.
While I did not get a chance to hang out with them they were still very inviting, and hope to go to their favorite salad restaurant next time I return! I highly recommend anyone that is interested in staying in the Ipanema / Copacabana area to come stay here at this location because of the wonderful location and the friendliness and compassion that Julia and her mom have for travelers. You will not be disappointed.