Julie’s place is truly spectacular. My husband and I spent 5 nights there. I’m Brazilian and have lived in Rio before and I can say that her place is top, top, top! The apartment feels like a real treat with incredible views of Ipanema Beach, Christ the Redeemer and the lagoon. I woke up seeing the sun rise either from the incredible mountain view of the main bedroom or from the HUGE, breezy, sunny balcony, and went to bed looking at the Dois Irmãos peaks listening to the sounds of the South Atlantic waves. Perfects sunrises and perfect sunsets. All of the amenities were top notch: stove, fridge, washer, & dryer, AC units in all rooms. The bathrooms have great hot or cold showers, the bed was super comfortable and even though the place is in the heart of Ipanema, you can only hear faint sounds traffic for most part. Everything sparkling clean. Wi-Fi worked great. Julie’s artwork is beautiful and brings additional vibrancy to an already sunny and bright place. The location is fabulous, in the the heart of everything, with awesome restaurants, bars and great shopping centers/stores just steps away. The beach is a 3-minute walk (and a fabulous beach spot, by the way). The subway is only a 5 minute walk away. The doormen are super kind and helpful. The area is very safe. Julie was away but her communication was perfect, from the moment I made my reservation until my departure. Next time I’m in Rio I truly hope I can stay in her place again and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s way more comfortable and more fabulous than most hotels!