My boyfriend and I stayed at Thiago's place for 5 days, and we both loved it! Before we arrived we had a minor freak out as we realised it was in a favela, and we thought we'd be unsafe. But these doubts were quickly lifted when we arrived. The whole community are really lovely and made us feel welcome. As for the place- it's amazing. The views of the beach are priceless. It rained a few days and having the rooftop to relax on made the weather okay for us. The rooms are basic but clean and comfortable. Thiago and his family are wonderful hosts. His Mum, Vera, even did our washing!! We would definitely recommend their place for a more authentic experience in Rio. Oh, and make sure you eat at Bar Do David down the road! Delicious!