Gabriella was a great host and very much in contact (and easily reachable) even though she was not in town at the time. The apartment is exactly as described. It is small but was perfect for two of us for a week and would have accommodated a third person reasonably well. You can hear the neighbors talking, washing, or watching television if you are in the living/dining room or bathroom, but this didn't bother us too much, and the bedroom was silent. Note that Brazil is a tropical country and this is an older apartment building so don't be surprised if you see a bug here and there. However, this is the nature of the location, not a reflection on the host or apartment, which was very clean.
The apartment location is great -- close to a grocery store, eateries, and most importantly a short 2 block walk from the beach. The area was lively and seemed safe day and night. Also, when we had a little snafu the last day of our stay the doormen were super helpful. Would recommend to others.