Natascha is a wonderful host. We enjoyed staying in her lovely studio apartment. It is clean and functional. It has been freshly renovated. The large window makes it very bright and spacious. The building has a doorman manning the entrance around the clock so your belongings are always safe.
The location is great for discovering the city. There are plenty of buses and a metro station is a 15 minute walk. Several major museums and other points of interest can be easily reached by foot. There is a great supermarket (Mundial) a block away.
Lapa itself is not the best neighborhood in Rio. It is pretty run down with homeless people loitering around. Be aware of your surroundings and refrain from taking your fancy iPhone out of your pocket.