I stayed 2 weeks in Allan's apartment with my family and although we had a good stay, I wouldn't rebook. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS:
- The location is unbeatable. Right on the border of Ipanema beach and Copacabana beach. There is easy access to the bus and metro lines as well as an itau bike sharing station right in front of the apartment.
- The doorman Marciel is a gem, very helpful and available for any info you might need. He also ensures security during the day. Although it's not 24/7 it still feels safe. The elevator on your own floor is also a great perk.
- The size is also a plus, we struggled to find an apartment large enough and well-located within our price range and Allan's apartment was good for all 4 of us. I think it would suit 6 people as well.
- Allan was very responsive and communication was smooth and fast.
CONS:
- The original layout of the rooms was a bit weird so we moved some furniture around and had to clean the floors because it was very dusty.
- There is a reall issue with exposed wires in the apartment. I wouldn't recommend that anyone with kids or pets book the apartment because it's a liability and some wires weren't even hidden by furniture.
- I think the whole apartment probably hasn't been updated in a very long time and it shows. To have stayed in MANY Airbnbs all over the world, this wouldn't quality as superhost-material in my opinion. Some essentials like a vegetable peeler, oil and salt were missing as well as some kitchen utensils.
- Last but not least, the noise was actually almost unbearable. We would have left after the first week if we had found another airbnb in the area. Street noise at night is very loud given that the apartment is on the first floor. And during the day there was constant construction above and next to the apartment. I am not sure what they were building or renovating but the loud banging started at 8am and lasted all day during the week. Please double check before booking if there's construction ongoing during your stay because it really spoiled the experience.