Where to start? After a long, exhausting flight, we arrived at the Penthouse and were met by the genial proprietor, David Parker and given the “grand tour “ of the premises, which turned out to be a spacious aerie, high above the bustling street many stories below. After settling in, we had a snack and cocktails out on a lovely terrace, with it’s spectacular view of the mountains and rain Forrest. After unpacking, we were ready to hit the beach and go to dinner and David recommended a superlative seafood restaurant called Marius Degustare, which was across from the beach. A winner! After that, we happily relied on David’s knowledge of Rio to plan our day trips. . Many times these outings involved walking, because the Penthouse is centrally located in a very busy, and safe part of Rio. Following busy days doing all the touristy things (Sugar loaf, Christ the Redeemer) we returned to the tranquillity of our beautiful Penthouse rooms. I cannot express enough how much our stay was enhanced by the generosity and hospitality offered by David and his staff. We can’t wait to come back!