Andre-Luiz was proactive in contacting me before I arrived in Rio de Janeiro and made suggestions for my stay. A few days after I arrived, he followed-up to be sure that I had everything that I needed, and asked if I had any questions.
The apartment is private and in the back of the building - so traffic noise was not an issue. It is a big city, and there are lots of apartments around, so don't expect total peace and quiet. All of the amenities worked well, and there are even 2 showers in the apartment!
It was only 2 blocks to Copacabana, and about a 5 minute walk to Ipanema (Arpoador). there are dozens of restaurants, many ATM's and at least 3 supermarkets within a few blocks. The neighborhood is full of residents and tourists all day and into the evening, so I had no problem walking around at night - though this is Rio, so precautions really are necessary.