If you are a person who appreciate old buildings like I do, then this apartment is perfect. If you prefer modern houses then you better find another place. I would still recommend this place in a heartbeat. Best feature : location. It is really across the metro station, and all metro lines pass this station. How great is that!
The Carolina Michaelis bus stop is right in front of the door. A decent bakery and coffee and snack shop around the corner, like only 100 meters away, and there is also a supermarket very nearby. You can also walk to the Bom Sucesso market for food, or to Toscana, an Italian restaurant nearby. Next to Bom Sucesso is a relatively complete shopping mall. There are hospitals in walking distance too. The area is not very busy but not over quiet either. It feels safe to walk there.
The house has four big bedrooms , a living room, and kitchen plus dining area. All kitchen utensils are relatively complete too, with decent stuff from ikea. There is also a dish washer to make it even more convenient. The windows in the bedrooms have thick wooden covers, but they still add a rolled up blind over them so you can have a completely dark room to sleep in the summer. If there is one complain I may mention, is the creaking wooden floor that makes noise when one walks over it.
Joao is a nice guy who speaks good English and is ready to help either giving you tips on where to go to print boarding passes or where to go for a city tour, and at the same time minds his own business and does not give you any impression that he is checking on his guests.