For the price you pay for the apartment, the location, the view (impressive), and comfort of having your own space, there is no comparison between staying at this studio vs. a hotel or hostel. My husband and I stayed at the apartment for New Years 2010 and had the most amazing experience. First of all, we arranged the rental last minute (literally the night before new years eve....crazy) and were able to check-in the next day! Shalev, Melissa, and Petra were all so helpful with suggestions and information about getting around. The apartment is great, better than we expected. It is air-conditioned, fully furnished (towels, linens, microwave, tv, internet and more!) and perfectly designed (loft style bed) so that the small size of the apartment seems much larger than it really is. For two people it is perfect. And for 4 people looking to save a few pennies, not a bad option for short stays. the neighborhood is excellent. There is a juice spot right downstairs that is open 24 hours and always has lots of customers (a good sign), great for a quick breakfast smoothie or a late night snack. There is a shopping mall one block away. A grocery store a few minutes away. And a great independent theater, bookstore, and great cafes minutes from the building. The metro is located just a few blocks away. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are just a few stops away. You can actually walk to Copacabana if you like. We did for New Years and it was great. The apartment is centrally located so everything is within a few stops away on the metro, which runs frequently. What else can I say except...we had a wonderful time in Rio and staying at this apartment made the trip even better! It's nice to be able to feel "at home" while on holiday.