The Penthouse.

The lower floor holds the living room, the dining room, a TV lounge, the kitchen, a breakfast area and four of the five suites. The upper floor holds the presidential suite and opens onto the roof terrace, with the pool and a covered pavilion. From the pool you see the beach, Christ the Redeemer, the Two Brothers and Sugarloaf.

It sleeps ten in five suites, each with its own bathroom. Three suites have king beds, one has a queen and one has two single beds, which suits children or two friends sharing. The whole penthouse is yours for the stay; nothing is shared with other guests.

A housekeeper who has worked for the owner for years is included in the rental. She prepares breakfast each morning and cleans the bedrooms and bathrooms every day. The Art de Vivre team welcomes every guest in person at the building's reception.

The long dining table sits under the staircase, facing the ocean. It is where groups end up for the big dinner of the trip, whether the housekeeper cooks a Brazilian meal or a chef comes in for the evening. A separate TV lounge gives the children, or anyone who wants a film, a room of their own.

The hallway and the breakfast area are decorated in a modern pop style. The kitchen has a stove, an oven, a microwave, a refrigerator and freezer, a coffee maker, a blender, and all the dishes, cookware and glasses a group of ten needs.

Four of the five suites are on this floor, each with its own bathroom. The suites are painted in different colours, from deep green to terracotta to black and white.

Each morning she prepares breakfast; the food and drinks are bought at your cost. She cleans the bedrooms and bathrooms every day. She can also iron, or cook a Brazilian-style lunch or dinner; those extras are billed separately and paid to her directly. Several guests mention her by name in their reviews.

On the day you arrive, Charlie or a member of the Art de Vivre team meets you at the reception, takes you up, shows you how the penthouse works and answers your questions. If you would like the kitchen stocked before you land, we do the supermarket run for you for a fee of R$ 150. If you prefer to order yourself, Zona Sul, Pão de Açúcar and Mundial are good supermarkets and most of them deliver.

Boat days, helicopter flights, guided hikes, airport transfers and a chef for a dinner are booked through our concierge, with operators Art de Vivre books itself.