just like in any other city, it is always worth spending a little extra money to be in the best neighborhoods, and in the best streets - especially when not familiar with rio de janeiro, and if expecting to spend time outside at night.  

it is also advisable to rent beach apartments via specialized real estate agencies, this means more reliability and better assistance while in rio - not just for the apartment in itself, but also for any other requests a traveler might have such as tickets to events, reservations, and guided tours.

travelers who opt to skip the rental agency and decide to rent directly from individual owners, should at least make sure the apartment of interest is advertised on a famous and reputable vacation rentals website such as tripadvisor, vrbo, or vacationrentals.

these websites are generally strict in verifying the legitimacy of both the owners and the properties, and allow access to a wide variety of problem-free vacation rentals and the lowest prices.