Magnificent Villa Joá - Rio

“This review goes with the prior review already placed by me as we with regard to Petronio and Monica’s home. We stayed with them from 24 June through 13 July 2019 in total, booked in two segments. My first review placed sums up our stay and their home in its entirety. Petronio was a complete joy to work with. As stated before, we chose not to use their housekeeper for the making of our morning breakfast plus we chose to tidy up after ourselves. Having only 2 people in their large home, it was simply much easier to just do it ourselves. If you choose not to drive in Rio, Uber worked great for us and we had no problems having Uber come right to the front door of the home to pick us up and drop us off. No matter how long you stay or the time of year you stay, I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy staying at Petronio and Monica’s home.”

“We had a fantastic time staying in Petronio's superb house. The location in Joa was just right with a lovely small beach just minutes away. All the main attractions of Rio were only 30 minutes away by car. We certainly had a packed week! Petronio was very helpful and communicative, giving us lots of advice and keeping in touch during our stay to make sure everything was ok. Francisco the housekeeper was very friendly and provided us with a splendid breakfast every morning. Just the way to start each day! Thank you for a memorable holiday in your lovely home. Brian”

“The Paradise on earth! We had a fantastic vacation at Petronio's house in Rio. Villa Joa is stunning, just ouside the busy city center in a peaceful and green location close to a hidden treasure beach called Joatinga beach that is possible to reach with just a short walk from the property. All the colors outside and inside the house are in perfect harmony and every detail shows the love that the owners put in decoring it. The view from the terraces is fantastic and we couldn't wait to wake up every morning and have breakfast on the outside terrace overlooking the see. The house is spacious, cozy and equipped with everything you might need and even more. The bedrooms are very big and all with its ensuite bathroom. Francisco, the housekeeper, was very helpful. He made our stay very comfortable and we will never forget his fantastic Brasilian cusine and his kindness. Petronio was a fantastic host, he gave us lots of suggestions and was always available, super kind and attentive. Thanks Petronio to share with us your beautiful and special enchanted place! We really hope to come back !! Fabiana”

“We had a great trip to Rio and enjoyed staying in Petronios place as our base. The villa was very comfortable, situated in a fantastic area, which was accessible by Uber ( extremely reasonable in Brazil and quick and easy to travel around by), and from where we could travel to any of the amazing sights of Rio. Petronio gave us some great tips of where to go and what to do, and was always at the end of the phone should we have any queries. Thanks again for letting us stay in Villa Joa!!”

“Petronio helped make our stay in Rio absolutely fabulous. He does have a full time housekeeper for your needs, however, we opted to go the stay along as we are not used to having someone around waiting on us. The house was incredible, definitely room for more than just the two of us. As we hope to return to Rio in the future, it will be a great place to stay with friends. Petronio went out of his way to ensure that our visit was comfortable and that if we needed anything, he was simply a phone call, text, or email away. He checked in regularly to ensure that all was well; gave us a list of his favorite sites, beaches, shopping areas, etc. We never went without an activity planned. The home does sit some 45-60 minutes away from the airport, depending on your time of arrival, and is also some 30-45 minutes from Copacabana and Impenema. Luckily, Uber is readily available and is very affordable for frequent trips no matter where you want to go. I would highly recommend staying at Petronio and Monica’s home and your will definitely enjoy their spacious accommodations, pool, and incredible view. Mahalo Petronio and Monica for your most gracious treatment while in your home. We hope to see you in Hawaii one day soon! Aloha, Teri and Ken”

“We recently spent ten fantastic days in Petronio’s house in August 2018, and the first thing I have to say is that the photos, impressive as they are, don’t do it justice. This is a truly beautiful house in a fabulous setting on the edge of a rainforest. Waking up to a view of the Atlantic through the treetops is pretty hard to beat, especially with all the luxurious comforts within the house. And it is a very comfortable family house, which is not always the case in houses such as these. I imagine it’s about as perfect as it gets if you want luxury in a close-to-nature setting...and then there’s the magnificence of Rio on your doorstep, too. We also benefitted from the help and service of Francisco, Petronio’s housekeeper. Not only does he keep the house, its verdant, lush gardens and the swimming pool immaculately clean, but he also prepared a daily breakfast platter of fresh fruit for our whole family. And he also shins up the garden’s coconut trees to provide a fresh supply of deliciously healthy coconut water on tap! Initially, we were unsure about whether to secure Francisco’s services or not, but we’re very glad we did. He’s kind, helpful and very friendly; our kids liked seeing him every day, and their conversations with him were hilarious, as they speak no Portuguese and he speaks only a little English! He was a great addition to the house and we became very fond of him, As for our absent hosts, Petronio and ..., they could not have been more welcoming or helpful. We met Petronio in London beforehand and he very quickly made us feel that ‘his home was our home’ for the duration of our stay. He provided lots of great insider information and tips about beaches, bars and restaurants in Rio. And he’s a very knowledgeable and well-connected Carioca, so it was almost like having our own Five Star Concierge service. Contacting him from Rio was never any problem, despite the four hour time difference between Rio and London; he really was the perfect ’absent’ host. If you’re planning a visit to Rio, Petronio’s house is the perfect base. You’ll be sad to leave...”

“We stayed at Petronio's Villa for 6 days and we will always cherish our time there. Petronio is an extremely hands-on host, and provided so much detail about the Villa, it surrounds, where to eat, where to go and checked up on us occasionally while we were there to make sure everything was to our liking. Fransisco the housekeeper was an absolute gem. We were served breakfast every morning, and although we couldn't understand each other, we could communicate with the translator app on my cell phone. Thanks Petronio for a wonderful stay!! ”

“Petronio very kindly allowed us to book his beautiful home for our son, daughter-in-law & grandson who are currently travelling the world after a nasty battle with cancer. I asked our son what the house was like? His reply RIDICULOUS!! I swallowed hard waiting for a problem to be relayed and he said it's ridiculously beautiful, luxurious, and opulent. They thoroughly enjoyed their stay, they're only complaint, their stay not long enough. Thank you again Petronio from the bottom of our hearts. Arthur & Christine Jackson Gold Coast/Northern New South Wales border Australia ”

“Our stayed there was perfect, from the moment of communication with Petronio, all the info he gave us to the end. The property is beautiful and very comfortable and was great to enjoy with the children before and after a beach day.”

“I only have one complaint: Three days were not enough! If only I had known about those amazing sunsets, or this incredible house, or the sheer beauty of the décor and the gracious service of Francisco. The list goes on! So next time I will plan better, stay longer, and bask in the warmth of this amazing setting. Thank you Potronio and Francesco, this home surely must rank as one of the best on Love, Home, Swap! ”

“We had the most wonderful time at Eduardo's beautiful home. The house is even better than it looks in the pictures. It is in a amazing position on a quiet avenue with a lovely garden and great balconies that get the sun all day. We saw hummingbirds in the garden and monkeys on the short walk down the to the beach. The rooms were all beautifully clean and had everything we needed. The housekeeper was great and very helpful with all the questions we had. The beach is a short walk down the hill and definitely one of our favourite beaches that we visited. Eduardo was great to deal with, very friendly, helpful and had lots of great information about places to go and things to see. He was quick to answer our questions and checked in on us via WhatsApp to see if there was anything we needed. Very thoughtful. It was really fun to have a house in Rio rather than staying in hotel. We enjoyed cooking our own food and sitting out on the balcony or by the pool. When we wanted to go sightseeing it was really easy to order a taxi and get collected from our door. All in all it was a wonderful week in a truly beautiful house in one of Rio's best neighbourhoods. Thank you Eduardo and family! Ollie and Katie”

“We had a wonderful stay at Eduardo's house. The house is very spacious and light , with glass doors and big windows that allows amazing views of far sea , beautiful sundown plus surrounding nature. One can even spy on small types of little monkeys that show up in garden and pool area. My kids loved exploring the different levels of outside area and playing hide and seek. My husband enjoyed working out in the house gym and shooting basketball in the small basketball court. Rooms are spacious with wonderful beds, pillows and linens. Kitchen fully equipped and offers more than everything you need for cooking and preparing a meal and dining in style. Communication with Eduardo was always very pleasant and friendly. His housekeeper Francisco was very helpful at our arrival and came back to the house to promptly resolve a little trouble we had during stay. House location is on a upscale area of Rio , walking distance to Joatinga beach( small beach) and close to Barra da Tijuca beach. You need a car to get around , we decided to use Uber and it was easy and fast to call one using Uber app. Eduardo left us great tips about nice places to visit, my favourite is prainha, we had a wonderful brazilian lunch(almoço) at restaurant Mirante da prainha, overlooking the sea and surfers on it, while kids played on playground and on the beach. Great experience, thanks Eduardo for your hospitality and allowing us to have a great time in your house and amazingly beautiful Rio de Janeiro.”

“My husband, 2 daughters and I had a wonderful stay at this property. The house is stunning, beautifully decorated and equipped with anything you may need. Eduardo and Petroino were wonderful hosts, providing me with all the relevant information prior to our stay. Francisco, the caretaker was also on hand when we arrived- he could not have been more helpful, helping with our luggage and showing us round the property. Its the perfect combination - secluded condo but beach and city are close by. Highly recommended! ”