Sumidanagaya - Hostel

You would struggle to find better hospitality in Tokyo than at Sumida Nagaya. A beautifully designed guesthouse with fantastic interior design on the downstairs and up. A common area featuring a long running table where you can read many of the brilliant books Yuri owns, eat and drink, or mingle with the host and other guests. Sumida Nagaya also shares the bottom floor with a coffee shop called Torinos—which serves very delicious handmade cakes, biscuits and tea. The upstairs features the beds (that are long enough for tall people) under beautiful exposed beams and provides all toiletries for showering and washing. Our host, Yuri, went out of her way to help us whenever we needed it. She wouldn’t just answer our questions or recommend a single place but instead go to great lengths to provide multiple options and places to eat, drink, shop visit—whichever you requested. Yuri also prepared us two beautifully hand cooked feasts which were absolutely amazing. We spent time eating, drinking, socialising and laughing with the hosts and other guests on these nights. Yuri even provided some craft beers we had been talking about the night prior—which was a very kind and unexpected gesture. Erica was another girl who helped out around the guesthouse and would often drink and socialise with us at night, helping me with my Japanese and chatting about our different cultures. Very friendly and always on hand to help translate or help out. Erica also was as attentive as Yuri and would go out of her way to help. I have never experienced a stay anywhere in the world like it. It was worth every single penny we paid for it and I would certainly stay again never mind recommend it. If you want to feel welcome and like you are visiting a home away from home then stay here. I have never met more helpful, attentive, inviting, caring and kind hosts than Yuri and Erica—It was like visiting close friends or staying with family. Thank you once again. I hope one day we can return!