HIBARI GUESTHOUSE

The staff was wonderful!! Extremely kind, welcoming, and accommodating. The entire guesthouse itself isn't a large facility which I think is a good thing. It makes everything feel more personal. I didn't stay for long but I would recommend this location to anyone just passing by Sendai or staying for a while!

I do wish there was a dryer. Even though it is already uncommon across most places that I've stayed in Japan to have one, I think that it would be quite useful for a place like this that has people sharing a space that come through consistently.

The owner was super polite and the stay was very clean! Also very close to the station to get to Sendai center in no time!

This place was amazing! Staff was very kind. Even if they weren’t on site they could be reached via the security webcam. You could tell they cared about the place and about their lodgers. The beds and the bathrooms were very clean. There was a map on the wall with things to do in the area and how to get to local grocery stores etc. The kitchen is very well stocked with pots/pans, utensils, aluminum foil, etc, all available to use for free. Fridge, freezer, and shelf space available to keep food. When I was there, they even had a bowl of tomatoes that had been grown in their garden that we were allowed to eat, and they were delicious! The 10pm lights out is firmly enforced, but as long as you’re quiet you can stay in the common area as long as you want. There’s a washing machine in the bathroom area. Extra blankets are available for free. You get a fresh hand towel for free every day, but you have to pay to rent bath towels. There are small lockers provided to store valuables. Suitcases are supposed to be put in the closet, but there’s no lock on it. The tap water is not drinkable but they have a water dispenser in the kitchen that can dispense hot and cold water.

There are only two showers, which means you might have to wait your turn. It’s worth it though- they have the biggest shower I’ve seen in Japan, it felt luxurious to use. This property is not in Sendai, but because it’s only two train stations away it is easy to access the big city.

The staff was fantastic, very warm, kind and helpful. Facilities were always clean, every room was air conditioned and the living room gets a nice breeze. The kitchen was well-prepared for anything a guest might want to cook.

The dormitory toilets don't have soap. As far as I could tell, there was only one shower in the building, which is fine when there aren't many travelers (like while I was there) but there's bound to be lines in peak season. Also, the kitchen doesn't have a spatula.