7 things to check when choosing a stay in Nagoya for a large group or a multi-generation trip: beds, toilets, stairs, kitchen, check-in and house rules

When you choose a stay in Nagoya for a large group or three generations, don't decide on the maximum number of guests alone. Before you book, check the number of beds, the number of toilets and bathrooms, stairs and lifts, the kitchen, how check-in works, and house rules such as quiet hours. This article explains seven points to check, using Central Nagoya's private stays in Nakamura Ward, west of Nagoya Station, as examples: House, an entire traditional house for up to 16, and Residence, the whole top floor of an apartment building for up to 9. A side-by-side comparison is on our page "Where to stay in Nagoya with a large group".

1. Do the maximum guests and the number of beds match?

A stay's maximum number of guests is not always the same as its number of beds. Before you book, look at the number and size of beds (double, semi-double and so on) and count where everyone will sleep. For example, House sleeps up to 16 and has 8 beds in total: 6 doubles and 2 semi-doubles. Residence sleeps up to 9 and has 5 double beds. If anything about bedding is unclear, ask the stay before booking. At Central Nagoya, questions are answered through the contact form or each booking site's messaging.

2. How many toilets and bathrooms are there?

With a large group, toilets and bathrooms get busy in the morning and at bath time. House has 2 toilets, one on each floor, plus a shower room and a bathroom with a bathtub. Residence has 1 bathroom with a bathtub, and a 4.8-tatami dressing room with a washbasin area and a dresser. Check the numbers against how many people are staying and for how many nights.

3. What about stairs and lifts?

On a trip with grandparents or small children, stairs can be a concern. House is a detached house with bedrooms on the ground and first floors. Residence is the whole top (8th) floor of an apartment building, and the building has a lift. Check where the bedrooms are and whether there are stairs on the floor plan; the House and Residence pages show floor plans.

4. Can a large group use the kitchen?

Eating out for every meal is hard work with a big group. Being able to eat in saves time and stress. House's kitchen has a two-burner gas stove, fridge, microwave, rice cooker, electric kettle, cookware and tableware, plus a dining table for a large group. Residence also has a kitchen with a gas stove, fridge, microwave and electric kettle, and an 8.4-tatami dining room. Neither provides meals.

5. Can you do laundry?

With children or for several nights, being able to do laundry changes how much you need to pack. House has a washer-dryer and a drying rack in the private back garden. Residence has a washing machine and a dryer.

6. Can everyone get in if they arrive at different times?

Large groups often arrive at different times because of work or train schedules. At a stay with self check-in, everyone can let themselves in within the check-in hours. House uses a code lock on the front door, with check-in from 17:00; Residence uses a key box, with check-in from 17:00 to 22:00. Check-out is 10:00 at both.

7. What are the quiet hours and house rules?

Whole-house and private stays are often in residential areas and have rules that differ from hotels. Always read them before booking. Central Nagoya's rules are:

• Please keep quiet from 20:00 to 8:00 at House, and especially after 20:00 at Residence
• Parties and events are not allowed
• Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside, and pets are not allowed
• Please take off your shoes indoors
• Under Japanese law, all guests without Japanese nationality must provide a copy of their passport and fill in the guest register
• There is no on-site parking; please use a nearby coin parking lot

How easy is it to get there from Nagoya Station?

With lots of luggage, fewer changes matter. Nakamura Koen Station, nearest to House and Residence, is 4 stops (about 7 minutes, 240 yen) from Nagoya Station on the Higashiyama subway line with no change. From Nakamura Koen Station, House is 7 minutes' walk and Residence 2 minutes. House is also 10 minutes' walk from Nakamura Nisseki Station on the Higashiyama Line. From Nagoya, families can take day trips to Inuyama (about 25 minutes by Meitetsu), Ise-shi (about 1 hour 20 minutes) and Takayama (about 2 hours 20 minutes on the Limited Express Hida) (official sources for each destination).

Where in Nagoya is easy with children and grandparents?

• Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens: about 25 minutes and 310 yen from Nakamura Koen on the Higashiyama Line with no change, 3 minutes' walk from Exit 3 of Higashiyama Koen Station. Adults 800 yen, free for junior high school students and younger. Closed Mondays (or the next weekday after a holiday)
• Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: about 37 minutes and 310 yen from Nakamura Koen, 5 minutes' walk from Exit 3 of Nagoyako Station. Adults 2,030 yen, elementary and junior high school students 1,010 yen. Closed Mondays (or the next day after a holiday; open every day during Golden Week, July to September, and the spring and winter school holidays)
• Nagoya City Science Museum (FUJI Nagoya Science Museum): known for its planetarium with a 35-metre dome. About 10 minutes and 240 yen from Nakamura Koen on the Higashiyama Line with no change, 5 minutes' walk south from Exits 4 and 5 of Fushimi Station. Closed Mondays and the 3rd Friday

Please check the latest information before you go.

Checklist: what to confirm before booking

• Are there enough beds, by number and size, for everyone?
• Do the numbers of toilets and bathrooms suit your group and length of stay?
• Which floors are the bedrooms on, and is there a lift?
• What is in the kitchen, and is there a table everyone can sit at?
• Is there a washing machine and dryer?
• How and when is check-in, and what time is check-out?
• Quiet hours, rules on parties, smoking and pets, and whether there is parking

• Where to stay in Nagoya with a large group →
• Central Nagoya House →
• Central Nagoya Residence →
• Small towns to visit from Nagoya →

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