Staying at Tony's apartment was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. He was gracious to pick us up in his van once we arrived at the Asakusa train station. He gave us a tour of the area on the drive home and made us feel extremely welcome. At the apartment he had lots of information of things to do in the area and wonderful places to go and eat. All of his directions and advice were exceptional. We had dinner at the ramen place he recommended in the neighborhood. It turned out to be one of the most intimate dining experiences we had the whole trip. The 3 older ladies running the restaurant treated us so well and prepared the most delicious dinner. I just wish we had more time to go back a few more times!
The apartment itself was exactly as described if not better than we had assumed based on pictures. It was quite comfortable for the 4 of us. 2 being smaller children. The apartment is just a few hundred meters from a grocery store, a 7-11, a Denny's, a playground, and the main bus stop we used to get to the train. The neighborhood is super quiet and a nice retreat from the bustling streets in other parts of Tokyo. It gives you a great feel for what it would be like to live in Tokyo like a native, which is exactly what we wanted to experience.
Overall, there is no doubt in my mind that you will love staying here. I already know when we make it back to Tokyo we will try and stay here. Even if the room is booked we will be calling Tony just to catch up!