Lonely Planet Review

One of Fukuoka's most stylish hotels, this Italianate gem is striking on the outside, and curvy and shadowy inside. Rooms have a comfortable and intimate feel, with a mix of strikingly modern wood furnishings, large beds and bathrooms.

Designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi, Il Palazzo's simple postmodern lines are as entertaining as they are functional. Imposing vertical pinkish marble columns and solid horizontal bronze beams on the exterior promise another world waiting inside. Domed interior hallways lead to spacious, striking and well-appointed rooms. An intimate French-style bistro, Bistro Moden, surrounds an open kitchen. The bar, El Liston, is worth a look even if you stay elsewhere. The owners describe it as a walking bar... Tables and chairs are spread out around and above the lobby perimeter, so that no matter where you sit, you seem to be in a semi-private corner. Dark red and black furnishings and subtle lighting only heighten the effect.