There are many great attractions in Kokura. There are historical sites along the Murasaki River such as Kokura Castle and Kokura Castle Japanese Garden and the lively, modern Riverwalk Kitakyushu, full of open-air cafés, restaurants and shops—all within a five-minute walk from Hotel Crown Palais Kokura. You can walk to the hotel from Kokura Station in 15 minutes. You can get to the station from Hakata in Fukuoka City by taking the JR Kagoshima Line or the Sanyo Bullet Train.
This riverside hotel is not too difficult to locate from the station. There are many signs that point in the direction of Kokura Castle. If you follow these signs, you’ll see a river and the hotel is located on the left hand side, right before the bridge.
What I really liked about the hotel was the location. From your room you can see the Murasaki River and Katsuyama Park covered with grass. You can also see Kokura Castle and the uniquely built Riverwalk Kitakyushu shopping mall. The contrast between the traditional and modern buildings is a sight you can't see so often. You can enjoy the view at night as well when the castle is lit up and when the lights of other buildings are reflected in the river.
The ninety-room hotel offers spacious, modern accommodation at an excellent value. There is a choice of five different lodging options. The one I stayed in was the single room, which is for one person. Other options include a double room with one king-sized bed for two people, a twin room with two queen-sized beds, a deluxe twin room that has the largest room size of all rooms, and a Japanese style room. As for meals, you can choose from three different plans. Assuming you stay in the single room for one night, the no-meal plan is usually 4,800 yen, the all-you-can-eat breakfast plan is 5,800 yen, and the two-meal plan with all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner is 6,700 yen. The breakfast buffet has both western and Japanese food, and the restaurant has a French-inspired menu for lunch and dinner. Vegetarian meals are also on offer.
The hotel also provides many services. Free wired Internet is in every room. Massages are available. Drinks are on-hand in room refrigerators for purchase. The hotel also has laundry service—they will wash it for you and have it dried in less than three hours. Free irons are also available from reception. The overall service by the staff was also great. They responded to my requests as soon as possible and whenever I had a question they were nice and very cooperative. If you have any questions about things to see and do or tasty restaurants, I recommend asking the staff.
Hotel Crown Palais Kokura offers fine rooms and services at very reasonable rates at a prime location in central Kitakyushu. It's also a good base for exploring the Neo-Renaissance area of Mojiko, just a couple of stops from Kokura Station. Drop by the Former Moji Customs and Library of International Friendship, among the many historic buildings there.
