Palazzo M Capri

Right on Capri’s main square, La Piazzetta, there’s a cheerful, pale-yellow palazzo that was once the atelier of the German symbolist painter Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach. Today, it’s home to the Palazzo M Capri, an eight-suite boutique hotel. While the interiors have been thoroughly refurbished, it’s easy to see why the artist produced so many dreamy landscapes capturing his immediate surroundings — the hotel’s entrance is next to Capri’s famous clock tower, and the rear side overlooks the deep blue Gulf of Naples, a spectacle that would move anybody to take up painting.

All of the hotel’s suites have water views, and every single one has a private furnished balcony or terrace from which to properly contemplate them. The interiors are bright and airy, laid-back but elegant, with delicately arching walls and natural light pouring in through large windows. The color scheme is primarily white with accents in coastal-inspired hues like ivory, sand, and turquoise. Each suite has a well-equipped kitchenette and an espresso machine; one room sweetens the deal with an open-air Jacuzzi, and the Il Campanile suite offers views of the sea on one side and the bell tower on the other.

A continental breakfast is served directly to suites, and it’s worth wandering down to the Bar Palazzo for aperitivi later in the day. Palazzo M does without certain other luxury-hotel amenities, like a pool or spa, but there’s really no need when all of Capri is waiting just outside.