Kimpton Alton Hotel - Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco was an early adopter of the boutique-hotel trend, but never this far north — as any local could tell you, only the dullest kind of tourist trap would set up shop at Fisherman’s Wharf. But that was before the Kimpton Alton Hotel came on the scene. Named for the rock-and-roll poster artist Alton Kelley, it’s inspired by San Francisco’s countercultural history; in this context, its bohemian-modernist hybrid style and its voluminous collection of vinyl records aren’t just nods to the current hospitality trend, but expressions of the hotel’s unique character.

The bottom line is that this would be a stylish and memorable hotel in any neighborhood, and if it opens up Fisherman’s Wharf and nearby North Beach to style-conscious travelers then it’s hard to see how anyone fails to benefit. The rooms add turntables to the Kimpton signature yoga mats, and the brand’s customary social hour — accompanied by complimentary drinks in the lobby — will help you settle in. And among the hotel’s many partnerships with Bay Area creative types is Abacá, the restaurant, an inventive modern Filipino restaurant by the accomplished local chef Francis Ang.