This hotel has just as much funky character and personality as San Francisco itself. Wild, colorful murals cover the lobby, employees wear their own clothes instead of uniforms, and the evening wine reception occasionally features poetry and tarot card readings. Using bright colors and an eclectic collection of furniture, Hotel Triton does a good job making you forget that the rooms are a little small and the bathrooms positively tiny. Entertainers such as comedian Kathy Griffin and the late great musician Jerry Garcia designed a few specialty rooms, complete with original watercolors painted by Garcia. Another specialty room, the Häagen-Dazs Sweet Suite, has an ice-cream theme, including a custom-designed ice-cream cabinet filled with pints of assorted flavors. The location, on the border of chic Union Square and historic Chinatown, is also a draw at this vibrant hotel. On one side you have the upscale luxury shops and high-end restaurants that Union Square is famed for; on the other, through the gates and under the red lanterns of old Chinatown you’ll find simple noodle shops and tea stands and old men mixing ancient recipes with Chinese herbs. Note: At press time, the hotel is planning major changes and renovations that will be put into effect in 2018.