Triton, San Francisco, United States

You know you’re in San Francisco - and certainly the ever-so-chic Hotel Triton - when the concierge takes time to explain the workings of the design hotel’s environmentally friendly EcoRooms, all stocked with biodegradable skincare products and organically produced linens.

The design hotel is centrally located, with San Francisco's coolest cultural attractions nearby - Chinatown is just next door, and the Museum of Modern Art a short walk away. The clientele are generally the urban-cool set, so there’s definitely fun to be had here for young-minded, funky individuals who appreciate off-beat design.

The facilities

A gallery on the design hotel's mezzanine level offers exhibitions from San Francisco’s burgeoning art scene. Another mark of the hotel’s quirky, individualistic character is the presence of the Tarot card reader, who offers readings during the Triton’s Wines of the World free wine-tasting hour.

Hotel Triton also has a gym and business centre to keep body and mind in working order. The restaurant offers free coffee and tea in the mornings, and free fresh baked cookies in the afternoon, as well as usual lunch/dinner food service. The rooms

Even the smallest of the Triton’s 140 rooms are lavishly decorated in an artsy, irreverent, hippie-meets-Home Depot way. The celebrity-designed suites from Carlos Santana, the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and comedienne Kathy Griffin all offer fun designs with original memorabilia. Stay in the fabulously OTT Wyland ocean suite if your taste swings towards extreme quirkiness.

The Triton Hotel rooms’ eco credentials are impressive. All have water-efficient bathrooms and lightbulbs, as well as recycling bins, and are even cleaned with non-toxic cleaning products. These rooms don’t sacrifice comfort either, with complimentary Wi-Fi, cable tv and iPod docking stations available.