The Alise

This year-old boutique hotel is hard to miss: A mega-mural depicting golden brains sprouting from stems, stretches from street-level to rooftop. (It was painted by the anonymous artist BiP.) The facade hints at the arty vibe within, where a glossy red piano resides in the light-flooded lobby, fine art decks the halls, and lemon-yellow beach cruisers are available to guests. The hotel is the seventh property from Pineapple Hospitality—the chain’s first in the Bay Area. As a result, you’ll find pineapple wallpaper alongside a 10-foot crocheted pineapple in the lobby. The 93 rooms are sophisticated, but fun, with flashes of yellow decor popping against dark wood floors and dove-gray duvets. Each includes a king- or queen-sized bed, as well as air conditioning, an in-room Keurig, and high-speed WiFi. Though the hotel is located near the hustle of Union Square, it’s shockingly serene, thanks to the building’s newly upgraded soundproofing.