Laurel Inn, San Francisco, USA

On the corner of a thoroughfare and a tranquil street lined with Victorian homes, this angular mid-century landmark offers guests a chance to experience being a San Francisco local— and its new interior makeover gives it another reason to check out.

Taking inspiration from the building’s 1950s zig-zag façade, designer Oren Bronstein turned the rooms into a funhouse of diverse tactile sensations, with textures like velvet, chenille, silk, and wool. Against a calming palette of browns, blues, and whites – with strategic pops of colour – the rooms feature custom American walnut furniture, herringbone Carrera flooring, and original art by Bay Area artists, including pieces from nearby Lost Art Salon Gallery.

Fittingly for a property led by Chip Conley, a former Airbnb executive, the 49-room property aspires to be a cozy pied-à-terre, many rooms featuring kitchenettes and skyline vistas of the city. Its location at the juncture of residential districts like posh Pacific Heights and mellow Laurel Heights adds further to the homey atmosphere, but with an easy access to the restaurants and in-the-know boutiques of Sacramento Street just around the corner.

But like all good home away from home, it may make want to stay in and snuggle with a bedside book-of-the-month, handpicked by a indie bookseller Books Inc, just steps away.