Stayed at the Gran Hotel February 27th to March 6th. We found the hotel to be quite beautiful and had all the emenities one could expect from such a grand old hotel. It looks like it has undergone a very nice upgrade and we found it to be more than comfortable. The location is perfect being right in the centre of the city. The plaza draws crowds of people each day and there is always something to watch. Taxis and buses are abundant as well as restaurants and shops. When we next visit San Jose we will be sure to stay at the Gran - we truly will stay here.

We have stayed in a lot of older hotels here in the US. This was a reasonable experience considering it is in the heart of downtown San Jose.
We found the staff helpful and friendly.
Their web page is a little out of date. They show an elegant bar that is no longer there and say the cafe is open 24 hours a day, which it isn't.
Breakfast buffet was very nice and again the staff was very friendly.
Really no serious complaints. We like to see what the cities are like so this was a good choice, within walking distance of most everything.
The city is not too inspiring and not super clean—but it's a city!

If you want to be downtown within walking distance of the heart of San Jose and want to stay in a well maintained historic hotel this is the place for you. It's like taking a step back in time. Very well maintained. The restaurant food was excellent. We had a quaint room with a private garden patio. There was a water fountain in the private garden. Very relaxing. Modern amenities that blend well with the old historic hotel.

We booked this hotel with "rewards" points. It sounded glorious, and it probably was in its day. We arrived around midnight -San Jose is almost completely empty after dark due to high crime - so it was eerie from the get go. The desk clerk seemed completely indifferent to our arrival - kind of a "bummer" when you're beginning a vacation. We needed different sleeping arrangements which the evening male staff was quick to handle - The wake up call I requested didn't happen - significant as I needed to catch an early morning flight. The excuse given was the room change; however, the desk clerk was aware of the room change the night before. The rooms reminded me of an historical version of The Shinning - long, dark, empty hallways, with handsome, though worn, furniture. Now the upside: wonderful, varied buffet breakfast on the balcony overlooking the courtyard. The reception area and first floor restaurant were quite nice with beautiful antique brass lamps, period decor. There is a sectional sofa blocked off with a picture of President Kennedy who appears to have stayed there. This hotel is right in the middle of town - shops and museums. There is upgrading going on (e.g., A/C units in rooms). I hope the restoration continues as hotels like the Grand are rare and too beautiful to allow to become dilapidated.