Hotel San Jose is quaint and pretentious all at the same time. We have had a many a great night there, drinking with David Byrne of the Talking Heads comes to mind. Have had friends come and stay there and we have been able to enjoy the amenities with them. I like the apples in the lobby and the wine bar is usually always happening. The rooms are appointed well and very chic. The grounds are manicured with a zen feel in some places. However, I can't help to ask myself why would I pay $255 a night for a little room? There are many other choices in the neighborhood significantly less. I guess the snob appeal is working for them? The hipster mood is fully abound, maybe that is what works?

What works for me is to drop in from time to time and drink a bottle of bubbly... with David Byrne...

We were looking for a small, quite, boutique place to stay near all the action. Hotel San Jose is not the place for that. The hotel has a cafe open to the public until midnight that remained crowded the majority of the time we were there. This is in the main common area and also right next to the pool, which makes it impossible to enjoy these features of the property as they are crowded with non-guests.

We also wanted to stay here because they have their own parking lot... but when we arrived it was full because they share it with the coffee shop next door. The staff directed us to a lot up the street where we had to carry our luggage from, not ideal.

Did love the high end bath products and robe in room as well as the location. Will not stay here again due to the high traffic of non-guests until midnight.

I loved this place but quickly came to realize, I am not hip enough for the place.

This would be the place I would have loved to have been 25 years ago. The rooms are minimalist, austere and bare. Functional, yes, but not overwhelmingly cozy. I dare say this is the Generation Y, or X, or whatever letter we are on today, version of a boutique hotel.

Let's start with the floors; concrete. Move to the walls; one picture. Head into the bathroom; via a rolling barn-door. The desk, suspended from the wall. The common area; patio with craft beer (for purchase) sucked down by young people with iPads chain smoking as they make plans for the evening.

The hotel (as I am sure other reviewers pointed out in more detail than I can) is a series of one and two story buildings surrounding a number of walkways made of sand. Plants and waterfalls pop up sporadically in random locations to give the impression of walking through a garden. There is a narrow pool tucked into a space off the patio. There is an office which oversees all things hip & cool, with hip & cool personnel who are very friendly and accommodating. Might be a cult, but I think they were just hip & cool.

The hotel is in the "up & coming" area of South Congress (SoCo for the hip & cool). Right next door sits its own coffee shop, Jo's. Across the street is Amy's Ice Cream for a late night treat. Up a couple doors is the famous Continental Club where many a musician got there start. Within walking distance are many new restaurants just getting their stars on Yelp. A hip& cool place to be.

I liked the location, I liked the amenities, I didn't balk at the price (roughly $200.00 mid week) and thought service was excellent. I just felt like I was a little over-aged for the place. But maybe that says more about me than about them!