Hotel San José

Somehow you can be in the heart of South Austin and still feel like you are in some place outside of Austin. It’s trendy and swank. Great energy and great wine list. Their seasonal specialty beverages are good too. Good hipster-​watching also, which is almost a sport now in Austin. Really dig this place.

Nice, relaxing outdoor patio. We stopped by for a drink and to take a break while shopping on S. Congress. A little bit confusing at first, but we found our way in and were promptly enjoying our drinks in a quite, shaded area. The ambiance was pretty chill for a Tuesday afternoon. Aside from drinks, we also got the hummus plate, which was a great snack to hold us over until our early-​ish dinner that evening. Though I’ve heard great things about their cheese plate, we opted to skip it since it was kind of ridiculously overpriced.

Home run! I wish we would have had more time to explore. Pretty much everything you need is within a block or two of this hotel.
Gueros Mexican food.
Amy’s ice cream.
Shopping.
Home Slice Pizza
Continental Club
Jo’s Coffee
Reasonably priced too. We will be back.

Incredible Hotel! The staff was beyond friendly and accommodating. The hotel itself is extremely cute, clean and super hip, we had #36 it was perfect. I highly recommend the stay… Thank you everyone at The San Jose Hotel for making our stay in Austin memorable!

I wanted to take my husband to the jazz brunch on a Saturday morning. I arranged for childcare. We made the trek across the river and found parking on South Congress. There was a sign out front advertising the jazz brunch. Unfortunately, there was no live jazz. As my husband put it, they were piping in «Jazz 101» music instead.
Food was pretty good. Service was fine. Place was beautiful. Price too high for no live music as advertised.

Went for the live jazz brunch on Saturday, which is advertised online and with a big sign outside of the entrance that says the live jazz is from 10AM-​1PM. After we were seated around 10:15 and ordered food, I asked when the jazz was starting. They then informed me that there was no live jazz, as they had cancelled it. For some reason neither the hostess nor the waiter felt it was important to tell us that the live jazz brunch was not expected to have jazz, though they fully admitted they knew that before opening the doors that morning.
So, while the food was good, it just kind of felt like we got scammed and the staff wasn’t particularly concerned that all their signage was terribly misleading. We were duped into a $ 60 breakfast (the minimum with tax and tip, since it’s buffet only) that didn’t have any live music. When I pointed out their sign was advertising live brunch right now they said «Well that’s how it was printed up».
Needless to say, not a good experience and not planning on coming back given how nonchalant the staff was about the whole thing.

I love this place. However, when asked why they were out of an item on their menu, the waitress stated, «well I didn’t run out of it.» Smells of Cali.

Just a fantastic, beautiful place in its minimal and modern décor, and its warm and welcoming staff. We checked in right after SXSW and while we would have expected everyone to be worn out, and rightfully so, they never let on through their genial service. Great people. Whenever I find a place and concept executed this well, I become genuinely happy for them, I wish them well, and am grateful for my time there. I would return in a heartbeat.

There is a line of hedges along South Congress with Hotel San Jose’s sign embedded in it. But, it’s more than that, it’s the dividing line between the hum of the traffic on Congress and the cool, casual vibe of a boutique hotel beyond.
Entering the registration area/​desk is the start of your journey into the nearly hidden world of San Jose. We were cheerfully and warmly greeted by Sarah who quickly dispatched us with keys and directions to our room #22, The Petite Suite.
Transitioning from registration to the patio then, we were off to our room down a gravel path. All of the rooms along this row are fenced off with private patios. Once the gate is closed you have arrived.
After settling into our room at the Hotel San Jose we asked at the front desk about something to eat. Sarah was super helpful and recommended a few places. We decided on Torchy’s Tacos just up Congress from the San Jose.
The Hotel San Jose is a wonderful place to stay.

Can’t speak for their rooms as I personally haven’t stayed there, but the bar and patio area are pretty spectacular.
We were meeting with some friends that were in fact guests there for a nightcap. The whole hotel has a rustic cabin feel to it, and looks like the lobby and grounds could be easily be featured on Pinterest boards as ways you’d love your house to look.
For drinks, they don’t serve the hard stuff, just beer, wine and sake cocktails. I went with the Rosso Amarro that came with prosecco and grapfruit juice. It was refreshing and it was hard to taste the wine. Definitely a good drink if you’re with someone that doesn’t like in fact like to imbibe. I also tried the Tinto de Verano which was a blend of red wine and tangerine soda. This one was the sweeter of the two, but again — no hint of alcohol. You’ll feel it though. This place also has an extensive list of local Texas beers as well as a good selection of wines.
The patio is what sets this location apart from all the other drinking options in the area. At night, it’s perfectly lit so that it’s still dark, but you can still see your tablemates. There’s plenty of seating, even if you have a large party, and you’ll forget that there’s the hustle and bustle of Austin outside of these beautiful walls. Not only was it comfortable, but super intimate at the same time.
I’ll for sure be back the next time I’m in Austin, and I’ll make it a point to stay overnight as well!

Came for happy hour. Really nice courtyard and great place to grab a quick drink. The hummus plate was great and service was attentive. Our little pup got to hang out with us, so kudos for another dog-​friendly place in Austin!

Such. A. Disappointment. Me and my husband frequent atx and decided to try this hotel because we always see how cute it is and it was our 1 year anniversary. We had a great and perfect time until the transaction went through to our credit card.
So the stay for 1 night was less than $ 210 and we had 2 transactions (1 being over $ 260) because my hair color had «stained sheets and towels». Because my hair color was purple they decided to charge me more money to replace sheets and towels. If I knew it would cost this much money to replace linen I would have brought my own sheets but this is my anniversary and I have never had ANY hotel make me pay to replace ANY linens. I did not purposely try to ruin anything because the suite was so nice. I felt so upset that they did that «surprise charge». No one should have to basically pay 2 nights for a one night stay and cheap towels and pillowcases. If they knew they were gonna charge me because of my hair color the front desk should have said something the moment I checked in and I would have GLADLY went to target and bought sheets if I knew I had to shell out $ 260 for stupid linens. When we tried to talk to the manager she said she would try to reduce the price to $ 150 wth taxes which is still ridiculous.
I’m sure there has been vomit, and other bodily «fluids» before and that I can see having to pay but hair color??? If I would have had my period would they have charged me $ 260??? No one likes
To spend «surprise» money on bs. That’s ridiculous.
Do not go here if you’re not a rich hipster, so upsetting I will not recommend to any of my friends or clients and if you have ANY color in your hair don’t go here.

Loved this place! Came here with a few girlfriends and relaxed on the patio. It was a Monday night so I was surprised how busy it was, and it was a fun vibe. Tasty drinks, nice staff. Also the heat lamps outside were great. The mixed drinks were fancy but definitely on the expensive side, especially for Austin, so id say this is more of a special occasion place and not somewhere id go all the time.

My wife and I were visiting Austin for our wedding anniversary and thought it would be cool to come to the San Jose Jazz Brunch. We got to this boutique hotel with a hip twist kinda place that reminds me of the outdoor cafés from San Diego, California.
Amazing surprise, the Jazz was phenomenal, the food… an incredible surprise for any vegetarian, and being one, i loved every bite. From the Fritatta Española to the house made pickles… every bite was worth the price. Having in consideration that this brunch is also a buffet, i have to say that $ 24 per person is pricey but well worth it.
Service is really good and attentive, even though the plave could use more tables, their community tables are actually very nice in size and enjoyable.

I really love the aesthetic of this place. Clean and modern with a funky twist. The bed was extremely comfy and the A/​C was great. The Bronner’s on the sink and striped Japanese bathrobes were a nice touch. The room was on the small side but felt cozy for two people. The mini fridge was also well-​stocked with local products. The staff was not all that friendly though and the price point is a bit steep for overall experience and amenities.

Their brunch is limited but it does not leave your tastebuds disappointed. The service is responsive and the atmosphere is relaxing with a bit of the Austin hipster vibe. A hidden gem tucked away from the busy South Congress congestion.
They also have great happy hours and tasty adult beverages. :)

Beautiful, zen-​like garden and a great patio made me book a staycation here for one night. Unfortunately, it was the worst experience I’ve had in a hotel room. There was literally zero noise buffering from the room next to us; it was loud & clear enough that one could easily dictate their conversations. And the occupants were up til about 3 am being noisy. And then they woke us early at 7 am. So I basically didn’t sleep.
The hotel was nice enough to comp our stay so we’ll probably come back, and of course the patio is nice to just hang at, so…

This place is fantastic for cocktails on a nice day, or as an intimate evening spot. Love the environment, the drinks are tasty, and the people watching can be fun too.

We did not stay here — this is review for the bar/​patio alone. Cocktail waitress was friendly enough. They kind of have this spa zen vibe going with cucumber water in the lobby and talking in quiet, soothing voices. I got the sparkling wine with passion fruit juice which was DELICIOUS and now I will never drink another boring pedestrian mimosa ever again. Way too pricey. The patio is pretty cool, small and heavily vegetated, which I love. We needed a break from walking around on the strip so this was a nice low key chill but got boring pretty fast, despite the awesome company of my husband, who is amazing. I have always wanted to have a drink here so mission accomplished, but won’t be repeated. The end.

The hotel bar is great for outdoor imbibing in a picturesque setting. The unfortunate side is that it’s a Mecca for L.A.esque (posers/​wannabes) smoking hipsters. You can’t be outside without getting lung cancer. The bar staff is sweet and polite. The concierge is also quite nice. The poor folks that paid over the top to stay in the poolside bungalows are walked past the smokers patio to their rooms. Thy are a much classier crew of folks with a bit more age under their belts. I want to go throw this chicks American Spirits in the pool so I can enjoy the ginger sake mule that is Amazing!

We live in Austin and at 4p on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, also our 11^th anniversary, we realized we had nothing planned. We started calling around for a last minute hotel room to get away from the kids for the night, or at least a pool pass to have some cocktails and relax. I should’ve guessed Hotel San Jose would be the one to accommodate. For years we’ve loved grabbing a drink poolside, but this time, we were totally blown away. By 5p we were poolside with complimentary ice cold Modelos, a personalized congratulatory note and full access to swim in their pool and changing room. We had such a fantastic, low-​key evening… HSJ is TOPS! This is what ATX is all about.

Great location. Beautiful grounds. Comfortable beds. Good A/​C.
Rooms are incredibly loud. Overpriced. Horrible parking.
I’d give it 2.5 stars. There are better options in Austin.

I agree it’s not perfect it’s over price but what do you expect its on party street. But very beautiful and would definitely come back.

This review is only about brunch. It’s extremely overpriced. $ 24 for a buffet that should be $ 7 max. There are a bunch of better options in this town. Bland flavors and neither creativity nor classics. Misses the mark.
They served carrots and raw green beans. Who eats carrots and green beans for breakfast?
Also, the Jazz band, the key part of the ambience, stopped playing at the busiest time and ate for a long time. They should eat before or after the rush, not during.
Overall, the hotel should stick to what it knows best, overpriced rooms.

*Review for staying the night*
Is this a beautiful hotel? Yes.
Is it worth $ 250 per night for a standard room? No.
The employees were very awkward and unfriendly.
There is constantly yard working guys, mowing and keeping up the beautiful greens. Even at 5 am you can be waken up by the beautiful sounds of a chainsaw. Lovely.
My room was number ten. The side walk of south congress is right by my window. So I kissed a good nights sleep away and waited till 2 – 3 am for the noise of the night life to semi go away.
Most people by the pool or table area aren’t even staying at the hotel. Especially at night when all you want is sleep but people drinking and talk loudly.
The pool isn’t even a pool. No one swims in it. Because most people rather drink by it then actually go in it. Ugh.
The standard room (one queen bed and bathroom) is very small, but big enough for two people. The bathtubs are very small (barely hold two less than 150 pound people)
The shampoo, lotion, conditioner & body wash are all locked up against the wall therefore limiting anyone from stealing them, which is odd but okay.
Any sounds you make inside your room can be heard from the outside. Therefore for me anyone on the streets of south congress could hear me from my room. Great.
I wished I could of switch hotel rooms but one of the female employees before we checked in said all rooms are booked. Therefore hinting at us not to complain for our horrible rooms later on.
Also no free breakfast, but they can serve you breakfast for $ 40. Oh hell no.
One good thing that happened was that this hotel let us check in 4 hours before we were suppose to. That’s why for the two stars. That’s it.

The SETTING: Stayed here for a wedding weekend with my wife. We paid a «Wedding Block Special» of $ 300 after taxes and fees per night. My review is based on that price.
The VIBE: 3.5 stars — True to hipster Austin culture, this hotel has an open funky friendly vibe. The pool is tiny but not meant to be used for swimming, more as a gathering point. The open patio bar area is neat but fairly small. The clientele is exactly what you expect, beards and some flannel (it’s summer though…). Other than the wedding party most guests seemed to be in their 30s.
NOTE: The bar has beer and wine only!
The SERVICE: 1.5 Stars — probably the weakest part of this hotel, the staff was surprisingly unfriendly. I normally have great experiences with hotel staff in Austin, but boutique hotels are a different animal. We made one small request for extra towels that never came, the two times we went by the front desk, no one was there, and staff never offered to help carry our luggage upstairs to our room. Lastly, checkout was at noon, and we got a phone call at 11:58 by the Front desk asking us when we were leaving. When we said 12:10, instead of a «sounds great, no problem!», we got an «uhh, ok.»
The ROOM: 1.5 Stars — this is where I don’t understand other reviews. This truly operates like a motel, with concrete floors, a cheap restroom, tiny closet, and fairly uncomfortable bed. The AC was good though, which has to count for something!
The Bottom Line: overrated place to stay, solid place to have a drink. If you must stay in the South Congress area, which truly is a neat spot, and are going to spend $ 300 a night, stay at the Kimpton property nearby.

Great patio bar. Suitable for small or large parties, especially for Sunday Funday. Delicious sangria. Limited snack menu.

We went to the outdoor space which was provided by HSJ for the SXSW festival.
The space was surrounded by small stores of food, drink, vintage and eclectics, and of course the most important the stage the center of it all !!!
Here I saw «Gang of Four» and the «Ting Tings» and a couple of Texan bands, great fun, even the rain didn’t stop us enjoying ourselves.
The vibe was brilliant and I am very curious now about the hotel which I will visit next time I come to Austin.
The outdoor space of Hotel San Jose for SXSW is definitely one of the great fun venues to enjoy bands ! ! !
I definitely recommend this space when the SXSW is on ! ! !

I stayed here a long time ago and it was a pretty cool hotel, but as I live in Austin now its mostly somewhere I go to hang out. I’ve been for their brunches which are really cool, usually with a band playing, and a buffet.
The drinks are one of the real draws, be it coffee, sangria, or mixed drink they always hit the spot. They have a cool area out by the pool that you can sit and talk, eat some food, and relax.
We have been there at all different times of the year and its always been fun. During SXSW may be the one exception as SX San Jose can get pretty crazy and the parking lot is packed to the gills with people and bands playing day and night.
Be sure to check out a brunch here if you get the chance or swing by for a drink or appetizer by the pool.

This is a review of the bar only — I have not yet stayed with the HSJ.
DISCLAIMER — My better half is an employee of Bunkhouse, the owner of the Hotel San Jose.
These are, seriously, the best micheladas in town. You should come drink here just for that. The boy is quite fond of their champagne «cocktails», particularly the champassion, a lightly sweet mix of champagne and passion fruit juice.
They have $ 3 cans of Shiner Bock all the time. ALL THE TIME.
The apples in the lobby are cute, and the décor is wonderful. It’s a casually classy joint that manages to be quiet even though it’s literally the busiest part of South Congress Avenue.
It’s a relaxing place to grab a drink and read a book while you wait for your boyfriend to get off work, let me tell you.

One of my favorite places to grab a glass of wine and relax with a friend or on a date. There aren’t a whole lot of lounge type places in Austin, playing lounge type music, and now that Paggi House is closed down, we have one less… but if you’re into low key, courtyard type settings, than you will like this place. It reminds me of various bars or lounges I’ve been to, usually outside of the Austin and the US. Austin has some of the best food and nightlife I’ve experienced and can compete and beat even the best culinary and nightlife cities out there… but while we have lots of great outdoor/​patio type bars/​restaurants, I just haven’t come across too many lounges playing typical lounge type music (think Café Del Mar or Buddha Bar) in such a setting (think courtyards and candles). But I’m always on the lookout for such places.
To set the scene, right off of Congress, you walk through an ivy covered gate through a Spanish style courtyard. The seating area has a modern twist and dim lighting. It may be a bit tricky to get a table, but I’ve always gone really late, and had some luck getting one. They have unique drinks, and desserts, for a typical price… you should expect $ 10-​$ 15 a drink; and given the setting, its a price I willingly pay.
Overall I like the place partly because there just aren’t many places like it in Austin… places in Asia, South America, and even Europe have tons out count yard ambiance type lounges, and its good to be able to go to one right here in Austin.

What a wonderful place to have cocktail and a light meal or apps! We stopped in after having dinner at sway, and we weren’t disappointed! From the adorable lobby to the zen outdoor lounge area, this place says «Come in, you’re welcome here! Stay, relax, have a drink!» I love the inviting, subdued atmosphere. The drinks are also pretty great! I had a glass of champagne, rose, dry, and delicious, and my friend had a fruit sangria, which was equally as wonderful. Definitely will return!

I have to say we didn’t stay at the hotel, but it is on the to do list for sure!
We stopped in here for a drink and cool down as we were touring South Congress awesomeness on a blistering afternoon. I had heard about the place and wanted to check it out first hand. From what I could tell everything was just as I had anticipated … simplistic, attractive design and colors, rustic/​contemporary meshed together beautifully, serene, and actually not pretentious at all. Just my kind of place!
We had the house sangria which was refreshing and full of wonderful fruit. My friend enjoyed her sauvignon blanc as well. The woman behind the bar counter was very lovely and pleasant to speak with. The patio was relaxed and beautifully landscaped. It is also dog friendly which is always a bonus when you take your pooch almost everywhere! The public latrine was clean and designed beautifully as well.
The man behind the counter was extremely accommodating and gave us a tour of the rooms, explained everything about the hotel, and was very generous with his time being we were just checking the place out. I loved the room designs: little private patios, cement floors (so cool on your feet in the hot summers), uncomplicated and comfortable.
I will go back here to stay for sure during one of my next trips to this great city!

The patio/​bar area is fun romantic-​ish spot. The ambiance is great, very dim lighting so almost would say it could be a good after a nice dinner date spot. I went with my honey and the tables were all full. Its not only a date spot, looking around there were lots of groups of friends also relaxing, kicking it back, and enjoying the evening.
One plus — they offer Modelo for $ 3. Everything else was more but they had a wide variety of beers fore those who like to venture and vary it up (and a few other drinks as well).

After lunch we stopped by the Hotel San Jose. The little oasis of a hotel amongst the South Congress neighborhood was a nice change and chance to get out of the heat.
We ordered up a couple drinks from the bar. I was on a Michelada craze, so of course I had to try theirs. My guy ordered up a Hoegaarden Shandy, which is beer plus lemonade.
My Michelada was more of the traditional style with lime, worchester, salt and tabasco. It is good, but I love them so many different ways — I try to sample them all. Here’s a couple different styles for the Michelada lovers out there.
The pool was so nice that I had to take a picture. I think that would be a perfect addition to my backyard. lol :)

We recently had a group stay here for a few days. the staff bent over backwards to make sure our stay was comfortable and enjoyable. The rooms were spacious and comfortable and the common areas very convenient to use. Sadly, we visited Austin during a cold snap, but probably most of the year the outdoors-​centricity of the hotel is a treat.
Kudos for the staff that made our trip a treat. I can’t wait to return.