Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport — Hotel in San Jose

I had originally booked this hotel thinking the event I was attending was across the street at the Holiday Inn, but I got the wrong one apparently.||Still, there were a lot of hotels I could have chosen, but with some getting more conflicting reports than what I would like, I wound up choosing this hotel notwithstanding the vicinity to my perceived event would have been.||Anyways, after arriving at SJC, I realized that I likely had needed to call in for a shuttle to pick me up. Not too long thankfully, but was standing there stupidly a bit. If you do call for a shuttle, make sure you are at the location specifically designated for "Hotel Shuttles". Seems straightforward enough, but a couple who got on the shuttle late seemed to thought otherwise. The shuttle does serve both this hotel and the Holiday Inn Express (you can see where I messed up) which are basically side-by-side.||I had digital check-in, but still had to stop by the front desk to pick up some items I had ordered through Amazon Fresh. Once again, they were sitting in open view, so it was easy enough to talk to the staff and pick up.||One thing I didn't quite notice at first, but realized later was that the elevators do run a bit on the slower side. Nothing really to complain about, just something that I noted.||In reaching my room, it was way more spacious than most rooms i reserve at a hotel. Yes, it was a king with some extra amenities, but even still it's big. But if you think about it, this hotel was meant mostly for family travel so with the king bed and sleeper sofa, putting a couple with 2 children in here probably is just right in terms of size.||As for that the title refers to, the main conflicting report I got from the reviews was whether it was a newly built or renovated property. At a cursory glance it does look like a new property. Upon further inspection, and you find that it was likely renovated. The signs that tipped me off were a small stain on the carpet (nothing gross, just discoloration), places where you can see the patterned wallpaper adhering to the wall, and the biggest tipoff in my opinion, a well-work showerhead that looked like it might need either some CLR or just flat replacing. Again, none of these were complete dealbreakers, but if you know what to properly expect, you can adjust them accordingly. One such example was that since the hotel is meant for families and such, my room had communication doors (I finally found out the proper name for those things that connect 2 rooms together). At the first night, I could hear conversations and music from the other room. It was loud enough that I sort of replied with music of my own, but it did die down after a while. That would likely lead people to give a bad review, but again since this is a family hotel, I wouldn't be guaranteed a quiet room like I would at say the parent com[any's Hilton Garden Inn.||A couple more nitpicky things for me was that the faucet for the sink was at the extreme corner of the basin, so rinsing my toothbrush or washing my face it was hard not to splash some water on the counter. The last thing was that while the shower was in a separate "room" and there was a vent in the ceiling, it didn't appear to have a blower which could vent steam from a hot shower quickly. Again, this could be back to the original design and what they could and could not adjust from the renovation, but it is what it is.||Unlike the Hyatt Regency I stayed at in Chicago, I was able to get some sleep on the bed, but I think after changing mattresses at home, perhaps the hotel beds have gotten a bit too firm for me. Considering that's a "me" preference and hotels can't personalize a guest's experience that far, it's fine.||As for the final thing about the hotel itself, the breakfast is what you would expect post-pandemic, so it's fine. The staff were happy to answer any questions I had, and the hotel has a pool which while I didn't get to enjoy it seems a few families certainly did.||You're probably wondering though if I had this many small nitpicks about the hotel how I could give it a 5, but I got a spacious room for an OK price, the staff was receptive, and the room still did what I needed it to do. So I would want other people who have a need for a hotel like this (aka families) to have this as once of their choices, which requires giving them a 5 to keep them up in the...

EDIT: I stayed here again from 8/22–8/24. Unfortunately, some of the same issues I noticed before are still present—for example, the lobby still had towels on the floor soaking up whatever liquid is dripping down.

I was originally placed in Room 522, but it was a connecting room and the noise from the guests next door was very loud, even with earplugs. The staff did switch me to Room 530, which was much larger and more comfortable. However, there were a couple of maintenance concerns: the bathroom ceiling had significant peeling and curling paint, and the microwave was in rough shape, with the plastic covering over the controls completely destroyed.

Overall, the staff was responsive in moving me, but the ongoing maintenance and cleanliness issues definitely need more attention.

Original review: I travel frequently from San Diego to the Bay Area to visit friends and family and have stayed at this Hampton Inn & Suites multiple times. Its best feature is the location—it's very close to San Jose Airport and offers easy access to Highway 87 and 101. There’s also a Starbucks nearby, which is perfect for quick morning coffee runs.

The rooms are clean and functional, but the bathroom sink design is a bit odd. The faucets are positioned at the corner of the basin, so washing your hands ends up being awkward. It’s a minor issue, but noticeable.

One thing to be aware of: if your room faces the street, you’ll likely hear the light rail passing by throughout the night. If you’re a light sleeper, I highly recommend bringing earplugs or requesting a room that doesn’t face the street. It’s not unbearable, but definitely something to consider if you're sensitive to noise.

I always use Hilton’s app to choose my room and activate the digital key, which is convenient. However, parking costs $10 per night, and you still need to stop by the front desk to pick up a parking pass. I’ve never had trouble finding a spot, and I’m not sure how strictly the passes are monitored.

Security does patrol the lot, but they use an unmarked vehicle. At first, I thought someone was lurking around the lot—it wasn't until I saw them again that I realized it was hotel security. A clearly marked car would go a long way in providing reassurance to guests.

The area doesn’t have many food options. There’s a Denny’s and a 76 gas station convenience store down the street, but that’s about it. I usually rely on DoorDash when I stay here.

During my most recent visit, there seemed to have been a sprinkler malfunction—piles of towels lined the first-floor hallways with caution signs everywhere. The air conditioning also seemed nonexistent in the elevators and the fifth-floor hallways, making common areas feel stuffy.

The front desk texted to check in on my stay, which I appreciated, but when I replied asking for extra towels, I never got a response. They texted again the next day, but by then it felt like no one was actually monitoring the replies.

Overall, this hotel is fine for a quick stay—comfortable enough to sleep and shower. I haven’t tried the breakfast, so I can’t speak to that. I’ll probably check out the Hilton Garden Inn San Jose Airport on my next visit, as it’s a newer build and may offer a bit...

My visited started out rough. The front desk (John Huynh) was trying to charge me an extra $100 more than what my reservation had said (and no, I don't mean the $100 deposit). He was charging me for a higher rate per night. I showed him my email with the total, so he tried to charge me for that. I tapped my card, but the card reader was taking longer than what John wanted it to take (20 seconds- John). So, he "canceled" my transaction. However, on my bank statement, the charge had gone through and took the amount. I showed him the statement, but he refused to cooperate. He began to show rude attitude (sighing, rolling his eyes, and speaking about me to his co-worker in another language). I had to get my bank involved, and when the claims agent tried to speak to him, John ignored the conversation and went to scroll on his phone. When she (the claim agent) gave him clear instructions, he constantly refused to follow the instructions (list address of hotel, corporate phone number, and his testimony of the event). I told him that she would need the corporate number, he refused and gave me the email of his manager instead. When I told him I needed corporate's number, per the instruction of my claim agent, he stormed off into a back room, leaving me at the counter for approximately 10 minutes. When he returned, he said that I could check in for the night (still refusing to give me corporate's number). The room he gave me was not the room I had selected on the hilton app. Instead, it was an old, damaged, and poorly lit room. I will post the photos here. I do not recommend staying at this location! I also warn you to check the amount a front clerk says with the confirmation email you receive where you stay. Please, please, please, do not stay at this location!

Edit The refrigerator doesn't work either!

Spoke to John about the damages in my room and he wanted to send a man into my room at 9:35 at night. I am a female and I don't feel safe. Also, I showed him the photos of the damage, but he still insisted a man goes to my room to check it. Insinuating...