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The Fairmont
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100 reviews for The Fairmont
I won a free night stay after the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll marathon and got to stay at this swanky hotel which was seconds away from the finish line.
What's not to like about this hotel? Well, maybe the parking and some issues we had checking out, hence the 1 star deduction but other than that, they have a great grand lobby complete with piano, a humongous flat screen TV and a complete bar. There is also a day spa and several dining options. The staff is professional and courteous and we were able to check in right away.
Our room was another thing. It was a luscious delight. The bathroom was pretty big but for some reason the shower was tiny and the water didn't drain during my shower. However we did notice two plush bathrobes in the bathroom but never got to try them on, oh well.
All in all, we had a nice stay. The bed was comfy but we had some issues with parking. It was probably full due to the marathon, so we ended up at the garage and during checkout, there was only one lady to check us out and there was a sizeable line that she had to work through. I'm sure most of the time this place is right on key, they've won many awards and I would consider staying here again.
This was my first experience staying at the Fairmont!
I was very impressed by the size of the rooms! The beds are comfortable and bathroom is spacious as well.
The front desk...hmmm....well. Perhaps I was asking for too much because, I called down from one of the expensive suites and asked for a highlighter and the lady that answered said "You can come down and get it yourself", okay...yeah....if you are paying hella money for a damn suite dude...they should be able to bring you up a highligher.
Two star deduct, for that attitude, for sure!!
That was the only thing that really irked me!
On the other hand, my car was parked at the Fairmont parking garage and I asked someone that worked in the lounge/waiting area and he was so kind and accommodating!!
He actually, physically walked me to where the garage was!!
Now..that is what I called customer service with a PERSONAL TOUCH my dear reader!! That is TRUE customers service!! He could have drawn me a map, said he didn't know, pointed in the general direction but no...he took it one step further!
One star Gain for that guy!!
The chick behind the check-in desk needs to take a lesson from this gentleman! HE ROCKED!!! I wish I could remember his name...damn! Anyway!
Still a great place to stay!
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I decided to stay at the Fairmont for the convenience of not having to worry about parking. We were there for the big event 'The Rock'n Roll Marathon'.
Checked in on Saturday evening around 6pm, the valet parking was full, WTF man we are guest here I said to myself, anyway they directed us to their "garage" on the other side of the block, it wasn't too bad of a walk .
The Room: The bed was so comfy it felt like I was laying on top of marshmallows and the bathroom was a good size too. Can you believe there was confetti hanging from the ceilings...LOL...yeah.
If you are paying with an ATM card they will charge your card an extra $100 more and then take it off in a few days, hey don't they know I have bills to FN pay. I also ended up paying for parking, can you believe that!
I should have brought my laptop because the FN fees for the use of their computer/internet services was ridiculous.
I will have to think twice about staying here again.
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Not being very familiar with downtown San Jose, this was my first visit to the Fairmont, but not my last.
Parking seemed to be an issue on a Saturday afternoon, not sure if this is the norm. Many lots were full but we found public parking a couple of blocks away with no problem.
We attended a food event held in the Imperial Ballroom and was most impressed with the accommodations. The ballroom is spacious and, although there was quite a crowd, we didn't feel like we were in a sardine can.
My friend highly recommends making this a destination weekend getaway. She finds the rooms very comfortable and at an affordable price.
We stopped to peek into the spa facility and that did it for me. Looks like I'll have to check it out. I'll be back to spend more time at the Fairmont soon.
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Sugar Rhythm Dance (our dance teacher) invited a group of eight of us to a free Swing group dance lesson this past Friday night at the Fairmont Hotel. Dance instructor Hayes teaches Ballroom dance In the Fairmont lobby two or three times a month. Hayes of Sugar Rhythm Dance is a fantastic group dance teacher and his lesson was perfect for the mostly beginner crowd, but he added technique and patterns for us intermediate dancers. We had dinner at the Fairmont before the dance lesson. Their meals are very good with good service. In the ballroom lobby area, we ordered drinks before, during & after the dance lesson. The bar servers were attentive, polite & fast. The drinks were a good size and a reasonable price. A dance band (Shark Sandwich) starts playing immediately after Hayes' group dance lesson is over. Sugar Rhythm convinced the band to start with a few Swing dance numbers so we could practice the dance patterns taught in the dance class. That made the
evening great fun.
Love the bartender Hugo??? I think that is his name not sure how to spell it. I am a fan of him and his bartending. He is very engaging and I enjoy talking with him. He tops my list as one of my favorite spots just to grab a drink and chill. Other hot spots for cool bartenders in my opinion are Mezcal, Firehouse, Divebar. Try them. Drinks are pricey here but then it is the Fairmont but go for the service you will be happy.
We are locals from Cupertino and stayed at the Fairmont for one night for a wedding. My sister was having her reception at The Loft and we didn't want to deal with a cab or driving home after some drinks. I have to admit though...my husband and I were pretty excited to stay at San Jose's swankiest hotel!
We got a pretty good deal, $104 for a Friday night. We booked online with a no refund rate from their website. One thing I thought was disappointing was $26 charge for vallet or parking in their garage. That is pretty lame. However, if you have a hybrid vehicle you don't have to pay. I didn't have a hybrid so I paid...ugh.
Check in was literally a breeze. The two people working the front desk were helping people and there was a guy at the President's Club counter who was available. He was quick to say "I can help you over here." That was nice. He made small talk, he could see my bridesmaid dress and asked questions about the wedding such as where it was at and if I was coming from out of the area. From that point on, the staff called me Mrs. .... it was a real pleasure. I asked for the highest floor available for the rate we paid and he gave me the 19th floor. Our room had a great view of the pool and the west valley.
The room was large in size. It had been upgraded recently, new flat screen tv with HD programing. The bathroom had a separate shower and tub and good lighting. Just outside the bathroom was a nice vanity area with perfect lighting for applying makeup and a nice stool to sit on. The linens were nice with high thread count and down pillows. The towels were large and thick. The carpet was berber style with some stains. There was a little love seat and separate chair, the love seat had some stains too. There was a coffee maker in the room with all the cream and sweetener options.
My overall stay was nice. I've stayed in fancier rooms in Vegas but the service here was outstanding. They need to not charge for parking.
We had our National Sales and Service Convention here for 3 days, 4 nights.
Great classic hotel, Excellent Service. Room was amazing, Huge, big closet, huge bathroom separate shower and tub, flat screen TV with way to many channels to choose from. Bed and pillows were comfortable and provided a great nights sleep.
AC, Shower Head and Faucet were all in need of a fix!
The rest of the hotel was great the bar, the restaurant , the ballroom and breakout rooms and service were all excellent! The lobby bar with the live entertainment every night was awesome!
Great location, Great people and Great atmosphere made for a great experience
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We came to the Fairmont lobby jazz bar after Music in the Park last night. The hotel is beautiful as expected and I loved the ambiance. Beautiful grand piano, live jazz music and singing, extensive drink menu, cute couples dancing. Too bad my companion refused to dance. This is a nice place to come with a date to get away from the rowdy San Jose crowd- extra points if your date wows you with their sexy dance moves.
Pros: The drink menu (or book actually) was really impressive and the bartender gave us beer nuts. Great music and ambiance, cute little dance floor.
Cons: Expensive drinks (2 whiskeys on the rocks were $22 not including tip). In the middle of the Fairmont lobby. Older crowd.
I would give this little jazz bar 3.5 stars, bumping it up to 4 stars because it reminds me of The Top of the Mark in SF. Not nearly as awesome (no city view) but similar vibe. I guess this is the kind of place where your friends or date really makes the night.
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The best thing about traveling for work is that sometimes you get a really nice place. The Fairmont (usually) is a really nice place.
The SJ Fairmont lobby is elegant -- you want in and are immediately given the feeling you aren't staying at a Holiday Inn Express. They have the requisite hotel bar, restaurants, and all of the amenities that you would expect from his four star hotel line.
But going up to your room, you get the feeling this Fairmont isn't the one the chain cares about. The carpet is nice, but seemed faded and worn. The rooms themselves were great, with a separate shower and tub, and the bathrooms were larger than most third world countries. I slept well all three days, and they get extra brownie points for having a lcd tv with true HD channels.
The location is great also -- you're right next to few restaurants that are classy, and The Grill had a 25 dollar coupon, which meant a visit (you're still going to drop $40 or so of your own after the coupon, beforewarned).
The complaint: sometime Thursday morning the phone in my room went out, and so did wifi, Thursday evening, I said something to the desk, and it didn't seem that they either comprehended what I was saying (which was "I have no wifi"), or knew and didn't want to fix it. It was one of the oddest reactions I've seen from a front desk person.
The ethernet Internet service didn't work either.
That said, it was a nice place, but not a place I would think about staying if I were paying for it unless it was inexpensive.
Beautiful hotel (only saw the lobby). Went here for a Yelp Elite event and dug the vibe. I didn't get food because people are like vultures at these events, but that was cool because we had food at happy hour down the street just in case.
If they have live jazz or music here in the future, I would definitely come back. The seats and set up were nice and the sound resonated nicely.
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Very disappointing. Upon arrival on a Friday night, we waited at least 15 minutes in the lobby before anyone checked us in. The one person at the desk who was helping a party that was taking forever didn't even look up or apologize for the wait - it was as if we didn't exist. We assume she finally called for back up because someone flew out of the back room to assist us after a line had developed and we were all getting very frustrated. To add to our bad experience, they had a band playing in their lobby area - this would be nice, except for the fact that it was so loud we couldn't even hear the front desk person when they finally were checking us in. It was ridiculous.
The room was not four-star quality at all. It was old, the carpet was in poor condition, and the bathroom shower was tiny. I felt like I was at a two star motel, not a luxury hotel. On top of that, every time we used the valet (there is no self-parking), it took at least 15 minutes for them to get our car. They even brought the wrong car once and when we didn't respond, asked us if it was ours and we said no. The valet attendant looked all confused and then went back in to check and realized she had brought the wrong one.
Room service was good. Pricey, but the food was fresh and service was good.
We got a pretty good rate, which is the only reason I didn't check out early. It was a really bad experience and I will definitely think twice about going to a Fairmont, especially this one.
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**THIS REVIEW IS FOR AFTERNOON TEA AT THE FAIRMONT**
In my Tea Meetup we've been visiting various tea rooms around the Bay Area, and in my opinion, this is the best place we've had tea, yet! The tea and the food was delicious and the service impeccable, as was the whole environment. The only downside to Tea a the Fairmont is the price, $32, which is quite a bit more than other tea rooms.
~~Note: They were wonderful in working with people who had food allergies, they asked in advance when the reservation was made, the verified all information as soon as we arrived and were seated.
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I have been to so many events at The Fairmont I can not believe I have not reviewed it before.
Yesterday at the Bridal expo could there have been more people in line and why was there a line at all?
Next the space was cramped to say the least obviously not all the vendors showed up and those who did were placed in the smaller room. I have been to community events here and a volunteer here the staff is always great, and usually the food selection is great ( chicken anyone?)
A star because in of all the hotels this fairmont has not had a bed bug problem and for that it gets a star!
Next, greatest staff in the world. Always lets me in the back door and gives me an extra chicken wing.
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So, I just came back from a weekend at the Fairmont and I have to say that I'm highly disappointed in my stay.
First of all, the room was really dusty. I had definitely problems with this in the hotel, even after taking my sinus medication. One of my roommates experienced the same thing.
Second, the comforter was dirty. I'm not talking about old, either. It had blood spatters on it. It was covered with a sheet, thankfully, but this is really unacceptable.
Third, the maid staff repeatedly called about cleaning the room despite the do not disturb sign posted on the door. I had come back to the room to take a nap and received two calls regarding this. I said that I did not wish to have the room cleaned that day and they seemed to ignore this when they called back the second time.
As an aside, the parking situation was terrible. I ended up parking in another lot.
Honestly, it was a nice setup, but it just needed to be better maintained. The bathrooms were nice, at least, and the rooms were spacious. Still, it seems like for an "upscale" hotel, they could work on their upkeep a bit.
I am sitting here in my $105 room (price with discount for the group I'm here with) at the Fairmont Hotel, freezing my ass off because I can't get the thermostat to go above 65 degrees, even after following the instructions to the letter several times.
I am writing this review on my $14/day wireless internet connection. My computer is connected to the internet via cable, because the wireless connection didn't work, even after 1/2 hour on the phone with the tech support guy.
I am eating a Clif Bar for breakfast, because breakfast is not included with the room rate, and would cost me a loooot of money for food that I mostly can't eat, since I'm vegan.
Pretty soon I'm going to pick up my car, which is parked here for $26/day (over $50 if it's a tuck) to go teach at the certification course I'm here for.
My room is nice (especially if I'm in a hot shower or buried under the covers) and service is friendly. But I am definitely regretting not staying at the HoJo's down the block.
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For someone who stays in hotels over 100 nights a year, the one thing that matters to me the most is the showerhead.
I can't stand showerheads that trickle out water, or doesn't have water pressure or can't be adjustable.
Fairmont San Jose has an awesome showerhead, so I'll give them that. The rooms are basic, simple and has the old world charm furniture, which I'm not a fan of... but at the end of the day, every room looks the same when one is sleeping.
If you're staying in the area, or at the hotel, make sure to find yourself at the Fairmont Lobby Bar and order yourself the Corn and Lobster chowder... ooh, baby, that's some good shit. Served hot with croutons, thick as a chowder should be and great meaty pieces of lobster. The service in the bar area is attentive and cordial.
The rest of the staff seems fairly nice and helpful, something I expect from this four star property.
Staff - Very friendly, professional, and hospitable. Excellent room service!
Rooms - Big enough for a family of four; the kids were able to run around wild and play in the tub with no issues. The amenities were useful, the beds/pillows comfy, and overall up to par of what I expected. The hotel lobby was decorated per season and the kids enjoyed the big Christmas tree and gingerbread house.
Price - Well, it is the Fairmont so one should the expect the rates to be a little pricey so don't be alarmed when you get the final bill specially if you ordered three room service (like we did...yikes!).
Location - Perfect! We came here to spend Christmas in the Park among other things (ice skating, museums, restaurants/bakery, etc.) and it was very convenient to have everything just within our reach (literally).
We had our Junior Prom here years and years (and years) ago and there have been some major changes, but the QUALITY still remains outstanding.
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Stayed here for the past week - this is the second time for work we've stayed at the Fairmont San Jose for a week.
The carpet and bathrooms in my most recent room were a bit on the worn side - but still serviceable and comfortable. The beds were comfy and the hotel in general has a nice vibe - from the Lounge/Bar area to the overall service.
The rooms still have analog style TVs, while the Lounge area has large flat screen High Def screens. C'mon! Let's get some TV upgrades in the rooms!
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Just another typical corporate-fancy hotel. Nothing particularly unique or excellent stands out, but the rooms were spacious and very clean. I would have liked a few extra channels on the cable (no TRU.TV?? Come on!) and wish that parking was a bit cheaper. Relatively friendly and helpful staff.
I was staying here for a conference, and in terms of hosting the conference, they did a wonderful job. The continental breakfasts and snacks between sessions were quite nice. I believe the lunch was very nice, too, although I did not stick around for those.
I did have lunch in the Fountain restaurant, which will be reviewed separately.
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I had tea @ Fairmont on Sunday and was very disappointed. The tea & food was awful and can't believe it cost $32 dollar. It is sad that San Jose Fairmont hotel standard is so low!
If you like having afternoon tea.........don't go to this place. Check out other tea house for good food and good tea. : )
Just spent the night there on the 4th of July to escape the fireworks with my dogs. (San Jose canceled their fireworks this year.) They are SO dog friendly it was a wonderful stay. They bring dog beds and bowls, and there is a park right across the street for walks. The room service was delicious and the movie selection was superb. The rates were very reasonable, which was admittedly a surprise. The room was large and very comfortable. I am now a huge fan of The Fairmont.
3.5 stars. The Fairmont is a nice hotel. The lobby area is fancy and full of marble so it looks pretty classy and old school. The hallways to the rooms are kind of vomit colored but the rooms are fine. The suites are better. The Miller Harris bath products and the bathrooms, particularly the bath tubs, are nice. However, they have old TV's in the rooms so don't expect flat screens, no hot tub anywhere and rooms on only one floor of one of the buildings has wifi, which I think is odd. Also, they may give you a baby crib for no reason.
Not a bad place to stay if you're in the South Bay.
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I haven't stayed at the Fairmont, although I do know they allow dogs to stay with guests. I haven't eaten at any of it's restaurants, either. This review is only Tea at the Fairmont, a Grand Tradition.
I've gone to Afternoon Tea at the San Jose Fairmont several times over the years and I've always been satisfied. They offer a higher end service than most tea rooms I've been to.
Ways The Fairmont is better than most other tea rooms I've visited. Usually, I'm lucky if 2 of these points are true, let alone all of them.
- clean, non dingy, pleasant environment
- well trained, attentive wait staff with attractive uniforms. I think they had nice silk or silk looking tops
- beautiful matching pots, plates, etc. including solid silver cream server
- nice comfy seating
- food made with high quality, fresh ingredients
All of these elements add up to making the tea worth a special event visit. You could either come alone and they have enough room for large groups. Just let them know in advance so that they have enough people on duty.
The Fairmont San Jose was one of my favorite escapes with my wife when we just needed a break from the world.
The rooms are very comfortable, especially if you know what to ask for. Be sure to request a room in the main building, facing the park, on a high floor. The corner rooms in the higher floors give you wonderful views of the West towards the mountains and either the North towards Santa Clara, or the South towards Almaden. These rooms are especially wonderful during the holidays when the park is transformed into Christmas In The Park.
For the summer time, the rooftop pool is very nice. Lay out, tan, and people watch.
Grill On The Alley downstairs is great for dinner, and the lobby lounge is perfect for relaxing with a cocktail and a paper. Top it off with breakfast at The Fountain Restaurant, and you won't be disappointed.
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Was here for a conference for a week. Not a bad place, although clearly in need of some upgrades and updates.
The rooms were, well, roomy and (mine at least) was nicely furnished. They had an awesome pillow top mattress on the bed that actually allowed me to catch a few Z's in a hotel, which is normally hard for me.
The bathroom was huge, separate shower stall and bathtub, little room for the throne, etc. Fixtures were a tad on the early 80's side, but whatever. They dispense water, 'nuf said.
I do have a beef with the TV in the room, it was this crappy off brand tube TV that wasn't even Trinitron, so the picture was pretty bad and it took 30 seconds or so to warm up. Um, how's about a LCD or plasma? Please?
The conference amenities we OK. The buffet food was about what you'd expect. The restaurant downstairs was much better although outrageously expensive. But we only ate there a day or 2, the rest was provided, so I can't complain too much.
I wouldn't stay here on my own, it's way overpriced and there are nicer hotels in the area (the Cypress for one) that are much nicer. But this wasn't half bad and the facilities were able to easily accommodate our large group.
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The Fairmont is such a snazzy place to stay. Especially while working a convention that took over the entire block.
I ended up in a One Bedroom Suite and it was really nice! I love the vanity area in the bedroom along with the walk-in closet. Perfect if I'm going to be living in the hotel for 6 days. The bathroom is spacious and the sitting area/dining area is nice. A friend of mine was staying with me and we brought a ton of snacks for those late night talks, early evening meetings, and just whenever we run out the door.
There was turn down service each evening and it was a luxury that I wasn't used to and felt decadent coming back to it.
I also really like the lounge area in the lobby. The bar makes an amazingly diverse number of drinks. Their drink menu is a small novel!!! Another friend and I were relaxing there with a few martinis and listening to a great local jazz band (all ladies!). Such decadence before a stressful week of running a convention!
The staff was extremely helpful and were more than willing to work with us on any complication that arose. So many stars for them!
The only bad thing was that I had to pack everything up to leave for check out!
My co-worker Tara booked a weekend here for the eHarmony love of her life. His name was Adam and he lived in Nebraska. They had been chatting intimately on the phone for a few months, when he booked a plane ticket for San Jose so they could meet and see if the two of them had the sizzling chemistry eHarmony is known for.
She was nervous, not because the pictures she had posted were from 50 pounds and two chins ago, but because they had already rounded a few bases during their late-night phone chats, and she was expecting to go all the way that night. I reminded her that this was technically the first date, and nice girls shouldn't spend nights in hotel rooms with boys they have just met. She told me to f*ck off and booked her hotel room. At the Fairmont. For herself and the future Mr. Tara J.
She drove south 300 miles to pick him up. He called from the airport and said he had arrived. The freshly-waxed and powdered Tara cruised up in her BMW (that she'd just had detailed) and Adam hopped in. She smiled and he noticed that she was curvier than expected, but still blonde and beautiful. He smiled and she noticed why his profile photos had been taken with closed mouth grins. You see, Adam had summer teeth. Summer this way, summer that way, summer missing, etc. Most women would look past this and see all of his wonderful qualities -but not Tara.
When Tara drove up to the Fairmont, Adam ran into the lobby to check-in while Tara parked the car. Instead of parking, she dropped his bags next to the entrance and drove 300 miles home.
She text-messaged Adam and said the vibe just wasn't there. His flight didn't leave until Sunday and so he was forced to take a cab to San Francisco and go on solo trolley rides all weekend.
Fairmont, thank you looking just like your photos - beautiful, inside and out.
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I was in San Jose to attend SES and I had a great time on my trip.
I heard really great things about this hotel, but I gotta say that my experience was just so-so. First of all, I felt like Monica on Friends because I had to complain about my room and get moved. The first room I had was on the 3rd floor, which I was fine with because I really didn't care about having a room witha view. The only problem was that my room ended up being right between the gym and the hotel offices. So all I heard were doors opening and closing all night long! The next room I got was on the 21st floor. Nice, right? Not so much. It was the handicap room right next to boardroom and it was just creepy. The bathroom was long and everything was old and I felt like Jack Nicholson was gonna pop out of the shower with a knife.
I think I'll try the Sainte Claire next year!
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We had our wedding at the Fairmont about a month ago in the Imperial Ballroom, and let me tell you everything was perfect. The staff at the Fairmont was so helpful in setting everything up. And it was probably the first time at a wedding where I didn't hear complaints from guests about the food!
Also, the pastry chef there who designed our cakes was AMAZING! We had one regular wedding cake and one ice cream cake =). Let me tell you, we saw this cake at the Bellagio in Las Vegas that was incredible. We took pictures of it to show him (it was a $9000 cake) to see if he could make the same thing. He made it exact down to every last detail. And this cake was very complex and very elegant.. and it was all included in the package!
If you are deciding on a place to have an event, I would look into the Fairmont. And with a room like the Imperial Ballroom (which has the capacity to seat up to 1000 people indoors) it is great even for really large parties.
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I've never stayed in a fancy hotel in my life, this is probably the closest that I've gotten.
Tight:
-The lobby is pretty.
-It's located downtown, close to this great seafood restaurant and a bakery. Right across the street from the Tech and Modern Art Museum.
-The room was nice, view of the city, not entirely breathtaking but it's fun being voyeuristic as you watch people at the park or walking outside.
-Separate shower and bathtub in the bathroom.
-Health club is pretty cool. I don't like how they arrange their cardio machines though. There's a separate sauna & steam room for the ladies, I'm sure the men have one too.
-The pool area is nice. The pool itself is a good size, you can get some laps done as long as it's fairly empty.
Wack:
-Parking is $26 a day, unless you can find street parking somewhere, good luck!
-$25 if you want to use a cot for the night (you know how we do it, trying to stuff extra people in the room)
-No fridge but there's a mini-bar which I didn't touch.
-Poolside beer is $10 and took forever for them to bring it out. I might as well have touched the mini-bar. Still can't believe I paid $10 for a lukewarm beer, a domestic one at that!
This place for the lovers. I think I'll come back with my beau next time. I'll whisk him away to the romance capital of the South Bay, San Jose!
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The hotel is really pretty. The architecture on the outside to the inside lobby and lounge area screamed "expensive". Since my BF and I are in our early 20s and college students, we felt sort of out of place but I was really impressed with the whole atmosphere this place exudes. The customer service here rocks! Very pleasant and amiable employees. They really seem to care about making your experience as enjoyable as possible
Just a few things I'd like to mention which did not make this hotel 5 stars in our book. The sink in our bathroom had some drainage issues, for some reason it seemed clogged and took forever and a day for the water to drain out. We also had an issue with one of the cabinets. Once it was open it was difficult to close because the thing-a-ma-jig that holds the darn thing closed was loose and on the verge of coming off. The toilet looked like it belonged in a public restroom. It was the kind where you flush the toilet by using your foot because you don't want to touch it with your hand.
Just thought I'd also mention our little paranormal experience in our room, just for fun. I used a mirror located by the closet (which is one of those sliding door types- and it was wide open with the light inside turned on) to fix my make-up and all of a sudden the light flickered on and off. I was a little surprised but thought nothing of it. I joked to my BF that the closet was haunted. He is really skeptical, so that was that. The next morning as I was getting ready at the same mirror my BF walked into the closet, the light which was on turned off on its own. He got freaked out and told me that his intention was to close the closet door on himself. I told him to do it, but he didn't want to anymore. So if you'd like to further investigate this room for fun, check into room 1814.
3.5 stars Had a one day meeting here at the Fairmont and it was a pretty average experience. We were on level B in the Plaza room and it was nice but nothing spectacular. We had coffee, tea and some pastries in the morning with cookies and brownies with soda in the afternoon. Brownies looked like the fudgey type. Ew.
Parking was a pain in the butt because you have to find it elsewhere. There are a lot of lots very near by but I had to drive by several before I could find one that wasn't full already. It cost $15 to park the whole day in the lot.
the fairmont has a special spot in my heart. I remember high school parties where I fell asleep in closets, and one unfortunate but wonderful night (my birthday actually) where we used the shoe buffer on a drunk guys head. there were more charges for room damages than the room cost, but, hey we had a lot of expendable income at the time.
fast forward several years later. My bf is visiting from out of town and I want to take him somewhere romantic. We end up at the Fairmont, and I have no complaints. okay, just one: parking in their basement garage is pricey. but I love the view. Ive never made it to the pool, altho I have an urge from time to time when Im in the area to slip up to the 4th floor and take a dip, then leave.
The location isnt that hot. there are restaurants around, and bars, but there is a distinct sewer smell across the street in the pavillion, in front of johnny rockets, and lots of homeless and druggy people frequent the area. Bijan bakery, downstairs, is tasty. you can have coffee and watch the city go about its business.
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LOVED it!! I was treated with AMAZING, over-the-top service. I HIGHLY recommend this place. I felt like a rock star with how great they treated me.
ONLY drawback to this place - no outside hot tub!! If this place had a hot tub, it would be 5 stars......
I will stay here again no matter what.
nothing like waking up face down, drunkenly confused on the floor of a fairmont hotel room....the carpets are nice
;D
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So I booked a room here for just one night this past weekend...I got a deal! I booked a room last minute through http://hotels.com and my goodness...I got lucky! The front desk were so welcoming and helpful that one of them had given me some information for happy hour places. Funny how they gave me that information...because, I AM queen of happy hour. The valet was cool and accommodating...why? Well, Kuya parked his car at the front of the hotel for a long ass time that the valet guys didn't bother to charge him nor get his car towed. Cool points! The room was huge and I got a great view of downtown SJ....especially when they're setting up Christmas in the Park! Woohoo! Nice! If I plan on staying here, I'll make sure to book it with someone special.
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10/14/2008
Wow! You'll really love this hotel. Their ballrooms here are exquisite! For high school prom and… Read more »
*Afternoon Tea Only*
A lovely afternoon with two lovely girlfriends of mine. Dresses, heels, purses and excited to do afternoon tea - three good friends walked into the Fairmont.
It's a beautiful hotel, grand old style rather than comtemporary. Ornate, golds, big couches, tall ceiling and quietness hushed over the few people around at 2pm in the afternoon. We were soon seated at our reserved table, no waiting. A small lowered table with a couch and chairs around it, cute and plenty of room. Though hardly anyone was around and no one for tea.
We decided on the regular tea option and ordered a bottle of Chandon (about $37 - fair price for the Fairmont). Or waiter was akward though, nice was akward. He just didn't have the presence for serving tea and was more of a distraction than a help.
The food was either too bland or way too sweet. You get three little plates. The first one being a little sandwich plates - only one was good. A scone for the second plate - fresh but too sweet. And a desert plate - just didn't have the freshness and everything was too sweet. I hardly touched any of the food. It simply wasn't worth it ($28).
The tea was great, you get your own pot with a cozy over it to keep it warm. But it's hard to mess up tea for me, yummy!
It was fun sitting around drinking tea but the food just wasn't good nor was the service great. I'd find a different place next time, even if it wasn't as fancy as the Fairmont.
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Wow, who the hell knew the Fairmont would be ghetto fabulous? I grew up in San Jose and this was the she-she place to stay. I stayed here on my dreaded honeymoon night many moons ago. We had a bad time but I thought it was because it was a bad relationship (that turned into a bad marriage).
We did the valet here and went to get the car around 2am, stopping at the bathroom first. There was a toilet paper roll in the toilet. Yah like at any downtown club! Then I went out to wait in the hall and some chick is FLIPPING out at the bar screaming how someone didn't treat her right. Her man wanted to take the guy outside. I quickly ran back into the bathroom to get my friends, so they wouldnt' miss the action. :-)
Heading down the elevator to the car smelled soooo bad. Is this what it's like to be rich?
Again. Did I raise my standards or did they lower theirs? I'm definatly a Hampton Inn girl from now on!
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Having stayed a other Fairmonts, I have to say, this one was definitely not up to "Fairmont" standards. The lobby and entry are beautiful, but the rooms and amenities are quite lacking. It is possibly due to the fact that nothing has been changed since 1987 in the main building! As for the staff, there was some great staff and then some who need to take tips from the others. Parking was horrendous, but staff was nice! They locked the keys to my rental car in the car. However, one of the Front Desk Managers was kind enough to take my gf and I to Palo Alto while they were getting the keys out. The parking department also brought up the wrong car on numerous occasions, enough for me to mention it. Asides from little mishaps, the overall stay was nice.
