Downtown San Jose's Historic Hotel De Anza

If you’re visiting Silicon Valley for business or pleasure, be sure to book a room at Hotel De Anza in downtown San Jose for an unforgettable stay! This boutique hotel is a great choice for families as well, as it has the amenities you can count on and then some.

Hotel De Anza

Our weekend was perfect as my daughters were dancing at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts just around the corner, we made ourselves comfortable and accessible to the area as needed. I arrived a few hours before everyone else and I got to stroll through the hotel and explore all the nooks and crannies. Since it was St. Patrick’s Day and I had some free time, I made my way to the Hedley Club lounge just inside the hotel lobby. If you are lucky as I was, you’ll find Jack the bartender ready to serve you. He was a delight to chat with and come to find out he has family in my hometown. Even with roaring 20’s prohibition style cocktails like the French 75 on the menu, I opted for a Midori sour to celebrate green for the holiday and took in the gorgeous lounge. It’s set up with the most comfortable of seating, a cozy fireplace, and the beautiful Diving Diva above the mantle. Just outside the doors, the lounge extends into a covered courtyard with more seating, fountains, and games. Bocce ball, cornhole, ping-pong, and life-size Connect Four will delight everyone in your family and you can still have the Club feel without banishing the kids to the hotel room. Nearly every evening, the Hedley Club lounge offers live jazz from the area’s finest bands in the bay area. We enjoyed the sounds of Masha Campagne with more cocktails and a meal from the hotel’s own La Pastaia.Pasta, pizza, burgers, and more and you can dine in the restaurant just steps from the lounge or enjoy them in the Club, or even in your room via room service. Remember the Diving Diva above the fireplace I mentioned before, well “the 25-foot inverted diver, lovingly nicknamed The Diving Diva, has adorned the hotel’s west-facing exterior since 1951.” Once promoting the hotel’s heated pool, the iconic image is still around though the pool isn’t and she’s also the hotel’s signature drink! I ordered one for it’s pear and elderflower liqueur and lemon twist and it was so good, can you spot both Divas below?The name Hotel De Anza came from the explorer Juan Bautista de Anza, who discovered the Santa Clara Valley in 1776. The hotel was established in 1931, music, jazz, roaring 20’s, and art deco themes run rampant throughout the hotel.

I could stare at the eyes in this art piece for hours.From photographs of flappers, old-school paparazzi, retro radios, to the old brochures and menus quoting a T-bone steak for $1, I wanted to stroll each floor of the hotel to catch every last detail. The video monitors near reception were always changing and I love that I caught a picture of Woody Allen as well as caricatures of other fabulous celebrities (can you name them?).

Now how about those rooms? There are a total of 100 rooms at Hotel De Anza with a variety of suites and a Penthouse. Our double queen room was so spacious, it fit four of us comfortably. The white/grey/lavender hues and silver accents were business-like but also classy chic.

Probably my favorite part of the room was this pillow on the bed.Our city views were lovely with blue skies and palms waving back at us. The city streets below were only a quiet hum at night and even early in the morning.The striped tile in the bathroom was gorgeous with an enormous shower and plenty of space to get ready.The room has a lovely desk to get work done and comes complete with an Illy coffee maker and plenty of espresso! Also of note, each floor has a purified water machine that also provides crushed ice, a pitcher and ice bucket are available in the cabinet beneath the television.What did the kids love the most? Remember I have a tween, and two teens and they mostly enjoy eating. The younger two were with me and in typical fashion they raved about the food at La Pastaia, but especially the Midnight Snack Box. It is exactly how it sounds, a snack to hold you over until morning whether you’ve been burning the midnight oil working, or enjoying jazz all evening. If you get hungry during the wee hours of the night (available 10pm-5am), simply call or go to the front desk and request the complimentary ready‐made box including a sandwich, chips and a cookie. One per registered guest is permitted and what a welcomed treat! We haven’t seen an amenity such as this in all of our travels, so we’ll be talking about this for a long time and I’m sure it alone will bring us back!The Hotel De Anza is also a great place to stay if you’re in town for a sporting event or concert at SAP center, literally walking distance down the road. Check the website for a package deals that includes breakfast for two and complimentary valet parking.