The courtyard bar is packed (to just the right capacity) most every night, much of the furniture is made by local artisans, the pervasive poster art speaks to Austin's musical legacy, and the rooms offer the perfect mix of comfort and spartan utilitarianism to draw just the right crowd. Give it a try sometime. It's tough to beat. 

The Hotel San Jose is Austin through and through and represents a myriad of its best qualities. It's stylish, comfortable, curated, easy-going, eccentric, and exceptional all at the same time.  Originally built as a motor lodge in 1939, "The San Jose" sits hidden behind a wall of ivy just down the street from STAG on South Congress Avenue and acts a hub of both local and tourist activity in the neighborhood. The courtyard bar is packed (to just the right capacity) most every night, much of the furniture is made by local artisans, the pervasive poster art speaks to Austin's musical legacy, and the rooms offer the perfect mix of comfort and spartan utilitarianism to draw just the right crowd. Give it a try sometime. It's tough to beat. 

All photos by Allison V Smith.