Given that I live and play in Northern California most of the time, I’ve been wanting to explore the hotel scene in the lower Peninsula for awhile now and I don’t just mean well known Silicon Valley spots like Palo Alto and San Jose. Beyond San Jose, the high end town of Los Gatos attracts a lot of techie entrepreneurs and wine lovers, but most tourists I’ve talked to have never heard of it. The town itself is charming with loads of quaint shops and restaurants and the very lovely Testarossa Winery is up on a hill with a courtyard and live music some nights of the week.
Smack in the center of town sits Hotel Los Gatos, a Mediterranean style boutique luxury property that feels a bit like a large Greek or Italian villa that has been divided up into rooms, all of which have small but adorable outdoor patios, a great place to enjoy that morning cuppa Joe. While it makes for a great romantic weekend getaway from San Jose or San Francisco, nature lovers will also love the location since its location at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains means that picturesque hiking trails and the luscious Santa Cruz coastline is only a stone’s throw away.
You’ll be taken back to old world Europe with their washed paint style walls, austere oil painted portraits and old fashioned decadent lanterns demanding attention as you walk through the hallways. Despite its old world Mediterranean charm, the rooms have modern California style features to ensure your stay is as comfy as possible, like fridges, wine and snacks on hand, plush bathrobes and slippers, Eyptian cotton linens and complimentary wifi.
We loved the outdoor pool area which our room overlooked and its nearby outdoor jacuzzi, which I had an opportunity to experience after breakfast before we headed out. Note that the hot tub closes on the early side, so if you love evening soaks like I and so many others I know do, be sure to get your dip in before dinner as it will be closed by the time you return from dinner. Fitness lovers will be keen to know that there’s complimentary access to a fitness club across the street which I wished I had known beforehand so we could have gotten a workout in before heading back to the city.
The view of the inner courtyard and pool area from our second story room.
Our room was a little on the small side, although they have plenty of other options to choose from, so if you’re traveling with kids in tow or staying for longer than a night, you should look at one of their suite options: Grand Suite, Paloma King Suite, Junior King Suite, Junior Suite with 2 doubles, One Bedroom Suite, Grand King Suite and the Alma Suite, which has a fireplace, a godsend to cozy up to with a cocktail or cup of tea after dinner.
They use the Gilchrist and Soames Bathe Collection and animal lovers will be thrilled to know they allow pets for specific room types if booked in advance. Breakfast is served in the bar/cafe area of the Dio Deka Restaurant, which is under separate ownership, but part of the hotel. Be sure to read our write-up on Dio Deka, which focuses on fine Greek dining. Oh so yum! Their breakfast buffet isn’t a full American breakfast offering, but it has plenty — hot scrambled eggs and potatoes, cereals, bagels, muffins, toast and jams, hot chocolate, hard boiled eggs and a variety of teas and coffees. We decided to sit outside in the courtyard as it was such a beautiful morning and unless it’s raining, something I’d strongly recommend.
It was ever so relaxing and I’d argue, the perfect way to start your day. The best thing about the hotel? For me, it was by far, its fine Mediterranean touches and charm. History lovers will find great refuge in wandering through the halls, wellness lovers will get lost in the hot tub under the tall palm trees and California sky, food lovers will be in heaven at Dio Deka (ask for Nikos) and those who love a little pampering as part of their hotel stay will love the service — everyone was warm and friendly and went out of their way to make us feel right at home— two thumbs up!
DETAILS:
HOTEL LOS GATOS
210 East Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
408.335.1700
www.hotellosgatos.com
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
