Austin’s beloved Hotel San Jose serves as a favorite watering hole for locals, a must-visit spot for boutique hotel lovers from across the world and as one of the overall iconic epicenters of cool in the city. We stopped by for this month’s installment of Office Style to find out more about some of the stylish inn keepers who run the place where dogs are always welcome and everybody knows your name. They dish on what makes this inviting spot so special, their picks for the songs of the summer and what it’s like to bring a cocktail to some of their favorite celebs who frequent the place.
photography by nicole mlakar
Tyna Hoang, Erin Lindsey and Jackie Lee Young (pictured left to right) take a break in between the lush garden courtyards amongst the 40-room urban bungalow-style hotel on South Congress.
Photographer Jackie Lee Young who has become a local style icon in her own right (check out her inspiring and art-filled Instagram feed) has worked at the Hotel for six years and serves as the Lounge Manager. “I find that the hotel draws the adventurer traveler and tastemaker traveler. The property itself is a solid destination and an Austin institution. People migrate all day to show it to their friends and family,” she says. “The property combined with the attention to the guest experience by the staff as a whole is a unique experience that is not replicable.”
Jackie found this vintage print dress and Ecote Sandals from Prototype Vintage on South Congress. She loves their slogan — “all killer, no filler.”
Tyna Hoang is one of the Hotel lounge’s bartenders and like many of the other creatives who work there also has her own pursuits through a company she owns called Mission Collective that explores all aspects of food (from production and recipe development to styling and hosting pop-ups).
Lounge bartenders don’t have to follow a dress code, but Tyna tends to go with her own staples — patterned pants, linen tops and all day stay lipstick.
Assistant General Manager Erin Lindsey started with the company that owns the Hotel San Jose (Bunkhouse Management) 12 years ago when she worked as a baker and barista for neighboring Jo’s Coffee House. She somehow finds time to juggle two full-time jobs as she is also the mother of two (Ava who is 4 and Goldie who is 2).
Mornings are Erin’s favorite time of day at the Hotel. “Guests are still asleep and the hustle and bustle of South Congress hasn’t yet begun,” she says. “The property is very serene.” She paired her purple sun dress from Squashblossom Vintage with wedge sandals also from Squashblossom.
A peak inside one of the rooms where the popular and signature style HSJ robes hang. Tyna and the other gals we interviewed share a common pride and love of their work place. Tyna says — “To be a part of creating an ever lasting memory and experience for our guests is truly special. I beam when I tell the story of the San Jose…how it all started and how far we’ve come. It never gets old. Magic is created every day.”
Jackie rocks a black and white HAI sack dress with Ecote sandals. HAI is an Austin-based line by local designer pair Chrissy Paszalek and Karen Sharkey. It was a gift for Jackie photographing their SS 15 collection. Halloween and New Years Eve are Jackie’s favorite times at the Hotel…and she will never forget that time she got to help hotel guest Patti Smith.
Tyna also loves the way the Hotel San Jose rings in the New Year. “We throw a big party decked with Mylar and the tables are cleared out to create a dance floor,” she says. But getting to see some of her favorite stars in real life has also been a highlight. “Bill Murray in particular is quite the charmer!”
Tyna’s favorite shopping spots are Zara for work attire and Need Supply or Totokaelo for splurges. “I enjoy clean lines and modern pieces mixed with vintage gems. I have a shoe obsession, so my outfits are often simple and played up with shoes,” Tyna says.
“To our regulars, the hotel is the perfect hideout — A little gem tucked away from the busy South Congress avenue. Often people will wander in who has lived in Austin for years and say, ‘I’ve walked by this place so many times and had no idea this was here.’ Those first timers always come back. The environment cozy, the service consistent, the menu exciting,” Tyna says.
Assistant Hotel Manager Erin (middle) plans all the events at the Hotel, including the popular Tiki Tuesday Nights and the five-day music event during SXSW called South by San Jose. Her best moment since working at the Hotel? “Aside from meeting my husband (he’s amazing!), I would say that meeting Sean Lennon was definitely a highlight for me…I always tell people about the day Sean Lennon changed my outlook on life.” She paired this white blouse from H&M with a skirt from Top Shop.
Before leaving Austin’s magical gem of a hotel, we asked each girl to share highlights from their summer playlist:
Tyna’s Picks:
Lana Del Ray’s “West Coast,” Stromai’s “Papoutai,” Rhye’s “Open,” Blood Orange’s “Chamakay,” & Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey”
Jackie’s Picks:
The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” ESG’s “Dance,” Blood Orange’s “Bad Girls,” Susan’s “Just Call It,” Juan Wauters’ “Sanity or Not”
Erin’s Picks:
HAIM’s “Don’t Save Me,” Iggy Azalea’s “Work,” Oh L’Amore’s “Erasure,” Jonathan Richman’s “Ice Cream Man,” Beyonce’s “Drunk In Love”
