All out of town NHL teams have been staying at the Fairmont San Jose when visiting the San Jose Sharks. But it’s the NHL West Division’s Vegas Golden Knights who drew the short end of the Fairmont straw on Friday when the Fairmont closed down without warning and kicked everyone off the property.
The Golden Knights didn’t request an early checkout from their hotel in San Jose, California. They were given one anyway.
The hotel filed for bankruptcy and shut down. Players returned to the property from their morning skate at the SAP Center to learn they had to pack their bags and bring everything with them to check out, despite a game scheduled for that evening. They won 5-4 in overtime anyway, and then headed to a new hotel to get some sleep before the next day’s game, which they won 4-0.
The hotel intends to restructure its mortgage and reject its management agreement, reflagging under a different brand which it hopes will inject tens of millions of dollars into the property, intending to re-open in two or three months – a timeline that could easily get pushed back.
Ironically the hotel website says
“Fairmont San Jose is currently open” and also “this guidance is being updated frequently” though the latter refers to guidance from the government on travel and not the hotel’s website itself. However the site does have an error message on it, that the hotel’s ‘account has been suspended.’
No rooms are currently bookable at what was Silicon Valley’s largest hotel.
(HT: Martin L.)
Kind of sad to see the place shut down. I stayed there once while attending a conference in SJC. It was one of Expedia’s specials deals, with return flights (from Europe) and 5 nights at the Fairmont for 150EUR less than the same flights alone. I expected to be put in a broom closet, but ended up in a nice, big corner room. Best hotel deal I ever had, but (of course) I didn’t come back the next year when they were asking $600/night…
I too am sad to see this place go.
That being said, professional sports are a waste of intellect. If every sports fan in America put the time they waste on their sofa watching games into something productive – imagine how far along we would be as a society.
It was a mediocre hotel and has too longed milked its late 90’s status as the go to meeting spot for the area. Can’t imagine why anyone would even stay there anymore. There are many better options in Palo Alto and the surrounds. But really, the whole Peninsula is becoming a wasteland. No wonder everyone is moving to Austin. Which should make Gary happy.
@Stuart, agreed. Things have changed on the peninsula. This isn’t the 90’s or the aughts anymore. People are too smart to keep paying $$$ for a ¢¢¢ hotel room.