The grand Mediterranean-Revival Hayes Mansion gleams beneath a canopy of palms, looking more Napa Valley than Silicon Valley. A long driveway leads to the impressive, whitewashed estate that feels like a private retreat rather than a public accommodation. It’s elegant but unassuming, historic but lived-in. And perhaps most surprising of all—it’s in San Jose, occupying its own quiet corner of Edenvale, just 15 minutes from downtown.
Part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, the mansion is a California Historical Landmark and part of the National Register of Historic Places, and that heritage is subtly woven into the guest experience. You won’t find velvet ropes or docent tours—just the occasional original tile floor, an intricately carved staircase, or fireplace-warmed sitting areas from another era.
The History
The mansion originated in 1905 as the home of spiritualist Mary Hayes Chynoweth and her two sons, Everis and Jay, who would go on to shape Santa Clara Valley’s political and journalistic legacy. (The duo purchased the San Jose Herald in 1900, the San Jose Mercury in 1901, and The Evening News in 1942. These newspapers eventually became the San Jose Mercury News.) Mary, whose familial wealth was derived from Midwest ore mining, commissioned a fireproof estate to replace the family’s former home, which had burned to the ground. Architect George Page designed the new residence with ambition: 41,000 square feet, 64 rooms, and enough imported marble and local timber to rival the finest mansions in California.
But this wasn’t just a house—it was an enclave. The Hayes family built a self-sufficient estate with its own power plant, post office, chapel, and staff quarters. Their home became a nerve center for both social and economic influence in what was then a farming region, long before anyone coined the phrase Silicon Valley. After they sold the property in the mid-20th century, it languished until the City of San Jose stepped in to restore it. In 1994 it reopened as a conference center, and in 2020, Hilton funded a $20 million renovation. Today, it stands as one of the region’s most quietly luxurious places to stay. (Take the stairway, near the hotel restaurant, down to the lower level, to learn more detail about the building and its former owners. This “wall of history” provides fascinating background, and a few artifacts.)
Rooms, and Reasons to Stay
The hotel’s 214 guest rooms are split between the historic main building and a low-slung addition that circles the gardens. Rooms range from traditional kings to spacious suites, many of which offer private patios and terraces that open to greenery. The 2020 refresh preserved the estate’s architectural soul while upgrading interiors with clean lines, plush bedding, and subtle nods to its past. You’ll find French doors, carved wood accents, and high ceilings in many of the rooms, especially those in the original house. Amenities include Keurig coffee machines, flat screens, high-speed Wi-Fi, and pet-friendly policies. There’s a year-round heated pool located behind the mansion, along with a hot tub and lounging deck that stays surprisingly quiet even on sunny days. The landscaped grounds are sprawling enough to lose your way, and just across the front expanse is bucolic Edenvale Gardens Regional Park with its multiple walking/running trails.
Hidden in the Open
What makes Hayes Mansion truly remarkable isn’t just its history or its architecture—it’s how convincingly it operates outside of San Jose’s usual hotel narrative. It’s not downtown. It’s not near Levi’s Stadium. And yet, it quietly hosts meetings, conferences, weddings, and weekend escapes with a polish that belies its relative anonymity. Even longtime San Jose locals often don’t know it’s here. Or if they do, they haven’t seen it since its city-owned conference center days, before the most recent renovation gave it a more refined identity.
Who It’s For
Couples looking for a romantic weekend without leaving the Bay Area. Business travelers who want something memorable and warmly inviting. Architecture buffs. History lovers. Wedding parties. Garden wanderers. In short: anyone who likes the idea of staying somewhere that still feels like a well-kept secret.
Final Thought
San Jose is better known for innovation than it is for leisure, yet Hayes Mansion offers a rare invitation to slow down. It’s not really vying to be the next great resort, because it already was—a century ago. Now, it’s simply waiting to be rediscovered.
Photos courtesy of Hayes Mansion San Jose, Curio Collection by Hilton