Residence Inn by Marriott San Jose South

I was promised a refund after staff saw the condition of my room, but it never came. Instead, I was later charged for supposedly smoking marijuana there. That accusation is false. I don’t smoke marijuana, and neither does anyone in my family. The room was dirty when I arrived, and one pillow looked like it had vomit on it. When I raised the issue, the hotel blamed me and charged me instead of resolving the cleanliness problem. The way staff treated me was poor, and the whole handling of it felt unfair and unprofessional. I’m sharing this because I’m disappointed in both the room and the way hotel management and staff treated me.

The bed was comfy and we got a great night’s sleep. Staff were friendly and welcoming, and breakfast was good, as it usually is at Residence Inn. On our second visit the room felt even more comfortable than before and seemed refreshed, so this has become our regular stop when we visit San Jose. We’ll be back. The rooms could use a little updating, but the location is nice, right off the 85 in a decent area. There’s a Jack in the box very close by, with a grocery store and more shopping across the street.

After our checkout, an unexpected charge appeared on our account. The hotel told us it was a smoking fee based on an alleged odor in the room. Neither my husband nor I smoke, and my husband is on federal probation, where he’s prohibited from smoking or being around smoke. We filed a formal complaint because the charge felt retaliatory after the hotel had offered us a complimentary stay for the inconvenience. That offer came after my husband found dried vomit on a pillow when he woke up the morning after our one-night stay, January 9-10, 2026. We reported it to the front desk right away. Later, after general manager Angelica Jeffrey became involved, we were told there had supposedly been a bag over the smoke detector. That’s entirely false. Given how serious these claims are and the effect they’ve had, we’re pursuing legal action. I’ve never had a hotel experience like this. It’s completely unacceptable, and I’d caution others before booking here.

It’s a shame, because this could be a really nice hotel with better upkeep. The rooms have dents in the walls and mold in the showers. Worst of all, they smell like the previous guests’ cooking.