AUSTIN, Texas -- Concrete floors don't usually make the lists of amenities at boutique hotels. Nor do duvet-less beds or sterile, white bathrooms. But for some reason, it all works at Hotel San Jose, where in-the-know vagabonds mix and mingle with loyal locals on the intimate patio wine bar.

Planted on Austin's funky, up-and-coming South Congress strip, this rehabbed 1930s motor lodge is on the northern end of a string of chic shops, restaurants and bars ... and not much else. Downtown Austin is a mile north, about a 15-minute walk across the famously bat-infested Congress Bridge.

Then again, most folks who stay here aren't too concerned with scoping out the Capitol, the museums or loud and crowded 6th Street. The biggest draw of Hotel San Jose (aside from its tastefully simple decor and the serene grounds on which it's situated) is the fact that it's not in downtown; rather, it's in the heart of one of Austin's hippest neighborhoods.

The South Congress Cafe and Tex-Mex standard Guero's Taco Bar (reportedly a favorite of Bill Clinton) are just two spots where locals grab grub, and a bevy of little boutiques and salons sit pretty among galleries, antique malls and second-hand shops. Directly across the street from San Jose is the Continental rock club; farther south is a vintage Airstream trailer that's been repurposed into a cupcake stand called, appropriately, Hey Cupcake! Needless to say, South Cong on the adjacent patio. San Jose's staff, while pleasant, isn't the friendliest in the business, but they're patient.

ROOMS: There are only 40 of them, and while the decor -- simple bedding with Indian-print bedspreads; white walls with tasteful, silk-screened rock 'n' roll poster art; heavy, sliding green bathroom doors -- is consistent throughout, they vary drastically in size and location. Book a teensy, dorm-style shared bath ($105) and you'll be sleeping over the lobby, while 420-square-foot courtyard suites ($375) are located on the second story of the courtyard building and feature high ceilings, sitting areas and private balconies overlooking the patio. Save for the three shared-bath quarters, all rooms feature a desk/table crafted from pine, Eames chairs and simple touches like a single flower in a vase and sturdy, stainless steel hangers.

BATHROOM: Like the rooms, the bathrooms are spartan and white. Porcelain white sinks have exposed plumbing; white towels are stacked on simple wooden benches. Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Peppermint soap and toiletries from local companies Herbal Soapworks and Sabia neatly line the sill of basic showers covered in white subway tile. White hexagonal floor tiles spill over from the shower into the sink area where they meet that cool, concrete floor. Most bathrooms also contain the only storage area: a single chrome rod for hanging clothes over a built-in bench for storing luggage. Here you'll also find robes and flip-flops (both available for purchase), and the "mini-bar" -- a handmade pine wood-and-Plexiglas box containing the requisite goodies.

KID FRIENDLY: Each of the suites has a daybed that makes for suitable kids' beds, but in general, San Jose is for grown-ups.

ROOM SERVICE: A handful of breakfast options -- granola with berries, eggs rancheros and the like -- are available a la carte or prix fixe ($10-$16) for delivery in-room or on the patio from 7 to 11 a.m.

PERKS & PEEVES: Just when you thought Hotel San Jose couldn't get any cooler ... Traveling musicians receive a 20 percent discount -- music to the ears of rockers who make regular trips to Austin for its gajillion gigs and music festivals. The lobby's DVD library offers an impressive collection of cult classics, rock 'n' roll-themed and foreign films for $2; and a pair of bikes are available for rent by the day or hour. There's even a pool (albeit a tiny one). But there are cons: Rooms facing South Congress tend to be noisy. When traffic dies down at night, the Continental Club across the street is just waking up. And the location -- great for strolling -- isn't very convenient for getting elsewhere. Cabs on Congress are sparse.

BOTTOM LINE: Standard rooms run $175 on weekends; suites run as high as $375 on weekends. Tax is 15 percent. Parking in an adjacent lot is free for guests. Two rooms are designed for handicap access.

HOTEL SAN JOSE

1316 S. Congress Ave.

Austin, Texas; 512-444-7322; www.sanjosehotel.com