I ARRIVED AT THE SHASHI Hotel in Mountain View after work ready to relax. As soon  as I checked in, I was given a warm towel and an ice cold beverage along with my room key. One thing I noticed right away is that the hotel pays attention to details. Guestrooms have blackout blinds and shades that can be retracted with the press of a button. The bathrooms have eco-friendly dispensers filled with as much soap and shampoo I could ever need instead of those tiny eco-hostile hotel bottles. And, of course, comfy robes and slippers.

As soon as I settled into my room, I decided it was time to hit the pool. I grabbed my swim trunks and a pair of the provided slippers and headed downstairs. The pool and spa were just what I needed after a hard day's work. After my swim, I took a short walk to the sauna and steam room. The sauna and steam room had a few small touches that took the experience to the next level. There were several fragrant body oils and lotions to lather on before entering the sauna. I also discovered that the sauna room offered the same slippers I found in my room. It's a seemingly small detail but this discovery meant that I could go the whole trip without ever having to put real shoes on again. So after a long steam, I replaced my slippers with fresh ones, put on a bathrobe, and returned to my room to prepare myself for dinner. 

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Since I still had some time before my dinner reservation, I decided I'd explore a little. In the lobby, I discovered small meeting rooms labeled as pods with whiteboards, TVs, and a table with some chairs. It seemed like the perfect place to hold a meeting if one were here on business. This makes sense as the hotel is right next to Googleplex. Luckily, I wasn't working. I decided I'd use one of the communal bikes to explore the area. Communal bikes are amazing especially for someone, like me, who wants to see what's around the area without having my staycation interrupted by having to use my upsettingly dirty car. I'd recommend heading to the Computer History Museum about 8 minutes from the hotel by bike.

Dinner was at the hotel restaurant, Broma, helmed by Michelin- starred Chef Jarad Gallagher. I had the opportunity to meet the Executive Chef, Aubree Arndt, who specializes in food inspired by her travels to Spain. Aubree was kind enough to walk me through the menu and talk to me about some of the dishes. And I learned she creates some of the pottery used for service. Her skills are impressive. 

I landed on the ceviche for my appetizer: cured striped bass, charred avocado, red onion, hominy, and serrano Aguachile. And instead of the usual chips for dipping, there were crunchy corn nuts incorporated into the dish. It was an amazing way to start off. The ceviche was fresh and tangy with just a hint of spice. 

THE GO-TO SPOT FOR OUT-OF-TOWN BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO NEED A SOLID PLACE TO WORK IN TOTAL COMFORT 

As an entree, I had the Chicken Fideuà. Fideuà is essentially paella made with pasta instead of rice. While it is more common for fideuà to be more of a seafood affair, this one was made with incredibly crisp and juicy chicken thighs and savory linguica sausage on top of toasted squid-ink pasta and ramp aioli. The fideuà is visually stunning - black pasta against the vibrant green aioli. It was so filling and made me feel warm inside. The best way to describe the taste is cozy. 

For dessert, I ordered the Mexican Hot Chocolate de Crema. This was a chocolate mousse flavored with orange zest, cinnamon, and just a touch of chili powder. It was topped with whipped cream and a sweet cinnamon chicharone. I also ordered a glass of port because nothing pairs better with chocolate besides maybe a glass of milk. It was an excellent combination. 

I went to bed stuffed. Since I had full control of the temperature in the room, I set it to freezing cold so I could appreciate the warmth of the high-quality sheets. In fact, guests can set the temperature in their room before arrival and save it to their guest profile for future visits. There are a lot of high-tech options at Shashi. You can access these high-tech details via mobile app before arrival so that the room is as hot or cold as you like and your playlist is ready to go. 

My final thoughts on the Shashi Hotel is that it is a great option for a staycation if one lives in the bay area and needs a few nights for a mental reset. And it's definitely the go-to spot for out-of-town business people who need a solid place to work in total comfort - the business spaces are great and its location in the heart of Silicon Valley is super convenient to Google, Meta, etc. You could also put your grandma at the Shashi when she comes to visit for Christmas. In my opinion, anybody would be happy to stay - and eat at Shashi Hotel.