Hotels and Motels in Palo Alto

As a general rule, hotel rates in this area are cheaper on weekends, as the hotels cater mostly to business travelers and this is not a major tourist area.

Our meeting site is near the California Street shopping district (formerly known as Mayfield) in the south part of Palo Alto. Accordingly, the closest and most convenient places to stay are the string of hotels along El Camino Real (state highway 82) running southward [southeast, actually, but locals usually normalize the direction this way]. All of these, I believe, have parking. Only the first three hotels on the list are north of our site, but even the Coronet Motel, which is the closest, is over half a mile away. The string of hotels extends down to San Antonio Road, about 3 miles away. They range from spanking new business hotels to 1950s-era road motels in widely varying states of upkeep. I do not have first-hand knowledge of the interiors of these hotels, but I've classed them as "new" if built within the last few decades, and "renovated" or "old" for the 1950s buildings depending on whether they've been redesigned and updated. I've also included the AAA ratings if they have them. Addresses in Palo Alto unless noted. From north to south, they are:

• Stanford Terrace Inn, 531 Stanford Ave. (at El Camino), 650-857-0333 or 800-729-0032 (old but somewhat renovated, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Hotel California, 2431 Ash St. (at California Street), 650-322-7666 (city building boutique hotel in the middle of the business district)
• Coronet Motel, 2455 El Camino Real, 650-326-1081 (old but good upkeep)
• Hotel Parmani, 3200 El Camino Real, 650-493-9085 (renovated, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Palo Alto Silicon Valley Travelodge, 3255 El Camino Real, 650-600-8515
• Stanford Motor Inn, 3305 El Camino Real, 650-493-3153 (old)
• Berbeda Place, 3339 El Camino Real, 650-493-2521 (old, calls itself "vintage")
• Creekside Inn, 3400 El Camino Real, 650-493-2411 (new; attractive grounds, AAA 3 diamonds)
• The Nest Palo Alto, 3901 El Camino Real, 650-493-2760 (renovated, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Glass Slipper Inn, 3941 El Camino Real, 650-493-6611 (definitely old; shaped like Cinderella's castle, but the giant glass slipper on the peak disappeared long ago)
• Comfort Inn Palo Alto, 3945 El Camino Real, 650-493-3141 (renovated, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Zen Hotel, 4164 El Camino Real, 650-493-4492 or 800-458-8696 (renovated; more French than Buddhist, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto, 4216 El Camino Real, 650-843-0795 (new, AAA 3 diamonds)
• America's Best Value Inn-Sky Ranch, 4234 El Camino Real, 650-493-7221 (old, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Days Inn Palo Alto-Stanford, 4238 El Camino Real, 650-493-4222 (old, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Dinah's Garden Hotel, 4261 El Camino Real, 650-493-2844 (old-fashioned resort, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Oak Motel, 4279 El Camino Real, 650-493-6644 (definitely old)
• Crowne Plaza Cabana, 4290 El Camino Real, 650-857-0787 (renovated, large multi-story hotel, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Palo Alto, 4329 El Camino Real, 650-559-8700 (new; extended stay hotel, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Courtyard by Marriott Palo Alto/Los Altos, 4320 El Camino Real, Los Altos, 650-941-9900 (either a new building on an old motel's site or else entirely renovated; AAA 3 diamonds)
• Country Inn Motel, 4345 El Camino Real, 650-948-9154 (old, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Hotel Aria, 2700 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, 650-559-9115 (old, I think; despite the address, next door to the Country Inn, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Marriott Residence Inn, 4460 El Camino Real, Los Altos, 650-559-7890 (new, AAA 3 diamonds)

Some may wish to stay in or near downtown Palo Alto, which is 2 to 3 miles away from our site. Two large chain hotels are located along El Camino Real just outside of downtown, between University Ave. and Embarcadero Rd.

• Sheraton Palo Alto, 625 El Camino Real, 650-328-2800 (new, AAA 3 diamonds)
• Westin Palo Alto, 675 El Camino Real, 650-321-4422 (new, AAA 4 diamonds)

Hotels actually in downtown Palo Alto tend to be actual city hotels with limited or no parking. They are:

• Hotel Keen, 425 High St. (near University Ave.), 650-327-2775 (renovated boutique hotel with tiny rooms, AAA 2 diamonds)
• Epiphany Hotel, 180 Hamilton Ave. (at Emerson St.), 650-666-3311 (new, small boutique hotel)
• Cardinal Hotel, 235 Hamilton Ave. (at Ramona St.), 650-323-5101 (old inner-city hotel with shared bathrooms)
• Garden Court Hotel, 520 Cowper St. (at University Ave.), 650-322-9000 (new, small luxury hotel)
• Cowper Inn, 705 Cowper St. (at Forest St.), 650-327-4475 (renovated; bed and breakfast in a Craftsman-style building on the edge of downtown)

There are also several nearby hotels in Menlo Park; info on request.