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The Cardinal Hotel

2.5 star property

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Photo gallery for The Cardinal Hotel

Interior
Family dining
Lobby sitting area
Designer store
Room amenity

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Breakfast available
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk

Explore the area

View in a map
235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94301
  • Place, Stanford University
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Stanford Shopping Center
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Place, Stanford University Medical Center
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪19 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Private Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down duvets, pillow-top beds

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Private Bathroom

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(14 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down duvets, pillow-top beds

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom

7.2 out of 10
Good
(12 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down duvets, pillow-top beds

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(7 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down duvets, pillow-top beds

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(5 reviews)
  • 24 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • City view

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About this property

The Cardinal Hotel

Hotel with a coffee shop/cafe, 9-minute walk to Stanford University
This smoke-free hotel features a coffee shop/cafe, a 24-hour front desk and express check-in. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, express check-out and a fireplace at reception are on-site.
The Cardinal Hotel offers 63 accommodations with laptop-compatible safes and complimentary bottles of water. Pillowtop beds feature Egyptian cotton sheets, down duvets and premium bedding. 42-inch LED televisions come with premium satellite channels.

Bathrooms include baths or showers, bathrobes, slippers and designer toiletries. Business-friendly amenities include desks and telephones; free local calls are provided (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include a hairdryer and an iron/ironing board. Housekeeping is offered on a daily basis and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested.

Our customers tell us that they can't get enough of the helpful staff at The Cardinal Hotel. During your stay, you're just a quick walk from Stanford University. Free WiFi in public areas, a coffee shop/cafe and breakfast (surcharge) are available.
  • Free Wi-Fi in some public areas
  • Enjoy a bite to eat at the coffee shop/cafe
  • Full breakfast served weekdays for a fee
  • Amenities include a lift, a fireplace at reception and a water dispenser
  • Guests have great things to say about the helpful staff and the location
  • Within a 10-minute walk of Stanford University and Stanford Shopping Center
There's a coffee shop/cafe on site. Public spaces have free WiFi. The Cardinal Hotel also features a fireplace in the lobby, express check-in, and express check-out.

This Palo Alto hotel is smoke free.

For a fee, guests can enjoy a full breakfast on weekdays from 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Offsite parking available (USD 15 per day)
  • Onsite parking options include a garage

Food and drink

  • Weekday full breakfast available 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee: USD 22 for adults and USD 22 for children
  • A coffee shop/cafe

Things to do

  • Art gallery

Family friendly

  • In-room cot

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Guidebooks
  • Luggage storage
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Assistive listening devices
  • Lift
  • Visual fire alarm

More

  • 1 building
  • 3 floors
  • Built in 1924
  • Fireplace in lobby
  • Smoke-free property
  • Traditional architecture

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Down comforter
  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Free cot
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Pillowtop mattress

Bathroom

  • Bathtub or shower
  • Designer toiletries
  • Dressing gowns
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Slippers
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 42-inch LED TV with premium satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Electrical adapters
  • Free local calls
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Phone
  • Portable fan

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Express check-in available

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

An adult aged 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 20.0 per day.
  • Free cots (infant beds)!

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for full breakfast: from approximately USD 22 for adults and from USD 22 for children
  • Nearby parking fee: USD 15 per day (39 ft away)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 20.0 per day

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorise the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property. An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking.

We should mention

  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).

Property is also known as

The Cardinal Hotel Hotel
The Cardinal Hotel Palo Alto
The Cardinal Hotel Hotel Palo Alto

The Cardinal Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 256 out of 387 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 73 out of 387 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 36 out of 387 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 13 out of 387 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 9 out of 387 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Emilyn

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Trevor, San Francisco

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

6/10 Okay

Megan

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I stayed at the excellent Cardinal Hotel in Palo Alto for 2 nights for a business trip and had a wonderful, cozy stay at this unique and historic gem. I make it a point to seek out old hotels that are full of character, so this was the perfect place for me. Some of the rooms utilize a shared toilet and shower in the hall. While the whole hotel is a deal compared to surrounding options, the rooms utilizing the shared facilities are very affordable. I peeked my head in the toilet/shower and they were immaculate! They provide a robe and slippers in the room, so if you choose a room with a shared bath, you're covered, quite literally. I booked a room that had its own bathroom, and my room was cozy and clean with a comfortable bed. The walk-in shower in my room looked brand new and had great heat and pressure. The provided shampoo, conditioner, and body wash smelled and felt luxurious. There is no AC at this hotel, but the window opened, which was such a treat on a delightfully cool fall night. I adore a fresh breeze, so I was happy. The sounds of the city floated in, and I even enjoyed a multimedia art installation projected on a nearby building one evening—built-in entertainment for the win. By 1030, it was quiet, however, and I slept soundly until the morning. If you're a noise-sensitive person, you might want a more modern option, but I had a blast.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mike

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location. Clean and comfortable. The shared bathrooms were not a problem as we never had to wait or even encounter other guests.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alexa

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

FLORENCE

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I like the easy access to shopping and dining. A short walk to Caltrains station is great.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Simon, Ijamsville

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Excellent
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sophie

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

denise

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location. Lots of shops and restaurants nearby. For being 100 years old the hotel is very clean
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Margaret

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
First night shower didn’t have hot water, could only get lukewarm. Hotel is marvelous piece of history. Location is ideal.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Laurel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Simple, older rooms. Clean. Had wooden shades but weren’t blackout which would have been better. Great location!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

2/10 Terrible

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful historic building in central Palo Alto and great antiques in the foyer and nice staff. However, the rooms have no A/C. Also, no mini-fridge, no coffee in the room, and no dedicated parking. So, if you’re looking for an authentic 1925 experience of no amenities and trying to sleep in a puddle of sweat with the window open and ceiling fan whirring, this is for you. It was not for us. We left after the first night.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Courtney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

Shouyi

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
it is very loud during midnight, making it hard for me to sleep well. The loud sound is from the street and maybe there are trucks loading things or collecting garbage.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kevin, Dallas

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Joan

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elvio

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Van

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Overall it’s a great location and place to stay. Very comfortable. Not a fan of the truck noises early in the morning though. I still like this hotel for every business trip I’ve had in Palo Alto.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Levon

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Exellent
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sharlane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A fantastic hotel, and a great location.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025