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The Cardinal Hotel

2.5 star property
Hotel with a coffee shop, a quick walk to Stanford Shopping Center

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Photo gallery for The Cardinal Hotel

Interior
1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters
Lobby sitting area
Designer store
Designer store

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Shared Bathroom, Economy Single Room 1 Queen Bed

1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters

Shared Bathroom, Economy Single Room 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Down duvet
Portable fan
Egyptian cotton linens
Pillowtop bed
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

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

1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Down duvet
Portable fan
Egyptian cotton linens
Pillowtop bed
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

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

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner | 1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Down duvet
Portable fan
Egyptian cotton linens
Pillowtop bed
  • 24 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

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

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom | 1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Down duvet
Portable fan
Egyptian cotton linens
Pillowtop bed
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

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

1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Down duvet
Portable fan
Egyptian cotton linens
Pillowtop bed
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

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About the neighborhood

Map
235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94301

What's nearby

  • Stanford Shopping Center - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Stanford Stadium - 18 min walk - 1.0 mile
  • Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford - 2 min drive - 1.0 mile
  • Stanford University - 2 min drive - 1.1 miles
  • Stanford University Medical Center - 3 min drive - 1.2 miles

Getting around

  • Palo Alto Station - 6 min walk
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl. Airport (SJC) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Verve Coffee Roasters - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Salt & Straw - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Nola - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Pho Ha Noi - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Pizza My Heart - ‬2 min walk

About this property

The Cardinal Hotel

Hotel near Stanford Shopping Center
Located close to Stanford University Medical Center and Stanford University, The Cardinal Hotel provides an art gallery on site, a coffee shop/cafe, and a fireplace in the lobby. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas.
Other perks at this hotel include:
  • Full breakfast (surcharge), express check-out, and express check-in
  • A 24-hour front desk, a water dispenser, and luggage storage
  • Smoke-free premises and an elevator
  • Guest reviews speak highly of the helpful staff and location
Room features
All 63 rooms have comforts such as premium bedding and laptop-compatible safes, as well as thoughtful touches like laptop-friendly workspaces and bathrobes. Guest reviews speak well of the clean rooms at the property.
More conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Heating and ceiling fans
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding, Egyptian cotton sheets, and pillowtop mattresses
  • Designer toiletries, tubs or showers, and hair dryers
  • 42-inch LED TVs with premium channels
  • Wardrobes/closets, free infant beds, and daily housekeeping

Languages

English, French, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 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 crib

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
  • Elevator
  • 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 crib
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Pillowtop mattress

Bathroom

  • Bathrobes
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Designer toiletries
  • 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 available
Express check-in available

Check-out

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

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 20.0 per day
Free cribs are available on request at the property

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

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

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

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-authorize 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

We should mention

Only registered guests are allowed in the 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

Frequently asked questions

Is The Cardinal Hotel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

What time is check-in at The Cardinal Hotel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Cardinal Hotel?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Cardinal Hotel located?

Located in University South, this hotel is within 2 mi (3 km) of Stanford Shopping Center, Stanford University Medical Center, and Stanford University. Facebook Campus and San Francisco Bay are also within 6 mi (10 km). Palo Alto Station is 6 minutes by foot.

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The Cardinal Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 191 out of 290 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 56 out of 290 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 26 out of 290 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 9 out of 290 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 8 out of 290 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.2/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jagdeep Singh

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Thanks for the great stay!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Teresita

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice and clean bedroom, although the shared bathroom was clean all the time
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gumaro

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous hotel
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Stephen

Liked: Cleanliness
Good price. No A/C. Older property but clean.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Florinda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff are amazing! My stay was wonderful! Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mariela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous historic hotel; with clean, comfortable, and pretty rooms. In a great location. And very nice staff.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Qiying Ann

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
pretty nice traditional hotel.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This was a great place to stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great place, loved it.

Lots of history, great location, very clean and great walking distance to many things including Stanford University.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Will stay here again

We absolutely loved our stay here! The hotel was right in Palo Alto among many restaurants, coffee shops, and an easy walk to the Stanford shuttle. The beds were super comfortable and the lobby was a great place to sit and read by the fireplace.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
The front desk staff was very nice and the hotel is in a great location. However, it was very noisy. I could literally hear every step the person in the room above us took as well as his conversation verbatim. Lastly, there is no air conditioning which could have been miserable if it was warmer.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Misaki

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice Hotel !
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Donna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice hotel in a great area.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mario

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A very special place with history! We really loved it. The bed was like sleeping on a cloud, very comfortable. Also the Christmas decoration in the hotel lobby was fabulous. A nice place to drink complimentary tee or coffee and enjoy the ambience.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Room comfort
Extreme street noise made untenable for business trip
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

heather renee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This historic hotel is lovely. It has a great location. I had a room directly over the restaurant, so the smell of breakfast and preparing food was very noticeable.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Minhui

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel has a hundred year of history, its interior is renovated but still maintained its style. The service is great. I love how my room looks and it is warm and clean. The area is walkable, plenty of restaurants near by. I currently really enjoy my stay. One thing to note is that the wall can be a bit thin, so you might still hear the people outside on the streets, and in the hallway.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elsa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful old hotel with charm.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stacey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed here for 2 nights & was a great experience, shopping & diner literally downstairs from hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Louis

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I slept very well there. The staff is nice. Thanks!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Walk to Everything

Love the location, very walkable. Parking is nearby and mostly free. Older building, but comfortable rooms. We don't need amenities, just a place to sleep.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place right in the middle of everything.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shuji

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location and culture.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Oleksiy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Such an amazing 100 year old property.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great, historic Hotel!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023