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The Cardinal Hotel

2.5 star property
Art lovers appreciate the on-site gallery at The Cardinal Hotel while history buffs can explore nearby Stanford University's collections

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Photo gallery for The Cardinal Hotel

Interior - The Cardinal Hotel (Palo Alto)
A historic building with a prominent corner entrance, large windows, and a red awning. - The Cardinal Hotel (Palo Alto)
Room amenity - The Cardinal Hotel (Palo Alto)
A grand lobby with a fireplace, two armchairs, a large rug, and a staircase. - The Cardinal Hotel (Palo Alto)
A restaurant with wooden tables and chairs, a waiter walking by, and shelves with bottles and framed pictures on the walls. - The Cardinal Hotel (Palo Alto)
The Cardinal Hotel, steps from Stanford University, blends art and academia. Guests browse the hotel's art gallery, relax by the lobby fireplace, or enjoy coffee at the café. Helpful staff and free WiFi in public areas ensure a comfortable and connected stay.

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

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

A hotel room with a large bed, two bedside tables with lamps, a chair, and a desk.

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Private Bathroom

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(17 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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

A neatly made bed with a quilted headboard, white bedding, and a single decorative pillow with a monogram.

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom

7.6 out of 10
Good
(15 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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

A hotel room with two beds, a desk, and a chair.

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(8 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

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

A hotel room with a bed, a desk with a laptop, a chair, and two windows with blinds.

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(5 reviews)
  • City view
  • 24 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

About the neighborhood

Located in University South, a neighborhood in Palo Alto, The Cardinal Hotel is near the airport and near a train station. The area's natural beauty can be seen at San Francisco Bay, while Shoreline Amphitheatre and Computer History Museum are cultural highlights. Stanford University and Stanford Shopping Center are two other places to visit that come recommended. Spend some time exploring the area's activities, including winery tours. Visit our Palo Alto travel guide
Map
235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94301

What's nearby

  • A grassy hill with a wooden fence, a distant town with red-roofed buildings, and a tower.
    Stanford University
    5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • A woman walking on a sidewalk with potted plants and buildings in the background.
    Stanford Shopping Center
    6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Stanford Theatre
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Stanford University Arboretum
    5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Stanford Stadium
    19 min walk - 1.0 mile

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • Verve Coffee
    3 min walk
  • Curry Pizza House Palo Alto
    3 min walk
  • Hidden Tap and Barrel
    3 min walk
  • Pho Ha Noi
    3 min walk
  • Maruwu Seicha 丸宇製茶
    2 min walk

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Offsite parking available (USD 20 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
  • Smoking not allowed
  • 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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

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 20 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, a fire extinguisher, 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)

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 a 10-minute walk of Stanford University and Stanford Shopping Center. Stanford University Medical Center and Facebook Campus are also within 6 mi (10 km). Palo Alto Station is 6 minutes by foot.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

The Cardinal Hotel Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

9.6

Cleanliness

8.6

Amenities

9.4

Staff & service

8.8

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 321 out of 472 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 84 out of 472 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 39 out of 472 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 17 out of 472 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 11 out of 472 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel is awesome! So much charm, everyone was so kind and helpful and the breakfast was fantastic!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Rafael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff was great and the property is quite unique and charming.
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Victoria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Dan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent service from the hotel management and front desk staff. Thanks for your considerations and kindness.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Susana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location and close by parking and car charging.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super convenient location.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Jesper

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A great location and a decent price.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Danielle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Close to downtown. Clean and reasonable price
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Kasey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A hotel with a great personality in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. Great location and quaint atmosphere. Had a wonderful stay and would definitely come back.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

HIROSHI

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
very good
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very conveniently located
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Sasha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
This would be my favorite Palo Alto hotel if it had AC. The room was sweltering and even with fans this made the stay unbearable. Otherwise it is a lovely hotel and great staff.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice, old, nostalgic hotel that has been well maintained and upgraded! We stayed in a King Deluxe room with private bath and corner room views with lots of daylight (and shutters for sleeping-in in the morning). City location is great with lots of restaurants and shopping within a short walk. We would definately stay here again!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Knowledgeable and helpful staff, beautiful property, and excellent location. We will be back!
View from our room
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Aaron

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Liked proximity to Stanford University.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Grace

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Smooth check-in/check-out process, comfortable + clean room!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful Ambiance and very comfy beds
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

denise

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
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Catherine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location was fantastic and hotel was beautiful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Michal Ravid

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An impressive historic landmark, staff is friendly, rooms & facilities are clean, in the center of Stanford.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Ana Paula

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful traditional hotel with spotless bathrooms and comfortable rooms. Staff were not enthusiastic. I hope they have a fair salary.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Judy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Parking was somewhat easy. Staff were very accommodating. Ships were available and suitable. I loved the experience
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

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

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Clean room and bath. Helpful staff. Excellent location for a Stanford campus visit.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Mike

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