The Cardinal Hotel

2.5 star property
Hotel near Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto

Choose dates to view prices

your current months are January, 2025 and February, 2025.
January 2025
February 2025

Photo gallery for The Cardinal Hotel

Interior
Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters, pillowtop beds
Designer store
Lobby sitting area
Business centre

Reviews

9.0 out of 10

Wonderful

Popular amenities

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

Explore the area

Map
235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94301
  • Stanford Shopping Center
    10 min walk
  • Osteria
    1 min walk
  • Palo Alto Station
    6 min walk
  • Palo Alto, CA (PAO-Santa Clara County)
    9 min drive

Room options

Economy Single Room, 1 Queen Bed, Shared Bathroom

  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom

  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Private Bathroom, Corner

  • 24 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Private Bathroom

  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

About the area

Palo Alto

University South stay.With a stay at this University South hotel, you'll be within half a mile (1 km) of Stanford Shopping Center and 2 miles (3 km) of Stanford University Medical Center. Also, Stanford University is within 2 miles (3 km) and Facebook Campus is within 6 miles (10 km).

What's nearby

  • Stanford Shopping Center - 10 min walk
  • Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford - 4 min drive
  • Stanford Stadium - 4 min drive
  • Stanford University - 5 min drive
  • Stanford University Medical Center - 5 min drive

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 in Palo Alto
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.

  • 1 building
  • 63 guestrooms or units
  • 3 levels
  • Built in 1924
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Express check-in
  • Express check-out
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Fireplace in lobby
  • Elevator
  • No smoking on site
  • Water dispenser
  • Coffee shop
The Cardinal Hotel offers 63 accommodations with laptop-compatible safes and complimentary bottled water. Pillowtop beds feature Egyptian cotton sheets, down comforters, and premium bedding. 42-inch LED televisions come with premium satellite channels.

Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, slippers, and designer toiletries. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones; free local calls are provided (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include hair dryers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is offered daily and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested.

Languages

English, French, Spanish

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Free cribs/infant beds

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking options include a garage
  • Offsite parking within 39 ft (USD 15 per day)

Food and drink

  • Full breakfast available for a fee weekdays 7:00 AM–10:00 AM: USD 22 for adults and USD 22 for children
  • 1 coffee shop/cafe

Things to do

  • Art gallery

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 available
  • Elevator
  • Visual fire alarm

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • 42-inch LED TV
  • Premium channels
  • Satellite channels

Bedroom

  • Bed sheets
  • Ceiling fan
  • Down comforter
  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Free cribs/infant beds
  • Heating
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Pillow-top mattress
  • Portable fan
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

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

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Desk
  • Electrical adapters/chargers
  • Free local calls
  • Guidebooks/recommendations
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Local maps
  • Phone
  • Restaurant dining guide
  • Slippers

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

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 cribs (infant beds)!

Property payment types

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: 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

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

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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and debit cards. Cash is not accepted. This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector in each accommodation. Cashless payment methods are available for all transactions.

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. 157 out of 232 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 45 out of 232 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 19 out of 232 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 232 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 232 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Hyon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

robin

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great old historic hotel. No air conditioning, but it was comfortable. Loved the location.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 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 traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Van

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is a great location to our office as well as all of the restaurants nearby. The rooms are clean and comfortable. Because we are in downtown area though, noise will come through but it's worth it for the location and they provided us with earplugs if you need it but I was able to sleep fine.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Donna

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

8/10 Good

DONGIN

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Laura

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A cool older hotel with soul.
Fabulous location and love the old quaint building. Nice and chill small hotel. Truly my only complaint is that there is no air conditioning so will probably not stay again until it’s a bit cooler weather. The street can be loud and I had to keep windows open to stay cool.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Richard B.

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Oleksiy

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

8/10 Good

Susan

Business traveller
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Charming, good location.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shuo

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ricardo

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
great location
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Mary

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
Global warming is a thing
This hotel, like many others, has no AC. So you are forced to either open your window and not sleep due the noise or close it and not sleep due to the heat This is only a winter time hotel
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Keith

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gus

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

SANG WOOK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Old building, clean & renovated rooms. In Palo alto, near to many coffee shops and restaurants.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stella

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Low key place, super convenient location
The hotel was in an excellent downtown location, surrounded by restaurants and shops and cafes. Even a Whole Foods just about 5 minute walk away. The room is neat and reasonably sized, and no frills service was just right for me (business trip staying multiple nights). The lack of AC might irritate some travelers (I was fine); and the noise from downstairs restaurants from evening to late night also can be off-putting (I survived it fine but first nights were challenging). Nonetheless I really enjoyed my stay and would recommend it to people who are interested in a super convenient location and appreciate a historic building. Getting to Stanford campus was a beeeze.
Stayed 10 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elsa

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

10/10 Excellent

DONG IL, Medina

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It is amazing boutique hotel with a beautiful sense of its long history. It is near many restaurants and at a heart of Palo Alto. Strongly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

In Tae

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024