Cardinal Hotel

Hotels
8.4 (419 reviews)
235 Hamilton Ave , Palo Alto , us

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Children allowed

Facilities

Electric bicycle charging station
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Lift / Elevator
Luggage storage
Express check-in/check-out
Safety deposit box
Non-smoking throughout
Allergy-free room
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Cons:
Inconsistent cleanliness
Poorly managed breakfast policy

Categories

Cleanliness
7.86
Mixed reviews; some mentioned cleanliness positively while others indicated poor conditions.
Service
9.33
Customers noted the staff were exceedingly nice and attentive.
Location
9.37
Many reviews highlighted the central location close to restaurants and attractions.
Room Quality
7.32
Some rooms lacked private bathrooms and had issues with noise.
Amenities
8.35
Basic amenities available, but some areas need improvement like shared bathrooms.
Value for Money
8.81
Perceived as a good value for the price in a prime location.
Food and Beverage
7.86
Unclear breakfast policy affected ratings; generally needs improvement.
Overall Experience
8.33
Overall positive despite some significant complaints.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-16 03:50

Property Description

Historic Charm
Built in 1924, the Cardinal Hotel in Palo Alto offers a historic charm just 1.6 km from Stanford University. Each room features bright decor, a flat-screen TV, and dark wood furniture for a cozy stay.

Delicious Dining
Adjacent to the hotel, Bistro Maxine offers a delectable dining experience with traditional and continental breakfasts, along with lunch, dinner, and dessert crepes.

Convenient Amenities
Guests can enjoy complimentary weekday newspapers, hot beverages in the lobby, and access to a business centre. The hotel's proximity to Palo Alto Caltrain Station and San Francisco International Airport adds to the convenience.

Experience the historic elegance, delicious dining, and convenient amenities at Cardinal Hotel. Book your stay now!

Important information:

Please take into account for non refundable rates the hotel will not consider waivers.

Important Room Info: Shared Bathroom Queen Room
This guest room does not have a private bathroom.
It includes a sink and vanity inside the room, but the toilet and shower are located in the hallway. These are shared, individual-use, lockable bathrooms shared with other guests.

Please ensure you are comfortable with this setup before your stay.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: SJC

Property Policies

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 2 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 11 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Parking

    Public parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is not possible) and costs USD 15 per day.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 419 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.86
Service: 9.33
Location: 9.37
Room Quality: 7.32
Amenities: 8.35
Value for Money: 8.81
Food and Beverage: 7.86
Overall Experience: 8.33
S
Selina • solo_traveller • mx
7
Lovely and clean room and shared bathroom
Pros:

Very nice and super clean room. The shared bathroom and shower were also very clean and large and right next to our room. Great location! Quiet at night.

Cons:

The hotel reached out to us via text message to confirm whether we are ok with the shared bathroom in our booking or if we would like to upgrade our room to one with an ensuite bathroom. We responded that we would like to upgrade but never received a response. We also sent an email to ask about storage for our luggage before check-in and had to send a follow-up to receive a response.

2026-05-04 • via Nuitee
K
Kyle • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-04-20 • via Nuitee
A
anadeliat2026 • Family
8
Great place
Pros:

We have a great experience. The rooms have a good space, always clean, comfortable beds and good service. The only issue is the noise from outside because of the business but I think we come back again in the future. I really recommend . Over the price I can tell you because someone pay for it.

2026-04-03 • via Tripadvisor
J
Johan • solo_traveller • fr
10
2026-03-29 • via Nuitee
T
takeo • couple • jp
9
素晴らしい滞在でした。
Pros:

パロアルト駅に近く、観光に便利。
ホテル前は日中、車道にもカフェ席が設けられ、ゆったりコーヒーや食事を楽しむことができます。
朝は無料コーヒーがあり、紅茶や冷水は終日提供されています。
部屋もとても清潔でした。

Cons:

特にありません。

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
C
Connector19217559980 • Couples
2
Worst ever stay
Pros:

Stayed on a Sunday night. I let them know it was my first time there. I booked 3 days before. They gave me room 204. Dumpsters right outside our windows load noisy all night. 2:00 am people pull up in a van is running going through the Dumpsters bottles banging. This was in an alley which only magnified the sound. And noise all night. No sleep here. Then the next morning we go to get our breakfast that is included in our room price and they said sorry the restaurant is closed on Mondays. I said it States right on your website breakfast included 7 days a week for hotel guests . They didn't seem to care no customer service anymore I guess. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.

2026-03-25 • via Tripadvisor
R
Robert • solo_traveller • us
7
Great stay for the price compared to rates at other properties. Appreciated the vintage vibe.
Pros:

Perfect location, old school Palo Alto vibe.

Cons:

Shared bathroom wasn't ideal but it was clean and for the price it worked out great.

2026-03-23 • via Nuitee
R
Ruben • solo_traveller • us
5
You need to list that there is NO AC available. It is a beautiful hotel but no mention whatsoever
Pros:

You need to list that there is NO AC available. It is a beautiful hotel but no mention whatsoever that you would walk into a room without AC. I had to visit due to work and walking in at night without AC really made my stay very hard. Beautifull clean hotel but they should at least offer a portable AC option.

Cons:

You need to list that there is NO AC available. It is a beautiful hotel but no mention whatsoever that you would walk into a room without AC. I had to visit due to work and walking in at night without AC really made my stay very hard. Beautifull clean hotel but they should at least offer a portable AC option.

2026-03-23 • via Nuitee
C
Christopher • couple • us
5
Cons:

There was no air conditioning during a heat wave. Insanely hot in the rooms. Hotel is smelly and dated.

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
G
Galindo • couple • us
10
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • solo_traveller • us
8
2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
H
Hanfei • solo_traveller • cn
10
Lovely old hotel, as in old-time movies.
2026-03-18 • via Nuitee
A
AMELIA • family_with_children • us
6
2026-03-17 • via Nuitee
A
Ann • couple • pl
5
Pros:

Location was convenient, and the retro elements were charming.

Cons:

The room was small and the shared bath and shower were some distance (7 doors down). There was only one robe, and luckily we had one of our own and also our own slippers. But the comfort was lacking. Having only paper cups in the room felt a bit cheesy for the luxury level of the hotel. We have stayed here before, but we decided we won't be coming back.

2026-03-08 • via Nuitee
C
Catrine • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-03-08 • via Nuitee
D
Dena • extended_group • us
9
Pros:

The Cardinal Hotel is so charming and in a magnificent location in Palo Alto. We were in town for Stanford Family Weekend and had a wonderful stay. We were just steps away from great breakfasts spots, happy hours and dinner locations.

Cons:

Guests should know that sometimes the liveliness of the streets below can be loud, but they could always ask for a room facing away from the main area. It was not a problem for us and we enjoyed looking out on the festivities.

2026-03-02 • via Nuitee
K
Keiichi • solo_traveller • jp
9
2026-02-13 • via Nuitee
O
Oluwatobiloba • couple • us
7
2026-02-10 • via Nuitee
J
jeffoE4279CS • Solo travel
10
Charming boutique hotel in Downtown Palo Alto
Pros:

A charming boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. Room was excellent with a great bed, sound machine:), and very quiet. Many restaurants right outside. A welcome change from the sameness of chain hotels. The elevator brings memories of the 1900's (way back). Very convenient to Stanford University.

2026-02-09 • via Tripadvisor
V
viajero2203 • Solo travel • Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro
8
Beautiful and well located traditional hotel
Pros:

Beautiful traditional hotel, centrally located close to caltrain station, restaurants, bars, shops, cafes and pharmacy. The bed is very comfortable and the room and bathroom are spotless. Downsize is no breakfast. On the other side there are good small cages around (specially Coupa cafe). Staff is not enthusiastic… I wonder if their salary is low…

2026-02-09 • via Tripadvisor