See all properties

The Cardinal Hotel

2.5 star property
City-center hotel within easy reach of Stanford Shopping Center

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for The Cardinal Hotel

Interior
Lobby sitting area
1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, down comforters
Business center
Designer store
Nestled near Stanford University, The Cardinal Hotel offers a unique blend of art and academia. Discover the on-site art gallery, warm up by the lobby fireplace or grab a cup of coffee at the cafe. With helpful staff and free WiFi in public areas, this hotel is an ideal retreat.

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Non-smoking
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Free WiFi

Main amenities (7)

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Breakfast available
  • Coffee shop/cafe
  • 24-hour front desk
  • Lobby fireplace
  • Water dispenser
  • Luggage storage

Feel at home (6)

  • Free cribs/infant beds
  • Premium TV channels
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Elevator
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Premium bedding
$149 nightly
The total price is $173
Oct 11 - Oct 12
Total with taxes and fees

Room options

Check availability for these dates

Tonight

Sep 20 - Sep 21
Check availability for tonight Sep 20 - Sep 21

Tomorrow

Sep 21 - Sep 22
Check availability for tomorrow Sep 21 - Sep 22
Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

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

7.2 out of 10
Good
(11 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Separate bedroom
Down duvet
Portable fan
Pillowtop bed
  • 250 sq ft
  • 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

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(5 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Separate bedroom
Down duvet
Portable fan
Pillowtop bed
  • 260 sq ft
  • 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

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(6 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Separate bedroom
Down duvet
Portable fan
Pillowtop bed
  • 250 sq ft
  • 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

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(11 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Separate bedroom
Down duvet
Portable fan
Pillowtop bed
  • 250 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

Fountain

The Nest Hotel Palo Alto

  • Free breakfast
  • Pet friendly
  • Free parking
  • Free WiFi
8.8 out of 10, Excellent, 1,005 reviews
$121 nightly
The price is $140
Oct 4 - Oct 5
Total with taxes and fees
The Nest Hotel Palo Alto
Mod logo
Earn OneKeyCash on thousands of hotels when you sign in and book. More rewards for more adventures!
Sign inSign up, it's free

About the neighborhood

Map
235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94301

What's nearby

  • Stanford Shopping Center - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Stanford Stadium - 18 min walk - 1.5 km
  • Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford - 2 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Stanford University - 2 min drive - 1.8 km
  • Stanford University Medical Center - 3 min drive - 1.9 km

Getting around

  • San Carlos, CA (SQL) - 20 min drive
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl. Airport (SJC) - 21 min drive
  • San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) - 26 min drive
  • Oakland Intl. Airport (OAK) - 37 min drive
  • Menlo Park Station - 4 min drive
  • California Ave Station - 5 min drive
  • Palo Alto Station - 6 min walk

Restaurants

  • ‪Nola - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Pizza My Heart - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Ramen Nagi - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Meyhouse - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Nobu Palo Alto - ‬1 min walk

About this property

The Cardinal Hotel

When you stay at The Cardinal Hotel, you'll be within a 10-minute drive of Stanford University and San Francisco Bay. Also, Stanford University Medical Center and Shoreline Amphitheatre are within a short drive. Fellow travelers love the helpful staff and location.

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 63 rooms
    • Arranged over 3 floors
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
    • Contactless check-in available
    • Express check-in/out available
    • Check-out time is 11:00 AM
    • Contactless check-out available
DONE

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
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
DONE

Pets

    • Pets not allowed
    • Service animals welcome
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • Onsite garage
    • Offsite parking within 39 ft (USD 15 per day)
DONE

Other information

    • Smoke-free property

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Full breakfast (surcharge) on weekday mornings 7:00 AM–10:00 AM
  • Coffee shop
  • Water dispenser

What to do

  • Winery tours nearby

Services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Facilities

  • 1 building/tower
  • Built in 1924
  • Fireplace in lobby
  • Art gallery on site
  • Traditional architecture

Accessibility

  • Elevator
  • Assistive listening devices available
  • Visual fire alarm

Room amenities

Be entertained

  • 42-inch LED TV
  • Premium satellite channels

Home comfort

  • Heating
  • Ceiling fan
  • Bathrobes and slippers
  • Iron/ironing board

Sleep well

  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Down comforter
  • Premium bedding
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Free crib/infant bed

Freshen up

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

Stay connected

  • Desk
  • Free local calls
  • Electrical adapters/chargers

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Daily housekeeping
  • In-room safe (laptop compatible)
  • Guidebooks/recommendations
  • Local maps
  • Restaurant dining guide

Fees & policies

Optional extras

  • Full breakfast is offered for an extra charge of approximately USD 22 for adults and USD 22 for children

Children & extra beds

  • Rollaway beds are available for USD 20.0 per day

Parking

  • Parking is available nearby and costs USD 15 per day (39 ft away)

Policies

Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector on site.
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards. Cash is not accepted.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
Cashless transactions are available.
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.

Also known as

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

Frequently asked questions

Does The Cardinal Hotel offer free cancellation for a full refund?

Yes, The Cardinal Hotel does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.

Are pets allowed at The Cardinal Hotel?

Sorry, pets aren't allowed, but service animals are welcome.

What are the check-in and check-out times at The Cardinal Hotel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime. Check-out time is 11:00 AM. Express check-in and check-out and contactless check-in and check-out are available.

What is there to do at The Cardinal Hotel and nearby?

Recommended spots to visit include Stanford Shopping Center (10-min walk) and Stanford University Medical Center (1.6 mi), along with Stanford University (1.7 mi) and Facebook Campus (3.5 mi).

What's the area around The Cardinal Hotel like?

The Cardinal Hotel is in University South, a short 6-minute walk from Palo Alto Station and 10 minutes' walk from Stanford Shopping Center. Travelers give top marks for the hotel's prime location.

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Reviews

The Cardinal Hotel Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

9.6

Cleanliness

8.4

Amenities

9.4

Staff & service

9.0

Eco-friendliness

8.8

Property conditions & facilities

What guests liked

  • The property's location offers easy access to many shops and restaurants within walking distance. (5 reviews)
AI Sparkle IconFrom real guest reviews summarized by AI.

Popular mentions

Room
Location
Service staff
Restaurant
Air conditioning
History
Ambience
Building
Historical
Store

Reviews

10/10 Exceptional

A fantastic hotel, and a great location.
Michael, 4-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Relaxed and Refreshed

This 100 year old hotel is beautiful! Perfect location! Very clean! Super helpful and friendly staff!
Sylvia, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Thanks for the great stay!
Jagdeep Singh, 3-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

The hotel is 100 years old and very charming, with original tiles and features throughout. Much nicer than the usual bland hotel chains.
Andrew, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Beautiful History

Beautifully maintained historic hotel. Staff is incredibly helpful and kind. Absolutely loved. The only drawback is no air conditioning and you have to leave the window open to get air which unfortunately due to the prime location, cars people, trains, etc are very loud.
Noelle, 3-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Front desk ladies are super helpful and nice. Hotel rooms are clean, neat, and quiet. Historical evaluator is fun. Super close to restaurants and markets. Good stay!
Y, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Perfect Historic Hotel!

The only place we stay in Palo Alto! Perfect location, easy (free) parking curbside and walkable to restaurants, cocktails/wine bars, shopping, and historic Stanford Theater! Front desk staff is always friendly and helpful. Quiet and comfortable!
Laura, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

The staff members are amazing! Super cozy and clean
Victoria, 3-night trip

6/10 Good

3rd floor in a heat wave was rather hot - the AC was not sufficient.
Kimberley, 3-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Gorgeous hotel
Gumaro, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Nice and clean bedroom, although the shared bathroom was clean all the time
Teresita, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Charming vintage gem in Palo Alto. Our room was clean with a private bathroom. The staff was friendly and helpful. The location can’t be beat with restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops and a short walk to Stanford University. Cardinal Hotel has character, history and a central location. We enjoyed our stay.
Joy, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Beautiful old building.
Elizabeth, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Worth the experience

Great place to stay, but lots of noise in the morning from streets
1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

This was a great place to stay.
Diane, 5-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Quiet, convenient for shopping and transportation.
Yanhua, 3-night trip

8/10 Very good

pretty nice traditional hotel.
Qiying Ann, 4-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Gorgeous historic hotel; with clean, comfortable, and pretty rooms. In a great location. And very nice staff.
Mariela, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Staff are amazing! My stay was wonderful! Highly recommend!
Florinda, 3-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Nice hotel in a great area.
Donna, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Location was fantastic and hotel was beautiful.
Catherine, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

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.
Suzanne, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Charming, good location.
John, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Great place, loved it.

Lots of history, great location, very clean and great walking distance to many things including Stanford University.
3-night trip

6/10 Good

Good price. No A/C. Older property but clean.
Stephen, 1-night trip