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8.2

279 reviews

Cardinal Hotel

Cardinal Hotel

235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, 94301, California, United States

Choose dates to view prices

Restaurant

Free wifi

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

View

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft)

Cardinal Hotel

Cardinal Hotel is a 3-star retreat in Palo Alto, California, United States. Address: 235 Hamilton Ave. Located about 1mi from the city center, it has 279 reviews and price starts from $193.

Featured amenities include Parking (extra charges), Restaurant, Wifi (free), Golf course (extra charges), 24-hour front desk, Non-smoking rooms, Elevator, View, Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft), Bathtub, Upper floors accessible by elevator, and Free toiletries.

Travelers will appreciate the practical comforts: free Wifi, a 24-hour front desk, and easy access to upper floors by elevator, along with features like a bathtub, extra long beds, a view, and free toiletries.

Bistro Maxine sits in the same building, a standalone French dining spot offering breakfast and lunch. The atmosphere leans FamilyFriendly and Traditional, making it a relaxed, tasty option without leaving the property.

Practical perks include free Wifi, a 24-hour front desk, and easy access to upper floors by elevator, along with thoughtful touches like a bathtub, extra-long beds, a view, and free toiletries. Parking is available for an extra charge, and a nearby golf course can be reached for an additional fee. Payments can be made with Mastercard, Visa, or American Express, and cash is not accepted.

Room options cover a range, including Economy with a Queen bed and shared bathroom, Economy with a Single bed and shared bathroom, Deluxe Corner with a King bed and private bathroom, Standard with a King bed and private bathroom, Standard with a Queen bed and private bathroom, and Standard 2 Double with private bathroom.

Closest airports

Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport

14mi

San Francisco International Airport

16.9mi

Oakland International Airport

20.1mi

Stockton Metropolitan Airport

59.3mi

Monterey Regional Airport

61.8mi

Most popular amenities

Restaurant

Free wifi

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

View

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft)

Free toiletries

Bathtub

Rooms

Shared Bathroom Queen Room in Cardinal Hotel

Standard, Shared Bathroom

1 Queen Size Bed

140 sqft

City view

Flat-screen TV

Upper floors accessible by elevator

x4

+

x3

More details

The bathroom for this room is located in the hallway and shared by other guests. Room includes a flat-screen satellite TV, a desk and a seating area.

Standard Queen Room in Cardinal Hotel

Standard, Queen Size

1 Queen Size Bed

225 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Bathtub

Flat-screen TV

x4

+

x3

More details

This room features a flat-screen satellite TV, a work desk and a private bathroom.

Show 6 photos

Economy, Queen Size, Single Use, Shared Bathroom

1 Queen Size Bed

More details

Show 9 photos

Deluxe Corner, King Size, Private Bathroom

1 King Size Bed

Private Bathroom

More details

Show 5 photos

Standard, King Size, Private Bathroom

1 King Size Bed

Private Bathroom

More details

Show 4 photos

Standard, 2 Double Beds, Private Bathroom

2 Double Beds

Private Bathroom

More details

Show 4 photos

Superior, King Size

1 King Size Bed

Flat-screen TV

+

More details

Show 3 photos

Standard, Queen Size, Private Bathroom

1 Queen Size Bed

Private Bathroom

More details

Deluxe King Room in Cardinal Hotel

Show 3 photos

Deluxe, King Size

1 King Size Bed

20 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Bathtub

Coffee machine

x4

+

x3

More details

Standard King Room in Cardinal Hotel

Standard, King Size

1 King Size Bed

225 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Bathtub

Flat-screen TV

x4

+

x3

More details

Standard Double Room in Cardinal Hotel

Standard, 2 Double Beds

2 Double Beds

225 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Bathtub

Flat-screen TV

+

More details

Show 5 photos

Standard Room

Flat-screen TV

x10

+

x6

More details

Guest reviews

8.2

279 reviews

Categories of assessments

Cleanliness

Comfort

Location

Facilities

Staff

Value for money

WiFi quality

Featured reviews:

🇺🇸

Nesa

8.2

August 2025

The hotel was quaint and in a terrific location. Clean, comfortable and quiet rooms. Staff was friendly and helpful.

We requested a mini fridge in each room and were not told when we checked in that would be an extra charge. The charge should be disclosed at check in and should not be added to the room charge unless the customer consents to the charge. Also, breakfast is not provided on Mondays because the restaurant is closed. We paid an additional $52 for breakfast and were told at check in this would be refunded. I have requested that booking.com refund these charges ASAP.

🇺🇸

Heather

8.2

October 2024

The property itself is old but that gives it a lot of charm, including an elevator you open and close yourself with a sliding door. The staff were all very friendly and the location is fantastic: right in the middle of things in Palo Alto, very walkable. The shared bathrooms were a bit of a concern at first but I didn't run into any problems with them. They were all clean and well-kept and I didn't have to wait at all. The provided robe and slippers were very comfortable and a nice touch.

As others have said, there isn't any AC, but I found myself comfortable with the window open and the fan they provide. The room was on the smaller side; it was fine for me but I think with two it would be pretty tight.

🇰🇾

Nelson

8.2

October 2024

The location was fantastic - downtown Palo Alto, near train station and plenty of dining options. The rooms are spacious and clean. Staff is helpful.

I knew that there would be a dorm style shared bathroom, although I hadn't appreciated fully how it might affect my stay. While very clean and bright, it did make the stay less comfortable. There is a separate bathroom and separate shower room. We paid what was likely full price for the room (in admittedly a busy period) so the value for money was less than ideal.

🇺🇸

Stephen

9.1

May 2025

Comfortable hotel in a good location and one of the few places in Palo Alto that allowed a very late night booking and check-in far after midnight.

I understand that this is Palo Alto, but it is difficult to understand paying the rate that I did for a shared (and to be fair, generally clean) bathroom.

🇺🇸

John

9.1

September 2023

The location can't be beat--it's in the center of downtown and not a bad walk to Stanford University. Room prices are more affordable than competing hotels in the area. There is no shortage of great restaurants nearby. And the lobby is beautiful and inviting.

This hotel doesn't have air conditioning, some rooms have shared bathrooms, and you must park at public garages because there is no parking at the hotel. That being said, each room has a ceiling fan and the hotel provides an individual fan in the closet. Most rooms have their own bathroom. And public parking is generally very available at the Palo Alto City Hall (and free on the weekends). Unfortunately, there are no screens on the windows to prevent bugs from entering if the window is open.

🇧🇬

Stefan

8.2

March 2025

The location is great - easy to find, plenty of restaurants and coffee shops nearby, train station just a few minutes away. The team was awesome - very friendly and hospitable!

Probably the only thing i didn't like was the shared bathroom, but I was aware of this when i booked, so no blame on the hotel!

🇲🇽

Natalie

10

March 2023

I needed to be in Palo Alto for the weekend to go to a Stanford program. I loved that most of the workflow (check-in and check-out) with the hotel was done via email and self-serve. It made everything super easy and quick. The hotel was also very centrally located meaning I could walk to all the major areas (Uni Ave, etc) and it took me about 30min to walk to the Stanford campus. The hotel was clean, organized and was functional. I found the bed and pillows to be comfortable and I had lots of space to organize my stuff.

My only callout would be to be mindful of the noise during the weekend (was there from Friday to Sunday) as the hotel is directly above bars and restaurants and it gets very loud. The hotel does provide earplugs as courtesy so I didn't have any problem with that and slept throughout but people sensitive with noise that also hear through earplugs might find it difficult to sleep. However, If I needed to go back I'd look to stay here again :)

🇨🇭

Thea

10

March 2025

Easy and simple with the bathrooms in the hallway; yet exactly the perfect location and comfort. Can only recommend since you go out and can walk throughout downtown by foot. The staff was also very welcoming and forthcoming.

🇺🇸

Robert

8.2

April 2024

Beautiful historic hotel. Friendly staff.

Parking showed on the website but found out upon arriving that it was not on-site. We were fortunate to have found a parking spot half a bock away on the next street. Staff did tell us about parking garages near the hotel.

🇺🇸

William

8.2

September 2024

Fabulous place - one of the best historic hotels we’ve stayed at.

Extremely noisy starting at 5 AM outside our front second story corner room - apparently food delivery trucks with their very loud back up signals, or maybe garbage trucks, though it happened both mornings. Even with ear plugs,I couldn’t sleep.

Points of Interest Around Cardinal Hotel

Airports

Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport

14mi

San Francisco International Airport

16.9mi

Oakland International Airport

20.1mi

Stockton Metropolitan Airport

59.3mi

Monterey Regional Airport

61.8mi

Restaurants

Bistro Maxine - Independent restaurant in the same building - breakfast and lunch ONLY

Cuisines

  • French

Ambiances

  • Family Friendly
  • Traditional

Amenities of Cardinal Hotel

Restaurant

Free wifi

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

View

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Extra long beds (> 6.5 ft)

Free toiletries

Bathtub

Stay rules - Cardinal Hotel

  • Check-in / Check-out

  • Pets

  • Internet

  • Age restrictions

  • Curfew

  • Parking

  • Children and beds

  • Cards accepted at this property

Frequently Asked Questions - Cardinal Hotel

When are the check-in and check-out times for Cardinal Hotel?

For Cardinal Hotel, you can check in after 02:00 PM and the check-out deadline is 11:00 AM.

Does Cardinal Hotel provide free parking options?

Yes, there is parking available at Cardinal Hotel. The hotel offers public parking at a nearby location. However, please note that parking reservation is not possible. The cost for parking is $15 per day.

What's the nightly rate at Cardinal Hotel?

The base rate at Cardinal Hotel is approximately $193. Be informed that this can vary depending on your room choice and booking dates. Enter dates for a tailored price.

What are the room types available at Cardinal Hotel?

The Cardinal Hotel offers a variety of room types including Standard King, Standard Double, Deluxe King, and Standard Queen rooms. All rooms are non-smoking and have an occupancy of 2 adults with the option to accommodate 1 child. The bed sizes range from King size to Double and Queen size beds, with room sizes ranging from 226 to 258 square feet.

What is there to do in Cardinal Hotel?

Guests at the Cardinal Hotel can spend their time enjoying a range of leisure amenities. The hotel offers spa and wellness packages, allowing guests to relax and rejuvenate during their stay. For guests who enjoy golfing, there is a golf course available for their enjoyment.

In addition to these amenities, the hotel also offers walking tours for guests who want to explore the surrounding area. Guests can also take part in fitness classes and yoga classes to maintain their fitness routine while away from home. The hotel also has a fitness center available for guests to use.

When it comes to dining options, guests can visit the on-site restaurant called Bistro Maxine. The restaurant offers a family-friendly atmosphere and serves traditional French cuisine. This provides guests with a convenient and delicious dining experience during their stay.

Does Cardinal Hotel feature its own restaurants?

Yes, the Cardinal Hotel has a restaurant on site called Bistro Maxine. It offers a traditional ambiance and serves French cuisine.

Does Cardinal Hotel accept credit cards and cash payments?

No, the Cardinal Hotel does not accept cash payments. They only accept credit cards, namely American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.