Cardinal Hotel

I stayed at the excellent Cardinal Hotel in Palo Alto for 2 nights for a business trip and had a wonderful, cozy stay at this unique and historic gem. I make it a point to seek out old hotels that are full of character, so this was the perfect place for me. Some of the rooms utilize a shared toilet and shower in the hall. While the whole hotel is a deal compared to surrounding options, the rooms utilizing the shared facilities are very affordable. I peeked my head in the toilet/shower and they were immaculate! They provide a robe and slippers in the room, so if you choose a room with a shared bath, you're covered, quite literally. I booked a room that had its own bathroom, and my room was cozy and clean with a comfortable bed. The walk-in shower in my room looked brand new and had great heat and pressure. The provided shampoo, conditioner, and body wash smelled and felt luxurious. There is no AC at this hotel, but the window opened, which was such a treat on a delightfully cool fall night. I adore a fresh breeze, so I was happy. The sounds of the city floated in, and I even enjoyed a multimedia art installation projected on a nearby building one evening—built-in entertainment for the win. By 1030, it was quiet, however, and I slept soundly until the morning. If you're a noise-sensitive person, you might want a more modern option, but I had a blast. The lobby of this hotel is appointed with amazing antiques and cool tidbits of history, and I enjoyed poking around and learning more about this historic building. Stephanie at the front desk was warm and friendly and we chatted about the hotel and other historic hotels we love. The entire staff was lovely and accommodating. I will be back!

Excellent

Historic property with great charm.

Great amenities for the value. A bit dated, but part of the charm. In room amenities could be better money.

Excellent location. Lots of shops and restaurants nearby. For being 100 years old the hotel is very clean

First night shower didn’t have hot water, could only get lukewarm. Hotel is marvelous piece of history. Location is ideal.

Simple, older rooms. Clean. Had wooden shades but weren’t blackout which would have been better. Great location!

Beautiful historic building in central Palo Alto and great antiques in the foyer and nice staff. However, the rooms have no A/C. Also, no mini-fridge, no coffee in the room, and no dedicated parking. So, if you’re looking for an authentic 1925 experience of no amenities and trying to sleep in a puddle of sweat with the window open and ceiling fan whirring, this is for you. It was not for us. We left after the first night.

Location was near Stanford Hospital; however, rooms was stuffy due to no A/C; the fan did help a bit; too noisy they should invest on better windows to minimize the noise; the tub was a bit scary as there was no non-slip mat or handles to hold on to; the tub was also shaped strangely going downward a bit.

it is very loud during midnight, making it hard for me to sleep well. The loud sound is from the street and maybe there are trucks loading things or collecting garbage.

A quaint, yet well appointed, comfortable boutique with super polite staff. Osteria Toscana (a great restaurant) is downstairs. In a few steps you will find your self on University Ave which has restuarants and Starbucks. Stanford Univ is a short walk from here. Lovely place.