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The Zen Hotel Palo Alto

3.0 star property

Photo gallery for The Zen Hotel Palo Alto

Exterior
Exterior
Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave
Lobby
Free daily buffet breakfast

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Air-conditioning
  • Laundry room
  • Housekeeping

Explore the area

View map
4164 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA, 94306
  • Place, Mitchell Park Dog Park
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, San Antonio Shopping Center
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, San Andreas Fault Trail
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪21 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(16 reviews)
  • 26 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, in-room safe, desk

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
(55 reviews)
  • 27 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Suite, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, in-room safe, desk

Suite, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)
  • 49 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Room, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

Room, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

Room, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(10 reviews)
  • 28 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, in-room safe, desk

Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(110 reviews)
  • 22 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Deluxe Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Deluxe Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(44 reviews)
  • 27 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(57 reviews)
  • 28 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Suite, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave (2 Queen Beds)

Suite, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave (2 Queen Beds)

Suite, Non Smoking, Refrigerator & Microwave (2 Queen Beds)

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
(7 reviews)
  • 64 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Suite, Non Smoking, Kitchen (3 Queen Beds)

Suite, Non Smoking, Kitchen (3 Queen Beds)

Suite, Non Smoking, Kitchen (3 Queen Beds)

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
(5 reviews)
  • 63 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 6
  • 3 Queen Beds
  • Free Wi-Fi

Similar properties

Family Room, Multiple Beds, Non Smoking (Deluxe)
Leland Hotel Palo Alto
Ventura
  • Pet-friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
4.1 out of 5, Very good, 277 reviews
The price is NZ$193
includes taxes & fees
31 May - 1 June
Leland Hotel Palo Alto

About the area

Palo Alto

With a stay at The Zen Hotel Palo Alto, you'll be centrally located in Palo Alto, steps from Silicon Valley and a short 4-minute drive from Stanford University. .This motel is 8.8 mi (14.1 km) from San Francisco Bay and 9.8 mi (15.7 km) from Levi's Stadium.
View more Motels in Palo AltoOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Mitchell Park Dog Park - 2 min drive - 1.5 km
  • San Antonio Shopping Center - 3 min drive - 1.8 km
  • San Andreas Fault Trail - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • The Labyrinth At Grace - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Nikola Tesla Statue - 4 min drive - 2.9 km

Getting around

  • San Antonio Station - 3 min drive
  • Whisman Station - 8 min drive
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl. Airport (SJC) - 18 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Junbi - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Hong Kong Restaurant - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪State of Mind Slice House - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Holy Sushi - ‬12 min walk

About this property

The Zen Hotel Palo Alto

The Zen Hotel Palo Alto offers 37 accommodations, which are accessible via exterior corridors and feature safes and coffee/tea makers. Pillowtop beds feature premium bedding. 37-inch LCD televisions come with satellite channels. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided. Bathrooms include bathrobes, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

This Palo Alto motel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and desk chairs. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and fans. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Recreational amenities at the motel include a fitness center.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Make yourself at home in one of the 37 guestrooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Your pillowtop bed comes with premium bedding. 37-inch LCD televisions with satellite programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Enjoy recreation amenities such as a fitness center or take in the view from a garden. This Art Deco motel also features complimentary wireless internet access, a television in a common area, and a picnic area.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM.
Featured amenities include express check-out, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 9:30 AM.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • No on-site parking available

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Things to do

  • Gym
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Laundry facilities
  • Soundproofed rooms

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Picnic area

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
  • Braille/raised signage
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible gym
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 2 floors
  • 3 buildings
  • Art Deco architecture
  • Built in 1970
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Dressing gowns
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 37-inch LCD TV with satellite channels
  • IPod dock

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Access via exterior corridors
  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Fan
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • Safe
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in is available for a fee
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Children up to the age of 12 years can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Early check-in is available for a fee (subject to availability)
  • Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card 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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Hotel Zen
Zen Hotel
Zen Hotel Palo Alto
Zen Palo Alto
Townhouse Hotel Palo Alto
The Zen Hotel
The Zen Hotel Palo Alto Motel
The Zen Hotel Palo Alto Palo Alto
The Zen Hotel Palo Alto Motel Palo Alto

The Zen Hotel Palo Alto Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 918 out of 1372 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 291 out of 1372 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 98 out of 1372 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 32 out of 1372 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 33 out of 1372 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

daniel

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
For the price its great. Very clean and staff are really nice and accommodating.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026

8/10 Good

Michelle

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Darcy

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was clean, staff friendly. Room smelled odd and heater was extremely loud.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Rachel

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

6/10 Okay

George, Long Beach

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Cara

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Great spot!! Thank you
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

6/10 Okay

Laura

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
The room was shabby. Very uncomfortable bed. Harsh fluorescent lighting is unwelcoming and unpleasant. This place is marketed as boutique-esque but run as a cheap motel. Staff was lovely. Management and rooms are what needs improvement.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

2/10 Terrible

Edward

Disliked: Staff & service
I was unable to stay because I was stranded in Phoenix due to Winter Storm Fran. Once I was finally able to get out of the airport, I contacted the hotel to let them know I would not be arriving and requested a refund. I was told that the cancellation needed to be requested in advance, which was not possible given the circumstances. This situation was entirely outside of my control, as millions of Americans, myself included, were affected by this storm. Additionally, I had two coworkers staying at the same property, and their feedback was that it felt more like a motel than a hotel and did not reflect the value of the stay. I’m disappointed with how this was handled and with the outcome overall. Had I known this in advance, I would have booked with a larger, well established hotel rather than a boutique property.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Raymond

Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Reesa

Room was clean and staff was great
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Vivian

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Korin

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
clean room, clean facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

6/10 Okay

Eva

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The quality wasn’t very good and the selection limited.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

6/10 Okay

Hector

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness
The rooms are clean, the breakfast is good, they are getting a poor review because on the first say i arrived i mentioned i would need to cancel the last day of our múltiple day stay. The staff said to just do 24 hours before the last day reservation. So when i initiated the process they then went back on the policy and said it’s 24 hours to the starts of the first day. I asked if we could get a voucher for another day knowing because I’m sick and under care at Stanford we would eventually need to come Back..they said no and offered 20% off. I won’t be going back.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

DEBJANI

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Hugo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Parking, and layout was simple and convenient.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great staff and the feeling that I was at home with the other guests.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Ruth

Everything was great.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Carlos

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean room. Friendly staff
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Safe location for walking day and night. Great staff.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Bryndyn

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great breakfast!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Blake

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026