The Zen Hotel - Palo Alto

Third time around at The Zen. Everything clean, in great condition, good internet, friendly staff, great rates. Highly recommended.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

A really good little hotel if you are wanting a base in the Palo Alto/Stanford area. Super clean and quiet, with charming Zen touches. Loved the outdoor seating area behind our room. Spa was out of order, which was a disappointment, but the breakfast was decent for a freebie. Good coffee and cookies available all day in the office. Would definitely […] stay there again. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We had a wonderful stay. we stayed in a room that had a lounge area in the back which was beautiful, peaceful & enjoyable. Thank you so much for a wonderful time. Our room was very clean and we loved the amenities. Hotel centrally located to restaurants, shopping and Stanford. The brunch was unexpected and delicious, expecially the fried potatoes (loved […] them). Please continue the brunch. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Everything was good, including a hot breakfast that included eggs and non-instant oatmeal.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This place is a great value--very clean and tastefully decorated, with lots of extras that you usually don't get at this price; for example, a full hot breakfast, gourmet coffee in the room, thick bath towels and a nice terry robe and slippers. The staff was very helpful and friendly, and the location is excellent for anyone visiting Stanford U., Palo […] Alto, Menlo Park or Mountain View. I would definitely stay here again. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Had a great stay at the ZEN! It is a remodeled old motel to a very modern facility. Great in-room coffee (Seattle's Best), comfy bed, FREE internet, and FREE parking. Wow...I will come back the next time I am in Palo Alto on business or pleasure.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The Zen is a fine choice for staying close to Stanford. Everyone at the front desk is pleasant and helpful. Another plus: If you need an extra car for the day, all of the major rental agencies are just a block or two away.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Comfortable quite room. Hot breakfast and complementary news papers a plus. The coffee choices are good. The neighboring field supports quite a population of robins and other species of birds great intertainment for morning coffee. The bed was comfortable but watch your feet on the bed corners an apparent known hazard, as they are padded but difficult […] to avoid. The zen of the toilet seat: a case for study, as sometimes it will stay up and sometimes it will not. All in all I would stay again. Great staff. If you like coffee go to phillz coffee: the coffee experience that we have been paying for and should of had. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Love it, it is my 5th stay and we will be back again.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Wonderful staff...clean, modern and sleek decor.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Motel style hotel that was very clean and comfortable for two people. Located off a main road, but still quiet. About an 5-10 minute drive to Stanford campus. Much more reasonable pricing than the nearby Sheraton. Included continental breakfast, a microfridge, complimentary bottled water, and even provided a make-up remover wipe and slippers. Walls […] are a bit thin so you may hear the neighbor's TV, but we did not spend much time in the room anyway. Walgreens located right across the street if you need anything. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This hotel was great. We were able to check-in early. While there was a comfortable chair in the room, the room dimensions meant that it was not in a comfortable spot either to read or watch T.V. The staff was very helpful. A great find was the Fish Market on El Camino Real.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Even has a small gym, and hot tub. Solid hotel. Not a hang-out-at-the-bar type of hotel, but clean quiet and well located.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel is spotless inside and out. The room itself is very relaxing, with a memory foam bed and alarm clock that can play nature sounds and soothing music to help you sleep. There is complimentary breakfast in the morning which is surprisingly good. They serve eggs, potatoes, bacon/sausage, yogurt, toast/pastries, fresh fruit and juice and there's […] always coffee, tea, hot chocolate and a bowl of apples by the front desk (all complimentary). Starting around noon they have a variety of cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal, and some other kinds) which are pretty good. The staff is friendly and check out was quick and easy (they didn't try charging me for extras I didn't use). The only downside is you'll probably smack your foot on the base of the platform bed, especially in the smaller (Deluxe) rooms. Overall, my stay was very enjoyable, and I would definitely come here again. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Room was in good condition and clean. King size bed was comfortable although you have to be careful not to stub your toe on the platform frame. Chose the place because of location, price, reviews, free breakfast and wi-fi. I've stayed at many nice hotels and would stay here again.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This was a very comfortable hotel. A great value for the area.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Upon first arrival, my adult children and I were a little hesitant because the outward appearance is a bit dated. However, once you enter the lobby, you can feel the warmth and welcome attitude of the staff. There were complimentary warm cookies and hot drinks to welcome guests. The water fountains around the lobby, most rooms, and the small rear courtyard […] were very soothing. (Check out the photos of the courtyard! We were visiting during December and it was very cold, but I'm sure the courtyard would be great during the warmer months.) The room was extremely clean and welcoming. The only complaint I had was the noise factor. They may need more insulation to prevent the noise from the upstairs and outside from being so loud. The breakfasts were great for a small boutique type hotel. There were plenty of options; scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, sausage, potatoes O'Brien, bacon, hash browns, bagels, oatmeal, yogurt. dry cereal, muffins, toast, fresh fruit, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and two types of juice. The Zen is a great place for business people, couples, and families. It is definitely worth staying again. The staff was very professional and welcoming. The room was clean, comfortable, and the location is ideal. It's great for those visiting Stanford or doing business in the Silicon Valley. We will be staying again whenever we visit the bay area. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel is very well maintained. The beds were very comfortable. The shower was great and the bath tub was clean enough to fee comfortable taking a bath. This was a great place to stay and I will stay there again.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The Zen Hotel was very clean and the decor has a contemporary, asian, uncluttered look. However cool the decor and appearance is, there are certain aspects that can be addressed. The rooms are clean but not cozy and uncomfortable. The rooms are very small. The number one "bad" are the bed frames that the mattress fits on top of. The wood platform is […] too wide, and so every time you turn the corner in the cramped room you stub your toe on the corner of the bed frame. It is so bad, they have padding on the corners. But obviously that doesn't solve the problem. Also we wanted to use the whirlpool spa, but it was shoved in a small locked room. It has a closed in feel. It would have been better outdoors in the beautiful garden area. The overall quality of the Zen Hotel was very good, with only the few exceptions. The staff was very friendly and the common areas are not very cozy, but they are very clean. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

excellent place to stay.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Room was exceptionally clean and front desk staff was friendly and helpful. I stayed in an accessible room that did have some challenges, though. The room itself was wide and spacious, as was the bathroom; however, the mirror was too high for someone in a wheelchair. The bathtub had a removable shower head; however, it could no be easily reached by […] a person who was seated on a shower chair in the tub. The towel rack was too high for a person seated in a wheelchair. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The staff really makes this hotel . They are friendly. The cookies at night were delicious as was the breakfast. Though nicely decorated, the bed is too large for the room and it was a constant problem not to trip over the platform corners. The rooms are also a bit noisy as the walls are thin and you can hear the street noise. I stayed off peak days […] so my rate was much lower than usual. At the price I paid I would stay here again. I would never pay the normal rates. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My room had a strange, lingering smell, as if someone had been burning plastic materials in the room. This remained with me the entire evening/night. I ultimately slid the window open and pulled up the curtain to allow the outside air to come in, but this also exposed the room to the illuminated parking lot in front of the room. The telephone was dysfunctional […] and the noise from El Camino Real more than I had been led to believe. Overall this was anything but a "zen" experience. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

After a week of more typical business hotel lodgings, this was a really nice break...low key, very clean and comfortable, with modern but simple furnishings. The breakfast was outstanding. Would be nice to see an upgrade of the fitness equipment, but I was pleased that they at least had a small gym.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great stay. Great staff. Comfortable room at a reasonable price. Great breakfast. Would definitely go back.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

very nice furnishings and landscaping

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

nice-could use improvements on their "gym" equipment

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My husband and I stayed here on a recent training trip for me. We got what we asked for: a quiet room (even though the main street's noise can be quiet loud). Note to fellow Zen guests: gently close the door to your room...if not, it makes a loud, resonating sound that rattles the zen zone. The service was outgoing, friendly and helpful. The room was […] small and clean. Too bad some slightly off measurements in cutting finish work to the room happened. If all these little details had some together well, it'd be a very nice little room. Wi-fi was slow. Sometimes trying an alternate connection would work. Other times, it was pointless to even try. Oh well, I didn't need to reply to work email anyway! The bed was not springs, so that's a plus. Unfortunately for fans of firm, cool mattresses this mattress was very soft (my husband referred to his side of the bed as "his hole" to sleep in) and the flippin' pillow top padding (please let this fad pass away into non zen sleeping habits of the past) was mooshy and trapped body heat. So it was another couple nights' sleep of cold on top and hot on the bottom. Overall, it's a good place to stay. Loved the little zen garden area back behind the front first floor rooms. It was nice having the bamboo in the room, along with the fridge and microwave. Breakfast is the typical make your own, on a small scale. Good coffee. Cookies in the evening are fairly calorie-worthy! Cute neighborhood in the back for evening strolls. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Love it. It was our 2nd time stay in this hotel and we will return again in the future.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Fresh cookies, beautiful gardens! This place is amazing!

Genuine Expedia guest review

The staff was extremely helpful in compensating for an error made by the hotel regarding our room request. The room was very clean and the hotel was conveniently located.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We stay at The Zen on a regular basis, and we regularly recommend The Zen to family and friends, but this trip may have changed that. After attending the Stanford vs.USC football game we came back to the room to watch ESPN highlights, but even though the TV Channel lineup says we should get ESPN and ESPN2, our TV got neither channel, nor any other Sports […] channel. We had planned a relaxing Sunday morning, sleeping in and a leisurely breakfast, but the front desk called our room at 7:13 am and then again at 8:15 am waking us both times. Finally, the temperature of the water was set to such a low temp that we couldn't get a hot shower. All these things can be changed and I hope they will before our next visit. On the positive side, the beds are amazingly comfortable! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Upon arrival to check in, we were happily informed that our room had been upgraded to the king suite. As we entered our room, we were pleasantly surprised at the roominess of the living and kitchenette areas. The bedroom was smaller than expected, though the remainder of the suite fully made up for this. Free wireless network was easy to establish connection […] was appreciated by me and my wife enjoyed the whirlpool type tub. The location was convenient and the breakfast fantastic. The only negative mark would be the refrigerator/freezer needed to be defrosted a while ago. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Deceiving on the outside, The Zen Hotel looks like a low budget motel. The lobby was decent, and the cookies during check-in were a pleasant surprise. It only went up from there! The room was very nice, clean and spacious. The little zen-like details were nice, like all the live bamboo in the room. I could hear the trickling of the water fountain in […] the back of the building. The best part was the bed. It had a pillowtop mattress that was so luxurious that I wished my own bed was THIS comfortable! Needless to say, I slept superbly! I would definitely return if I have more business in this area. The breakfast was a "real" breakfast with scrambled eggs, fresh muffins and Peets coffee -- not some Costco-packaged danish that you get at other places! I was quite impressed. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Enjoyed stay only 1 problem: the platform/zen beds severely bruised our toes.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Room was spotless and bed was very comfortable. We appreciate the warm cookies and the dining recommendations we received upon check in. Expected a continental breakfast and was surprised to find a full breakfast of high quality, freshly prepared, healthy foods laid out in the lobby. Topper: I had to choose between Starbucks & Pete's coffees, this addicts […] favorites! Very happy with our room and the generous service provided. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We were pleasantly surprised by an upgrade to a suite upon our arrival. The room is clean and spacious and come with free wi-fi. The amenities are very basic and gym and spa really need improvement. The clerk is very friendly and helpful. Free breakfast offered is very good.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Very pleasing.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Quiet and comfortable.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

It was a very peaceful stay. Great location and highly recommend it.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

very nice people, a little stark, but well run. room fine for me, good mattress. bathroom could use a little hotter water and water pressure, but otherwise all fine.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Driving up, it looks like what it is, a gussied-up outside-entrance motel. My room on the second (top) floor overlooked the tiny, but cute garden/sitting area. Room was very clean and surprisingly tasteful in decor, space and utility. Mattrass was pillow-top, and too soft for me, but of high quality. I rank the front desk highly for their service. The […] hot breakfast is good, but unspectacular: scrambled eggs, different form of potatoes each day, a variety of toastable breads, cereal, oatmeal, juice yogurt, etc. Overall feeling of cleanliness and friendliness. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Very nice place! Would highly recommend!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

lovely!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review