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Stanford Terrace Inn: Traveler Reviews

531 Stanford Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306-1113
Hotel amenities
Stanford Terrace Inn
Ranked #18 of 23 hotels in Palo Alto
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94 reviews from our community

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Traveler rating
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Date Rating
Zwolle, The Netherlands
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
6 hotel reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
“Nice place for a business trip, not worth it for ur money”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed September 20, 2011

I've stayed at this hotel/inn for 6 nights in a big suite (I'm not sure which suite I was staying in). To start with positive things, the location was excellent for I was on a business trip doing work in Stanford Univ. Room was oversized and clean enough for me. I could hear the sound of TV from the room next to mine, but I've seen much worse than this. Even the road construction could not bother my night rest. Breakfast was average at best.

I've seen many complaints about the employees here. They were indeed very young, not really interested in you and not really pounded with kindness at all. They provided with minimal service: I've been asking for an airport cab, all they could do was giving me a phone number. I've said that I have a cellular phone from Europe, asking them if they could book one for me, and they refused so.

Now, I won't complain about this if this was a cheap inn, but I've paid 210 dollars per day. I've been expecting more for this amount of money. Missed chance, if this lady provided me just a bit more service, I'd been given this inn probably 4 stars.

My final verdict: think twice before you go there.

Room Tip: Room 227 gives you a nice and silent room for it was far away from the main road and not many people...
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  • Stayed September 2011, traveled on business
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 2
Ask JasonHoA about Stanford Terrace Inn
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Stanford, California
1 review
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“USED to be good, but now it is NOT run properly”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed August 17, 2011

I used this place in the past for work all the time due to the proximity to SU campus, but the the entire booking/billing process recently has been a nightmare (note: under new mgmt). I am not a complainer, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and they messed up NUMEROUS times. The staff at the front desk/phones have NO idea what is going on and it took a 10 minute call to book one room and they still had it wrong. I suggest some training and I really hope this place turns around. In the meantime, I would recommend someplace else until they get things under control.

  • Stayed July 2011, traveled on business
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask ann m about Stanford Terrace Inn
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

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Kuala Lumpur
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12 hotel reviews
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25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
“Motel-like but clean”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed August 16, 2011

The lobby area is quite small, but happy that despite its size, they managed to fit in an elevator to the rooms.

The room was rather dark - one corner lamp was not working, but since was only putting up there for one night, I didn't bother to get it fixed. The room was of a good size, wardrobe area quite large with full-length mirror on the wardrobe. I also like that they have a separate sink/vanity area outside the bathroom. This may be because the room had 2 double beds, so it is good in the mornings that one can use the bathroom and the other can still have a sink to use to wash up. Bathroom was clean and shower was good - no complains there. There was complimentary high speed WIFI in the room and this is very much welcomed.

Continental breakfast was provided, but the spread wasn't great and we had to eat in a rather crammed area at the lobby. Parking is provided underneath the building in the basement and it is complimentary for hotel guests.

Overall, it felt very motel-ish, but at least room and bathroom were clean. The hotel should improve on the lighting in the room and upgrade the TV to a flat screen LCD. Perhaps, they should also try and create a proper space for breakfast rather than having guests eat at small tables at the lobby.

Even though the stay was pleasant, it didn't feel like it was good value as the rooms were not that cheap. However, location of the hotel is good, right on the main street. And there is a nice steak place across the road, known as Sundance.

  • Stayed July 2011, traveled on business
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask serendipity_gal about Stanford Terrace Inn
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Maryland
2 reviews
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Under new management, and it shows.”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed August 7, 2011

We stayed at this hotel in late July and early August, 2011. We have been staying there for years, but we will not be doing so again any time soon. The hotel is under new management and the front desk staff informed us that they had just started that week. They were all quite young and appeared not to know what they were doing. Moreover, they were cold and unfriendly and appeared not to care whether guests were happy or not. During our first visit in late July we were given a room that was very dark and musty, not equivalent to rooms we had stayed in before. During our second visit (we took a side trip in between) in early August 2011, the room was nicer but the temperature regulation in the shower was broken so that the water was scalding hot. I complained about this three times and nothing was done about it.
Although this hotel is conveniently located if you are visiting Stanford or Palo Alto, we will not be going back.
We also witnessed other guests who had problems with their rooms and were met with indifference and incompetence. I predict that those guests will not be coming back and that this hotel will lose a lot of its business.

  • Stayed July 2011, traveled with family
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 5
Ask MarilynMann about Stanford Terrace Inn
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hong Kong
Senior Contributor
36 reviews 36 reviews
25 hotel reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
“Location is the winning point”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed July 30, 2011

Before booking this hotel, I read through all the reviews with mixed feelings. To be honest, I agreed with them all after staying in this property for two weeks. It is more of a family-run type of hotel without too much principles/rules to follow for the personnel. The room is dark and has a smell very much for the sensitive ones (my younger son got allergic right after the first night). It can be noisy unless you stay on the top floor otherwise you keep on hearing the queaching sound from upstairs. You can also hear TV or talking sounds from next door or outside from the hallways or swimming pool. However, this is the most convenient hotel if you want to attend to some business in Stanford University. In addition to the shuttle drop-off service provided by the hotel, there is also a Stanford Maguerrite bus stop near by. You can also choose to rent a car as I did. Driving from my hotel to anywhere in Stanford is no more than 10 miniutes. Most of the car rental companies have offices on El Camino Real and near Stanford Terrace Inn. The breakfast has limited choices but with high quality - waffles, oatmeals, fruit yogurt, raisin toast. Very enough to get you a good start in the morning. Starbucks cafe is next door. There is also a Jack-in-the-box and Panda express about 5 miniutes walk from the hotel. You can also cross the road to the gas station inside there is a small shop selling drinks and small snacks. You can even order room service from 5-6 different restaurants - info provided in the room with menus. If you are a good walker, you can walk to Stanford since this hotel is technically right at the edge and should be considered as part of the Stanford campus. I later on checked out the Sheraton and Westin and surprising found that they are actually quite far away from Stanford even though they surely are facing the front end of Stanford. Check the map and you will know what I mean. All in all, I must give this hotel a fair comment. Comparing the price, size of the room, approximity to the campus, I would recommend this hotel to those who want to come to Stanford and feel like a part of Stanford. (Stanfod Guest house is too far away from the main campus from my point of view) Hope this can give you a fair view of what's going on here.

  • Stayed July 2011, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask orangeyellow about Stanford Terrace Inn
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
 
 
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Additional Information about Stanford Terrace Inn

Also Known As:
Stanford Terrace Hotel Palo Alto
Stanford Terrace Hotel
Stanford Terrace Palo Alto
Address: 531 Stanford Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306-1113
Region: United States > California > Palo Alto
Amenities:
Business Center Fitness Center Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
Ranked #18 of 23 hotels in Palo Alto
Price Range: $$$
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
Across the street from the Stanford campus, you'll find the Stanford Terrace Inn, an oasis of unexpected elegance. In the midst of Silicon Valley, you'll discover a tradition of old world hospitality. Here, Tuscan murals adorn the walls, evoking a timeless sense of luxury. Our secluded garden setting and sun-drenched patio makes it easy to unwind. Or perhaps relieve the stresses of the day in our heated pool. Inside your over-sized guest room, you'll find all the modern conveniences. Complimentary cable TV, high-speed Internet access, and a desk large enough to get some real work done. All at a price that's pleasantly surprising. ... more   less 
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