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The Zen Hotel: Traveler Reviews

2.5 of 5
4164 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306
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The Zen Hotel
Ranked #4 of 23 hotels in Palo Alto
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103 reviews from our community

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Traveler rating
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    59
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Cambridge MA
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
15 hotel reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
“The Zen Motel Broke My Toe”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed February 16, 2012

It's all true, and the fact that I gave it two stars rather than one shows you how nice the nice things are. First the bad. 1. It's not a hotel, it's a motel. Courtyard parking in front of the rooms, noise that can't be shut out from said courtyard parking (though they try), and a view of...a parking lot...from every room.

Inside, though, it's like an upscale hotel room, with some individuality and charm and a "green" theme, which as we'll see, can be overdone. So wha' happen? Those "green" lights glow orange for a pretty long time before they provide any illumination. So when I woke up and had to go, I just got up and walked around the bed to the bathroom. Unfortunately, it's a "Zen" hotel, so the mattress is zenly set up on a low, zen platform that sticks out a zen 6" or so from the edge of the mattress. Very zen. And very, very dangerous.

Vaguely unconscious, with other things on my mind besides navigating around the zen barriers, I rounded the corner of the mattress a little too close and bashed the left side of my foot on the barrier. I mean bashed. I was so sleepy, and it was so dark, that I literally couldn't tell what happened, and so when I came back, I did it again, right foot this time.

The next morning, my toe was swelling; by evening, when I got on the plane, it was throbbing, and the next day, when I went to the doctor's, it was blue. Sure enough, it was broken. Jeeminy. Hurt like the dickens, too.

That said, there are still things to like about this place. The breakfast, jammed into the old motel's foyer, is actually quite good. The desk help was really nice and helpful, especially in the morning. The decor would be attractive if you didn't have to memorize the layout in order to find your way around in the "green" light. Very attractive. The noise wasn't all that bad (though it wasn't zero), and parking right in front of your room has its merits.

But all in all, I think I'll avoid it next time. It hurt too much.

  • Stayed February 2012, traveled on business
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ricberr, General Manager at The Zen Hotel, responded to this review
February 21, 2012
Dear guest,

Thank you for your feedback about your recent stay with us. I am sorry we did not meet your expectations and that you found the...
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“lovely place, very attentive”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed February 9, 2012

The Zen staff was very professional and attentive. The room was clean and calmly decorated and the price is very reasonable. It was quiet and cozy. The platform of the bed can be hazardous however ...

  • Stayed February 2012, traveled on business
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Grass Valley, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
“Faux Zen, but very nice”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 28, 2012

For Zen purists, this is not the place, but for the price, it's very nice. This is a motel, formerly the Townhouse Inn & Suites. Our recently remodeled room was spotless, with very cozy pillow-top beds & feather pillows. (If you need a hard bed, look elsewhere.) Watch out for the corners of the black wooden bed platforms - we all hit them with our feet. The "Zen" garden out back was being built by Mexicans with power tools, but it's the nicest backyard I've ever seen in a motel. Though the address is on El Camino Real, the entrance is on Maybell Ave and the traffic noise from E.C.Real is lessened. The internet was free & worked well. The breakfast was adequate. Free cookies, apples & three papers (WSJ, US Today & the local one) in the lobby. Friendly, competent staff. Very comfortable oasis in Palo Alto, close to Stanford, etc.

  • Stayed January 2012, traveled with friends
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Patterson, California
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“A Zinful place to land for the night”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 20, 2012

If you are looking for a place to land for the night after an all-day shopping trip or wanting an inexpensive place to stay for business trips, the Zen Hotel is a place you can try. It is really what most of us call a motel, but when you walk into the room, you feel like you are in a plush hotel suite. The rooms are nice a cozy. The mattresses are wonderful!! They have all the modern conveniences one needs - flat screen TV, frig, microwave, large shower heads. Be sure to enjoy the continental breakfast. Foodilicious!!

Room Tip: I would choose a room upstairs. They have balconies.
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  • Stayed December 2011, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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West Chester, Pennsylvania
Contributor
18 reviews 18 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
“Lovely and inexpensive place to stay”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 9, 2012

We were looking for a place to stay with our two kids that wasn't too expensive. At the Zen Hotel, we got a one-bedroom suite with a pull-out couch for a very reasonable price. The room was very nice -- it had a decent-size bedroom, and large living room with a kitchenette and a large dining table. The bed was comfortable and the shower was good. They serve a hot breakfast each morning -- eggs, meat, potatoes, bagels, muffins, etc. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. It is a converted motel, but that didn't bother us at all. The only problem we had is that our room was on the main road, which was a bit noisy. We really had a very nice experience here.

Room Tip: Ask for a room away from the main road.
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  • Stayed December 2011, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Additional Information about The Zen Hotel

Also Known As:
Townhouse Hotel Palo Alto
Address: 4164 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Phone Number:
Region: United States > California > Palo Alto
Amenities:
Fitness Center Free Breakfast Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Suites Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
#2 Family Hotels in Palo Alto
#5 Business Hotels in Palo Alto
Price Range: $$
Hotel Class:2.5 star (2.5*)
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