Top Car-Lite Hotel Picks Near Palo Alto Caltrain Station

Thinking of a car-lite destination in the Bay Area? Then Palo Alto, California is your place!

Palo is a charming small city, home to Stanford University, with a vibrant walkable downtown business district, adjacent to the newly electrified and speedy Caltrain regional rail line connecting it to other communities on the Santa Clara peninsula and San Francisco.

The community center is the Caltrain station, located at 95 University Avenue. connectitiy https://www.caltrain.com/station/paloalto

The first hotel recommendation. Nobu Hotel, a chain founded by a Japanese restauranteur and Robert DeNiro (!) two blocks from the train station, 180 Hamilton Avenue. Google map reviews give the property a 9.2 out of 10 and an appellation as 'wonderful.' The sparse zen-like rooms give off the air of being at an intentional retreat. The price tag is steep--$795 per night for Fall 2024. https://paloalto.nobuhotels.com/

For a historic ambiance and a boutique feel, try the Clement Palo Alto, 4 blocks and an 8-minute walk from the Caltrain station. At 235 Hamilton Avenue, the low-rise building was built in 1924. Interestingly, though fairly small, the hotel has a barbershop, art gallery, and optometrist office, in addition to two restaurants on site. https://www.theclementpaloalto.com/

The next two properties are not just located side by side, practically adjacent to the train station, but both belong to the Marriott hotel group - The Palo Alto Sheraton and the Westin Palo Alto.

The Sheraton, located at 625 El Camino Real, scored 4.1 out of 5 stores on Google Maps. It is a full-service hotel with a restaurant, bar, pool, and conference center.

Its sister property, the Westin, at 675 El Camino Real, has a similar menu of services with a luxurious feel. It also received a high Google Maps review score of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

Room rates at both hotels, based on an October 2024 occupancy, are in the $340-$540 range per night. The link to both hotels:

These are all great hotels for a car-lite stay in Palo Alto! Let me know in the comments below if you have stayed at these hotels, and enjoyed a car-lite vacation!