Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel

Unfortunately we have to go to Palo Alto on a regular basis for medical treatments at Stanford. We have stayed at several mid level hotels and have always been very happy with the Sheraton. Staff is very accommodating and friendly. Location is convenient to Stanford and easy to find.

I booked my stay with Sheraton for 2 nights. Overall costumer service was great. Unfortunately, there was miscommunications but was right away addresses the following morning. Manager was professional and understanding as kids under 3 were involved. I will rate the hotel 5 stars for cleanness, great presentation. Costumer service a 4 because for great costumer service but not a five so to my experience.

Pros:
Fantastic staff
Nice pool
Caltrain stop literally right around the corner. (3min walk!)
Walking distance to Stanford
Beautiful lobby
Modern meeting facilities
Good breakfast
Cons:
Rooms absolutely do not live up to the Sheraton standard.
Yes, it’s Silicon Valley, but still shamefully overpriced.
The staff were terrific, which is my primary justification for pushing this rating to 4 stars.
Overrall a good experience, yet felt a bit like a ‘Sleep Inn’ rather than a Sheraton, which, again, made the nightly rate expletive-​inducing.
(PS: No shade. Love Sleep Inn’s too.)

Customer service was great. Paying to park was the only negative but considering the location it’s not that bad. Free upgrade and late checkout. Party on site was well done, food and drinks were great. Would definitely stay here again.

What does the Sheraton Palo Alto have in common with Charlie’s Angels? Both are relics from the 70’s trying to be relevant today. Except that the Sheraton isn’t trying too hard on anything.
Pros — Decent breakfast options, pond area and layout, free wifi in certain areas
Cons — Dated. Smoking in rooms. Noisy as. Doors banging (no noise muffling equipment) and the acoustics of a theatre.
My biggest issue is that they allow smoking in rooms although they say they don’t. Last night my room started to fill up with cigarette smoke and at 11pm i called the front desk, completely baffled that a hotel chain like this would let guests be smoked like salmon in their rooms. Jessica said she would send a housekeeper to spray my room. Twenty minutes and one episode of Fresh Prince later i called again only to find that Jessica had clocked off, Tim had taken over, and Tim had no idea that anyone was supposed to be sent up. Promised he’d send someone. More time, more cigarette smoke and no housekeeper.
I called the front desk again only to have Tim say that a supervisor was trying to call me but couldn’t because I was calling him. I was having none of it and told him I wanted to change rooms. He promised a solution, none was delivered and no supervisor contacted me.
Almost an hour hour later I went down to the front desk and demanded another room. Jose said he would put me up next door at the Westin because they were full up. At this point i would have rather slept on the flowerbed at the Westin than have anything more to do with Sheraton. Once Jose went off to sort something out, i asked the stony faced Saadi if there was a manager on site. He ignored me. i repeated my question wondering why they would employ someone at the front desk who could not hear a person standing one foot away. Turns out he heard fine, just chose not to hear me. Eventually he responded and went inside to see what was going on.
Jose really helped out after experiencing first-​hand the smoky club ambience of my room. Went to bed at the Westin well after midnight. The room was smoke free and nice as one would expect for the money you pay to stay in Palo Alto.
Why have i given this 2 stars and not 1? Well Jose was apologetic and was the only person who helped me out, my Sheraton bill came to 0 (not sure if I’ll get another detailed bill later) and I was promised points on SPG.

Well… I want to like this place but its a tough call.
The rooms have been updated– I would rate them as a 3.5 stars.
The particular day I stayed there was a conference in town, so i am struggling with the value of the room. Paying over 500 plus a night for a sheraton is really tough, and I get why the price was that way… but damn.
Plus, there was a hotwater shortage… during my stay. not great for taking cold showers when it was nearly 40 degrees in the evening.
so, in trying to figure out the balance, its not a great value at 500 dollars a night. The dining facilities are very old and dated looking. The lobby bar at night is fine, but it can be chilly at night and the bar is nearly as cold inside as it is outside.
So overall, if you are paying 500 a night. this is a 2 star hotel.
if you are paying below 200 a night… this is a 4 star hotel
I think im being generous…
LOCATION TO CAMPUS– 5 STARS

We were visiting Stanford and I called for a late arrival. I had specifically requested a 1^st floor room, close to Lobby. I had called earlier in the day to confirm my plans and was told my requests had been honored, I was pleased… until I got there. We came in at Midnight… waited 20 minutes to be noticed and given our keys and then had to be guided to a 2^nd floor room because of the ‘maze’ to get there. Very unprofessional way to run a business!

The gap between price and value is immense here. The hotel hasn’t been upgraded in decades; the ‘club floor’ is extraordinarily worn; and … yep, across from Stanford … wifi costs an extra $ 10 a day.

First big problem is not the hotel’s fault. It is noisier than an Alabama Pep Rally. I don’t know why people have to congregate in the hallways at 1:30 in the morning to yap. And don’t stay anywhere near an elevator. Every hall-​way sound reverbs into your room.
The rooms are tired (worn carpeting, peeling wall paper) and there is a charge for Wi-​Fi. (The law of inversion. The more you pay for a room the more you get jacked for internet.)
The staff is first — rate on days and evenings. The over night crew is not as service oriented.
The location is great, right next to CalTrain and campus transport. Just ask for a room away from the tracks. Those trains start rolling pretty early in the AM.
The pool area is nice and the inner gardens and water features are very appealing.
The bar: meh. Same for the restaurant.
Pretty good gym but can be crowded when the type A’s are getting up and around.
Impossible to figure out their pricing. Our travel coordinator is giving up. We will be lodging somewhere else.
They can do something about the tiredness of the rooms but it will be impossible to make the place quiet. Bring Ambien.

I had my wedding reception here a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed working with Kristina Tobin at the Sheraton Palo Alto! She was very high-​energy and answered my numerous questions about banquet options. On the night of the wedding, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious entrees and speed of service. I also really liked that the wedding package included a cake from Satura Cakes! This location was not only extremely convenient for my wedding at Stanford Memorial Church, but the outside garden area was perfect for the cocktail reception and the banquet hall was beautifully decorated with gold charger plates and color-​coordinated chair covers. If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely choose the Sheraton again!

This hotel is definitely taking advantage of its location right next to Stanford. It was not worth the $ 230 per night. Especially when they charge to let you park your own car, wifi is not free.
Probably would not ever stay here again when visiting Palo Alto. It was overrated for the cost and other items.

We had such a strange experience here.
We came here for «Yappy Hour» with our puppy. Such a beautiful day and a few others were joining our group. We sat outside with all of the other dogs and their owners.
I’m not sure why this happened but we were only given fancy dinner menus– and nothing for drinks during happy hour? It was like pulling teeth to get any service as there were plenty of servers, they were just all running around. I also saw a number a people receive appetizers that weren’t on the menu we saw. I finally stopped someone and they said that they also have a bar menu that they hadn’t offered us. Why? Don’t restaurants want people to spend more? We can’t order without menus? So confusing. We ended up ordering off of the bar menu because it was much more appropriate for happy hour than their more formal menu.
The nachos were actually great– happy to have gotten them! I’d come back but be more prepared for not really knowing what’s going on and who has their act together.

I am downgrading my rating to a one and am dropping this hotel from the places I will stay. Why? Because the night clerk last night not only pretended he couldn’t see what rate I had earlier in the week, a very good one at $ 102, he preceded to make me think the going rate was $ 389, but LET ME HAVE IT at around $ 320. What school did this guy think I came from? Note to management, if you want to keep your long time customers happy, train your night staff correctly and get rid of liars. AND I WALKED INTO THE LOBBY AT 1:30AM!
UPDATE: June 17, 2015. I completely expected the upper management to contact me about this incident and make things right. If they ever do, I might consider re-​evaluating them. But for now it stays at 1 star, and their treatment of me deserves it. I was dang tired and their staff was trying to suck every dollar out of my pocket.

What a great stay! We stayed last night .we had two dogs with us. Our room was really clean and fresh. The beds were soft & clean (no bugs) and it was just right. Mauricio at the front desk was so kind to us. The bellboy Josef was awesome and full of energy.
The pool and patio was clean and refreshing, And the pool was heated. we has an excellent stay and go back !!!

This hotel is definitely at the lower end of the Sheraton brand. My chief complaint is the noise. Oh god, the noise. Every toilet flush from upstairs, whisper in the hall, ice machine rumble, or footstep can be heard like in a cheap motel. While the rooms were clean, they’re starting to show their age, with older fixtures and peeling wallpaper in the bathroom.
Every interaction I had with the staff was very positive, and room service meals were on the better side of average, but this property needs a renovation or reflagging.

I didn’t stay here overnight but I was here for two days for a work conference.
This property feels very small and outdated. I thought the Sheraton was supposed to be a nice hotel but this felt a bit run down and not that snazzy. The pool area was not that impressive, and bathrooms had strange locks. Also the hotel only had like two or three floors.
The conference room was spacious but otherwise uneventful. The breakfast they served was really basic fruit and bagels. The strawberries were awesome

Contrary to other opinions, I had a great experience here. I checked in as a one-​night stay during a journey for my anniversary and couldn’t have been happier for our one night stay. Yes, the bones to the hotel are old, but I can tell Sheraton is doing everything they can to make the experience better for guests. For the price we paid, I thought the value exceeded my expectations and the hotel has a great location. Here are the pros and cons:
Strengths
–Katelyn (sp?) (her connected to was women’s lacrosse) was very professional and courteous during check-​in. When I told her about my anniversary, she told me that she upgraded us to a romantic room. Very nice!
–Room was spacious in a corner and had a large balcony that was shared with two other rooms. I don’t think the other rooms were occupied so we had a huge balcony overlooking the Koi ponds and fountains to ourselves.
–Bathroom had two sinks and was spacious
–Sheraton placed a «Coffee Station» in the Palo Alto Building by the elevators that had complimentary coffee and tea. Nice touch!
–Service was great: I requested a refrigerator which came quickly and staff called to make sure that my request was granted. The bartender gave us a free shot for our anniversary… Very nice!
–Housekeeping kept the room feeling very clean.
–Lobby was recently renovated
–Great central location… 5 minute walk to downtown Palo Alto. Perfect for having some drinks on the town and not having to worry about driving or taking an Über.
–Beautiful and serene inner courtyard with koi ponds, fountains, landscaping, and charming benches
–Contrary to past reviews… our room had excellent soundproofing. I didn’t hear anything in-​room.
–Great blackout curtains… was surprised to wake up at 10 A.M. thought it was way earlier
–Plethora of parking close to your room, however self is $ 14.00/day
–Upon checkout, I notified the front desk attendant of a shower problem and she comped me 3,000 SPG points and told me that my self-​parking was already comped. Excellent guest recovery!
Weaknesses
–Old hotel infrastructure. This means popcorn ceilings, loud water pipes, low ceilings/​claustrophobic hallways that twist and turn oddly, musty smell in room, motel-​like external HVAC.
–The mattress is extremely firm, the down pillows are limp/​worn out, and they cover the bed with this «down alternative» comforter that just felt cheap. Didn’t lead to a comfortable sleep.
–The drain of the shower in room did not work. I showered in 8 inches of water each time. Also when the shower/​tub was completely dry. if you stepped on the tub it would sound like water was underneath the plastic sounding almost like a waterbed. Very weird.
–The in-​room décor wasn’t modern but it wasn’t severely outdated. Reminded me of like «grandma’s house» décor. Not inspiring but not offensively outdated. Furnishings were in good condition.
–Pool is currently being renovated so it is closed/​drained. However you can use the Westin’s next door for no charge.
They are renovating the rooms so it will be nice to see how they look. If you can score a deal here, you won’t be disappointed.

I stayed here for interviews for 3 days and really enjoyed my stay. The atmosphere of the hotel was very relaxing and Californian except for the elevator construction. I ordered room service for dinner for two nights and the food was great. Over priced but it’s expected of room service. The staff is really friendly as well!

Disappointing for a Sheraton hotel. Apparently this hotel is always under construction. I would think it would mean there are upgrades happening and it looks newer. This is NOT the case. The pool area is small.
Self Parking is $ 14 a day and valet is $ 19.
Staff here was extremely helpful and courteous! Asked about our stay and additional needs made suggestions and helped us find our way around. I booked my room through Expedia and got an ok deal compared to the other rathole for the same price.

Well, I certainly enjoyed my stay here.
I assisted my mom recently to her Paly High School Reunion that was held here. It was a great reunion, and I was fortunate to have been apart of it. I also feel the Sheraton accommodated the event phenomenally.
The hotel itself, is quite nice; located adjacent to the beautiful, prestigious Stanford campus. The hotel provides one restaurant (The Poolside Grill) –which includes breakfast, and dinner; and a lounge (Cardinal Lounge) that provides cocktails and appetizers. I was able to engage in the lounge with my mother for drinks, prior to the main event. They offer a decent cocktail menu, though with nothing mind blowingly creative. I ordered a drink called «The Salty Dog» the concoction was pretty basic– consisting of kettle one vodka and grapefruit juice, along with a salted rim. It was decent-​tart and refreshing. One little complaint is, that it almost seems the bartender was trying to pull a fast one on me. The «Salty Dog» drink stated it was $ 9.00 dollars on the menu, however, he ended up charging me $ 10.00. I pointed it out to him which he quickly fixed, and gave me back the dollar difference. Then while handing me the extra dollar (I had already paid for it prior) he stated that the prices in fact had gone up, but they hadn’t changed the menu yet… hmmm…anyhow, not sure how much truth that holds, but he certainly didn’t get much tip from me as the evening went on and I had another drink. The lounge itself though, was nice, providing an intimate, relaxing environment. The hotel also provides a pretty decent pool.
Food: We paid $ 125 per person for our dinner for the evening (which included other gifts and such). It was buffet style, which seemed a little displeasing at first. Especially considering my mother is not much of a buffet person. The food itself, was mediocre at best, with other items over shining others. The buffet consisted of salad, a beet and garbanzo bean salad (one of the better options) spinach and cheese stuffed pasta shells (bland and flavorless) fish in some sort of a cream sauce (decent in taste, but still nothing stellar) Tuna Tartare (my mom loved it) and steaks (the steaks were probably the best thing included and was cooked quite well). The dinner later followed with a table adorned with an array of cheesecakes and fruit tarts. It looked mesmerizingly appealing. I didn’t want to overload in sugar, so my mother and I ended up sharing a cheesecake dressed with a strawberry syrup. I thought it was delicious, my mom however, thought it was too sweet.
Our room: We got a double bed room for $ 179.00. The room was extremely nice. The bathroom was gorgeous, and the beds were fluffy and quite comfortable. The room also comes accommodated with starbucks coffee along with the classic hotel coffee maker.
Service at the front desk was PHENOMENAL! Everyone was so friendly and accomodating and certainly added to our overall enjoyable experience.
Also, the parking offers valet for $ 19,00 a day, or self parking for $ 13.00 a day. We did the self parking.
Overall, based upon our pleasurable experience here, we/​I would certainly consider staying at a Sheraton in the future.

Catastrophique, surtout dans cette catégorie de prix. Il n’y a pas d’insonorisation entre les chambres. On entend absolument tout: le train qui passé devant l’hôtel, les gens qui passent dans le couleur et… les toilettes dans chambres voisines. Nous n’avons pas dormi plus de 4h. De plus tout est payant: le parking 10 $, internet sur un ordinateur portable 10 $, internet sur un iPhone 10 $, etc…