Crowne Plaza Palo Alto

For decades the hotel at 4290 El Camino Real was simply the Cabana, a resort-style motor hotel with a giant pool on Palo Alto's main road. It is now Crowne Plaza Palo Alto, part of IHG, with 195 rooms and suites. The big pool deck is still the centerpiece. So is the memory of 1965, when the Beatles stayed here on their American tour. The hotel suits drivers, families and groups who want space, a pool and easy access to Mountain View and Los Altos.

This profile is based on IHG's official pages for the hotel. We do not publish prices, star ratings or reviews. For live rates, check Crowne Plaza Palo Alto on Booking.com or book through IHG, where IHG One Rewards members earn points.

Location and neighborhood

The hotel is on the south stretch of El Camino Real, close to where Palo Alto meets Los Altos and Mountain View. This part of the road is lined with hotels, motels, shops and offices rather than a walkable downtown. Dinah's Garden Hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto are a short walk away. The neighborhoods on either side are residential. Our guides to Barron Park and South Palo Alto describe the surrounding area.

IHG lists these distances from the hotel:

Getting there from Caltrain and the airports

The closest train stop is San Antonio station, just over the line in Mountain View. It is a bit under a mile away in a straight line and longer on foot, so most guests take a short rideshare. Weekday express trains skip San Antonio. If yours does, use Mountain View station or the California Avenue station and take a car from there.

VTA Route 22 and the faster Rapid 522 run along El Camino Real past the hotel. They connect it with the Palo Alto Transit Center, downtown Mountain View and points south. See our VTA bus guide for routes.

• From SJC: IHG puts San Jose Mineta International about 15 miles away, roughly 20 minutes by car outside rush hour. By transit, ride the free VTA Route 60 to Santa Clara Transit Center, then Caltrain north.
• From SFO: IHG estimates about 30 minutes by car, which assumes light traffic. By transit, take BART to Millbrae and Caltrain south, then a short ride from the station. Our SFO guide has the details.

The hotel does not list an airport shuttle on its current pages.

From the Cabana to Crowne Plaza

The Cabana was built in the era when El Camino Real was the Peninsula's main highway and roadside hotels competed with pools and patios. Its most famous guests arrived in 1965, when the Beatles stayed at the Cabana during their tour of the United States. The visit has been retold locally ever since.

The property later joined the Crowne Plaza brand. For years it was marketed as Crowne Plaza Cabana. Some booking sites still use that name. IHG's own pages now call it Crowne Plaza Palo Alto, while the hotel's contact email keeps the Cabana name. The Beatles connection lives on in a Beatles Suite, which IHG pitches as a place to "relax like a rockstar."

Rooms and amenities

IHG lists 195 rooms and suites, including the Beatles Suite. The hotel is smoke-free and has elevator access to all levels. Amenities listed by IHG include:

• Pool. An outdoor resort-style pool on a patio of about 5,000 square feet, with a whirlpool, lounge chairs, umbrellas, towel service and cabanas for rent. IHG lists pool hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Food and drinks are sold at the pool in summer.
• Fitness. A fitness center with treadmills, ellipticals, a rower, a stationary bike and free weights, plus a dry sauna.
• Business. A 24-hour business center with printing, copying and shipping, plus newly renovated work stations.
• Marketplace. A 24-hour on-site shop for snacks and travel basics.
• Meetings. Fifteen meeting rooms and ballrooms. The pool deck can be booked for private events.
• Accessibility. IHG lists seven accessible rooms, accessible routes to the pool and spa and an accessible restaurant, fitness center and business center.

Wi-Fi is listed as an amenity. Late checkout is available on request. Guests must be at least 18 to check in.

Dining on site

The hotel restaurant is Cabana Cove. IHG says it serves breakfast and dinner, with patio seating and fire pits outdoors. Its lounge serves drinks and snacks in the evening. Complimentary coffee is set out in the lobby each day.

For more choice, the restaurants of downtown Mountain View are about 2 miles south and Palo Alto's California Avenue is a short drive north. THE SEA by Alexander's Steakhouse and Dinah's Poolside Restaurant are both close by at Dinah's Garden Hotel. Our steakhouse guide covers THE SEA.

Parking and policies

Unlike the downtown hotels, the Crowne Plaza has its own lot. IHG lists these terms:

• Parking. On-site self-parking for a daily fee, one car per room, with in and out privileges. Bus, RV, trailer and truck parking is allowed. IHG lists ten accessible parking spaces. Valet parking is not listed.
• Check-in and checkout. 3 p.m. and noon.
• Pets. One dog or cat up to 50 pounds, in certain room types only, for a nonrefundable fee plus a damage deposit. There is a dog area and a pet walking area on site.

Fees and rules change, so confirm on IHG's amenities page before you book.

Who the Crowne Plaza suits

• Families who want a big pool and room to spread out.
• Drivers on a Peninsula road trip, since the lot takes cars, RVs and trailers.
• Groups and event planners who need meeting rooms or an outdoor party space.
• Business travelers with meetings in Mountain View, Los Altos or along Highway 101.
• Beatles fans who want to sleep where the band stayed.

It is a weaker choice for car-free sightseers and for anyone who wants to walk to dinner. Downtown Palo Alto is a drive away. For those trips, compare our guide to hotels on El Camino Real, which maps the whole road from north to south.

What is nearby

South Palo Alto is better for outdoor time than for sightseeing. Pearson-Arastradero Preserve has open grassland trails a short drive west. Mitchell Park and its Magical Bridge Playground are a few minutes east, a good stop with children. In Mountain View, Castro Street's restaurants and the Computer History Museum are within 15 minutes by car.

Rates on this stretch of El Camino Real rise with Stanford events and big conferences. A rental car makes the location far more useful; you can compare rental cars with Discover Cars before you fly in.

Frequently asked questions