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El Camino Real is the old royal road of the California missions and the spine of the Peninsula. In Palo Alto it runs for roughly four and a half miles, from San Francisquito Creek at the Menlo Park line down to the edge of Mountain View and Los Altos. Most of the city's hotel rooms sit along it. Where you book on this road matters more than which brand you pick. The north end puts Stanford and Caltrain at your door. The south end is quieter for sightseeing, cheaper on average and closer to Mountain View's tech campuses.
This guide walks the road from north to south and names only properties we confirmed are operating in 2026. It is not a ranking. We do not list prices, star ratings or reviews. For live rates across the whole road, search El Camino Real hotels on Booking.com and sort by location.
The road at a glance
| Stretch | Confirmed hotels | Best for | Nearest Caltrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menlo Park line | Stanford Park Hotel (Menlo Park) | Stanford families, a classic hotel | Palo Alto or Menlo Park |
| Across from Stanford | Sheraton, Westin, The Clement | Campus, medical center, conferences | Palo Alto |
| Middle, near California Avenue | Creekside Inn | Research Park, a local feel | California Avenue |
| South, toward Mountain View | Comfort Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Dinah's Garden Hotel, Crowne Plaza Palo Alto, Homewood Suites | Value, drivers, longer stays | San Antonio (Mountain View) |
North end: the Menlo Park line
El Camino Real enters Palo Alto from Menlo Park over San Francisquito Creek, right beside the Stanford Shopping Center. Just north of the bridge, on the Menlo Park side, is The Stanford Park Hotel at 100 El Camino Real. It is a family-owned hotel with a courtyard pool, the Menlo Tavern restaurant and free loaner bikes. It is technically in Menlo Park, but it sits a few minutes from the shopping center and the Palo Alto Caltrain station.
This end of the road suits parents visiting students, shoppers and anyone with appointments at the Stanford medical center. Traffic is heavy around the shopping center at weekend midday and in the evening rush.
Across from Stanford: the hotel cluster
A short walk south, three hotels stand side by side on the east side of El Camino Real, facing Stanford land across the road. All three are managed by Pacific Hotel Management.
- Sheraton Palo Alto at 625 El Camino Real, the largest, with 346 rooms reported in 2021, ballrooms and an outdoor pool.
- The Westin Palo Alto at 675 El Camino Real, with 184 rooms around Mediterranean-style courtyards since its 2021 reopening.
- The Clement Palo Alto at 711 El Camino Real, a small all-inclusive hotel with 23 suites.
This is the most convenient stretch of the road for most visitors. The Palo Alto Caltrain station and transit center are a few minutes away on foot. From there, Stanford's free Marguerite shuttle runs onto campus. Downtown's University Avenue restaurants are a 10 to 15 minute walk. Palm Drive, the grand entrance to the Main Quad, begins across the road.
It is also the busiest stretch. University Avenue feeds into El Camino Real here and traffic backs up at rush hour and on football Saturdays. Rooms facing the road hear it. The three hotels are set back and partly arranged around courtyards, which helps.
The middle: College Terrace to California Avenue
South of the Stanford cluster, El Camino Real runs past the edge of campus, the College Terrace neighborhood and the California Avenue business district. This stretch is more local and less touristy. It suits visitors to Stanford Research Park, the cluster of tech and research companies along Page Mill Road. It also works for anyone who wants a quieter base with restaurants nearby.
The best-known hotel here is the Creekside Inn at 3400 El Camino Real, a boutique-style hotel rather than a motel. It lists Stanford about two miles away. Several smaller motels line the road around it; quality varies from one to the next, so check recent photos and details before you book.
California Avenue is the payoff of staying in this stretch. It has a car-free block near El Camino Real, a Sunday farmers market that runs year-round and a long list of restaurants. The California Avenue Caltrain station is at its east end, one stop from downtown. Our guides to College Terrace and California Avenue describe the area.
The south end: toward Mountain View
Past Page Mill Road and Arastradero Road, El Camino Real runs through Barron Park and Ventura toward the Mountain View and Los Altos line. This is where most of Palo Alto's lower-priced and mid-range rooms are. Confirmed properties, roughly north to south:
- Comfort Inn Palo Alto at 3945 El Camino Real. Choice Hotels lists a free hot breakfast and paid outdoor parking.
- Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto at 4216 El Camino Real, a mid-range Hilton brand hotel.
- Dinah's Garden Hotel at 4261 El Camino Real. The hotel says it has welcomed guests for more than 60 years. It has a garden with a pond, an outdoor pool, Dinah's Poolside Restaurant and a seafood restaurant from Alexander's Steakhouse called THE SEA. It lists Stanford about three miles away.
- Crowne Plaza Palo Alto at 4290 El Camino Real, an IHG hotel with 195 rooms and suites, an outdoor pool and the Cabana Cove restaurant. Long known as the Cabana, it is the hotel where the Beatles stayed in 1965. It still offers a Beatles Suite.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Palo Alto at 4329 El Camino Real, an extended-stay hotel whose suites each have a full kitchen.
Other motels sit between these. Properties change hands and names often. Treat any place you have not heard of with healthy caution: look at recent photos, read what is included and check the cancellation terms.
The south end suits drivers, families who want a pool and a lower rate, longer stays with a kitchen and business travelers headed to Mountain View. It is a weaker base for car-free sightseeing. The nearest Caltrain stop is San Antonio in Mountain View, a short drive or a long walk from most of these hotels. See our South Palo Alto guide and Barron Park for the surrounding neighborhoods.
Getting around: VTA 22 and Rapid 522
Two VTA bus routes run the length of El Camino Real in Palo Alto. Both start at the Palo Alto Transit Center beside the Caltrain station and head south to Santa Clara and Eastridge in San Jose.
| Route | Stops in Palo Alto | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| VTA 22 | Frequent local stops, including Palm, Galvez, California, Page Mill, Matadero, Arastradero and more | Short hops between hotels, shops and restaurants |
| VTA Rapid 522 | Fewer stops, including Galvez, California, Page Mill and Arastradero | Faster trips to Mountain View, Sunnyvale and San Jose |
VTA's timetables show weekday buses about every 15 minutes during much of the day. The 22 starts early in the morning and runs until about 1 a.m., but it is not a 24-hour route. Check VTA's Route 22 page and Rapid 522 page for current times.
North of the creek, in Menlo Park, SamTrans buses take over on El Camino Real. For connections between buses, Caltrain and Stanford's shuttles, see getting around Palo Alto.
Traffic, noise and parking
- Traffic. El Camino Real carries heavy traffic, especially at weekday rush hours and around Stanford events. Allow extra time for left turns into driveways.
- Noise. Road-facing rooms hear traffic at most hours. Courtyard or rear rooms are quieter. Ask when you book.
- Parking. Nearly every hotel on the road has its own lot or garage, which is a big advantage over downtown. Many charge a daily fee, so check.
- Walking. Crossings can be long. Use signals, since drivers move fast on this road.
How to choose a stretch
- Visiting Stanford or the hospital? Book the north end.
- Working in Stanford Research Park? The middle stretch near California Avenue is closest.
- Driving and watching the budget? Look south. Then check what is included.
- Staying a week or more? Look for a suite with a kitchen, such as Homewood Suites, or read our long stays guide.
- Want to walk to dinner? Consider downtown instead of El Camino Real.
Rates change more along this road than anywhere else in town, especially around Stanford events. You can compare South Palo Alto hotels on Hotels.com to see the spread for your dates.
Good to know
- The north end, across from Stanford, is the most convenient and the busiest.
- The south end has most of the lower-priced rooms but fewer things within walking distance.
- VTA 22 and Rapid 522 run the length of the road, but not overnight.
- Ask for a room away from the road if you sleep lightly.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of El Camino Real is best for visiting Stanford?
The north end, between University Avenue and the Stanford Shopping Center. The Sheraton, Westin and Clement stand side by side there across from Stanford land. You can walk to the Palo Alto Caltrain station and the free Marguerite shuttle from these hotels.
Are the hotels on El Camino Real noisy?
El Camino Real is a busy state highway with traffic at most hours. Rooms facing the road can be noisy, especially at older motels with thin windows. Ask for a room at the back or facing a courtyard if you sleep lightly.
Which buses run along El Camino Real in Palo Alto?
VTA Route 22 and Rapid 522 both run from the Palo Alto Transit Center down El Camino Real toward San Jose. The 22 stops often and the 522 makes fewer stops. Neither runs around the clock, so check VTA's timetables for the first and last trips.
Where are the cheaper hotels on El Camino Real?
Most of the motels and limited-service hotels sit on the southern half of the road, from around California Avenue to the Mountain View line. Quality varies a lot, so check recent photos and what is included before you pay.
Is El Camino Real walkable?
In short stretches. The north end near Stanford and the area around California Avenue have shops and restaurants within a few blocks. Much of the southern stretch is a wide road lined with parking lots, so a car, bike or bus helps.