The Cardinal Hotel was built in 1924 and is Palo Altos premiere hotel. Today, the ambiance remains. The gracious lobby still provides a delightful glimpse of old Palo Alto and its central meeting place for downtown visitors. While retaining the grace and serenity of days past, the Cardinal Hotel serves the needs of todays travelers and is the ideal downtown location for guests. Outside of Cardinals doors, the lively tree-lined streets are home to many cafes and wonderful restaurants, unique booksellers, art galleries and boutiques. Our friendly and professional staff can provide information and maps for any area attractions and will be happy to refer you to restaurants and activities. We are dedicated to providing services to our visitors so that you consider the Cardinal Hotel your home-away-from-home. In downtown Palo Alto within 1 mile of Stanford University. Stanford Medical Center and Stanford Shopping Center. Within 3 miles of Stanford Linear Accelerator Center -SLAC-.