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el PRADO

Name: el PRADO
Address: 520 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, US

★★★★·9.4/ 10Excellent

·Hotels

📍520 Cowper Street · Palo Alto ↗

📞+16503229000

Fitness facilities (surcharge)Air conditioningLift / ElevatorLuggage storageSafety deposit boxFax/photocopyingAll 27 facilities +

Review

Official

Experience an abundance of unparalleled facilities and features at el PRADO. Share your photos and respond to emails at your convenience, thanks to the free Wi-Fi internet access offered by hotel. Visitors can take advantage of the accessible parking options directly at the hotel. The accommodating team at the reception will aid you with amenities such as luggage storage. Traveling with minimal baggage is achievable at el PRADO, as the hotel's dry cleaning service and laundry service ensures your garments stay fresh. Room amenities like room service and daily housekeeping contribute to making a perfect selection for your stay. The hotel maintains a completely smoke-free zone, providing a breathable atmosphere. Indulge in the numerous pursuits available at el PRADO. For individuals who don't want to skip their exercise routine, visiting the hotel fitness center ensures you maintain your vitality and wellness.

Guest scores & sentiment

From 326 guest reviews · multi-source · as of 2026-07-09

Guests praise the prime location, Spanish architecture, comfortable rooms, and exceptional staff service, especially for weddings. Complaints focus on noise issues, occasional cleaning lapses, facility faults like heating, and high prices.

Dimension scores · cross-source

Location9.8

Cleanliness9.6

Surroundings9.4

Service9.2

Facilities9.1

Value8.4

＋ PraisedExceptional personalized service · Comfortable and elegantly decorated rooms · Prime location · Complimentary snacks and fruit

－ ComplaintsNoise in some rooms · Aging or inconvenient amenities · Small fitness center · Occasional unfriendly service

KEYSuitable for those valuing location and service. Request quiet rooms, check facilities, and note extra costs.

FAQ · grounded in hotel data & reviews

locationIs el PRADO's location and transportation convenient?＋

Yes, with a location score of 9.8, it is centrally located in Palo Alto, offering easy access to dining and attractions.

diningWhat dining options are available inside the hotel?＋

Options include the Breakfast Coffee Bar, Spanish Tapas Bar for tapas and wine, and Il Fornaio for authentic Italian cuisine.

businessIs this hotel suitable for business travelers?＋

Highly recommended by 108 business guests for its service and location. Note that some found limited outlets or small fitness areas.

coupleAre there special experiences or notes for couples?＋

Couples enjoy upgrades and service, but watch out for noise issues and missing amenities like kettles or weak fridges in some rooms.

familyWhat should family guests note?＋

Children are welcome, and families praise spacious rooms. However, some rooms have poor lighting or odd layouts, so verify room types beforehand.

roomHow are the room facilities and tech amenities?＋

Rooms feature GLink docking stations for iPhones and Androids. While cleanliness scores 9.6, some guests noted missing coffee makers or bathroom design issues.

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DiningSights

Protégé

Contemporary, Californian · ★ Michelin

$$$$

Chef Anthony Secviar and Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly are both alums of The French Laundry, but although the service is adroit (and the wine list excellent), this sleek modern space is far from stuffy. Likewise, expect thoughtful, well-balanced cuisine that shows refinement without being precious. The dining room's multicourse tasting menu includes the likes of Pacific sablefish with sweet onion dashi, 9-layer morel mushroom lasagna with Madeira sauce, and Flannery Beef with green garlic gnocchi. An à la carte menu is on offer in the lounge—think brick chicken with piperade, capers, and chori

2.6km

Eylan

Indian, Californian · Bib

Chef Srijith Gopinathan has struck gold once again with this swanky Menlo Park sensation, drawing in crowds with his inventive blend of regional Indian cuisine with a fresh Californian twist. To illustrate this singular approach, take a flaky, paratha-like flatbread filled with Dungeness crab and paired with a rich, complex sauce featuring fennel, poppy seeds, and mint. Wood-fired grills add an additional layer of interest, providing a robust char to the likes of lemon-grass scented gulf shrimp, chili-glazed celeriac and pineapple kebabs, and whole sea bream, as well as lending a subtle smoke

1.7km

Selby's

American, Classic Cuisine · ★ Michelin

$$$$

This destination-worthy restaurant drips with old-school Hollywood charm, matched by the seemingly effortless poise of the sharply dressed service team. The kitchen team excels at modern takes on classic American cuisine, which get an extra boost from SMIP Ranch—their private farm. Your dinner may begin with a fresh-baked Gruyère popover before moving on to an elegant take on vichyssoise. Steaks are cooked to perfection, while butter-poached Maine lobster with golden potato gnocchi and black trumpet mushrooms is a worthy order. The refined take on nostalgic favorites continues through dessert.

5.1km

Ethel's Fancy

Californian

$$$

Honoring the shared name of his mother and grandmother, Chef/owner Scott Nishiyama has taken off his fine-dining toque to don more casual garb at this Palo Alto charmer, and thankfully he hasn't missed a stitch. Appropriately, the space has a rustic-meets-elegant vibe, mirrored in eclectic, down-to-earth Californian cuisine that showcases peak-season ingredients prepared with care and refinement. A small menu, geared towards sharing, exemplifies this creative ethos with dishes like a beautifully fried "katsu-style" cutlet of swordfish matched with spiced kumquats and tangy Dijonnaise. Intrigui

161m

Zola

French, Californian

$$$

A Palo Alto mainstay, Zola charms its way into diners’ hearts via an upscale French bistro menu with Californian flair. Whether you’re using grilled levain to soak up the vermouth cream sauce from a bowl of PEI mussels dotted with pancetta and Fresno chili, breaking the yolk of a soft-cooked egg in a plate of pillowy Parisian gnocchi with wild mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, or indulging in filet mignon with luscious pommes purées and sauce Périgueux, the cuisine offers no shortage of pleasure. Whether seated in the more relaxed, intimate restaurant space, or the bustling adjacent bar, the coc

337m

Ettan

Indian, Californian

$$$

Chef Srijith Gopinathan brings his impressive pedigree and unique brand of upscale Indian cooking to the south (Palo Alto). With local products at the heart of this carte, Ettan is a sure-fire hit. It's an airy, bi-level setting, with a ring of mezzanine seats on the upper deck. Wood-plank floors, indigo-dyed fabric, floral wallpaper, and a beaded chandelier decorate the skylit room.Kulchas are a menu highpoint, deliciously stuffed with the likes of peak-season peas and ricotta and served with a bright green kale chutney. Deep-fried cauliflower florets flecked with cracked black pepper and arr

365m

Evvia

Greek, Californian

$$$

Inviting with its rustic wood beams, hanging copper pots and roaring wood-burning fireplace, this central Palo Alto spot is a draw for Maserati-driving tech billionaires by day and couples in the evening. Dress to impress here, where the scene dictates high prices (though lunch features lighter dishes and more palatable pricing).Much of the menu emerges from the wood-fired grill, including smoky, tender artichoke and eggplant skewers drizzled in olive oil and paired with garlicky Greek yogurt. The rustic, impossibly moist lamb souvlaki is nicely contrasted by a refreshing tomato, cucumber and

536m

Vina Enoteca

Italian, Contemporary

$$$

Rocco Scordella, a native of Italy, delights diners with a delicious taste of his homeland at Vino Enoteca in Palo Alto. Look around you'll see plates of pasta atop everyone’s table for good reason. If offered, be sure to try the toothsome spinach tagliatelle in a meaty ragù that's composed with local pork and naturally raised beef. This kitchen clearly prioritizes sourcing, as a majority of the greens and vegetables are grown at Stanford Education Farm, and all of the pastas, pizzas and bread are crafted in-house. The industrial-chic décor features high ceilings, arches and soft leather chair

1.8km

Click a row to locate it · distances are approximate. Data from Overture / Michelin / Wikidata.

el PRADO

Guest scores & sentiment

Room types · 6

Deluxe King Suite

King Suite with Balcony

Courtyard King with Fireplace

Deluxe King Room

Deluxe Queen Room with Two Queen Beds

Deluxe Queen Room

Facilities · 27

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