Travelodge by Wyndham Palo Alto Silicon Valley

I was in town for business for a couple of nights and look forward to coming back. The place looks recently renovated, and it’s beautiful and super clean. I liked the tech-driven setup: you enter your room with a code and can skip the usual check-in process. There’s a Nespresso machine in the room for the morning, and the bed was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve slept on. Lots of restaurants are walkable, and the area felt very safe.

Chris, the general manager, was lovely, and I thanked him many times for all the thoughtful extras and for making my trip more comfortable. The employees were fantastic and always seemed concerned about how I was doing. When I emailed a month or so before my visit to ask for a handicapped bathroom or a shower seat because I have kidney cancer and terrible flank pain, I got an immediate reply. They granted the request, and the employee who responded even went out of their way to wish me well. Whenever I had a question, I got a prompt response. I was blown away when I entered the room. There was a plush blanket and pillow, a heart-shaped box of Godiva chocolates, a Kasa water bottle, an eye mask, slippers, shortbread cookies, and water. The room was clean, updated, and decorated so cutely. I loved the colors and style of my Kasa, and the memory foam bed was very comfortable. I also appreciated the sound machine, which drowned out the traffic. I usually bring my own, but didn’t need to unpack it. I was visiting my son at Stanford University, just two or three minutes away, so the location was fantastic. The price was ridiculously inexpensive for Palo Alto, where an apartment rents for $6,500 a month. Don’t hesitate to stay here. I’ve never stayed at a better hotel. I’m having surgery to remove the cancer at the end of the month, and I will be cancer free at that time!

For a no-frills stay while we were busy most days, this was great. We didn’t need a pool or restaurant/bar, and would definitely stay again. The newly remodeled Travelodge had clean, bright rooms, and I liked that the bathroom had a window. The glass and tile bathroom was small but very well done. The bed was comfortable and the pillows were wonderful. The front desk team were very nice and helped us with the bus schedule and printing our boarding passes for the trip home.

The shower niche was too small for the large shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles they provided, so the bottles had to sit on the floor. It wasn’t a big deal, but I hope they learn from that for future projects. Still, the idea behind the place is solid: renovate an old motel, give each room a smart lock, and include useful amenities like a Nespresso coffeemaker, an all-tile shower, and memory foam beds at a reasonable price.