Staying in Palo Alto for a medical visit

Stanford's hospitals draw patients from across California, the West and the world. Many arrive for a scheduled surgery or a specialist visit. Others come at short notice with a sick child. Either way, the trip has a different rhythm from a vacation. Days revolve around appointments and rounds, plans change with each test result and the small logistics, from parking to dinner, can wear a family down.

This page plans the stay around the hospital. It covers where to sleep for a few nights or a few weeks, the lodging help that exists, how to keep parking costs down, where to eat and the calm places nearby when you need an hour outside. For parking rates, shuttles and visiting rules at each hospital, see our guide to visiting Stanford Hospital. For a full hotel comparison, see hotels near Stanford Hospital. Nothing here is medical advice. Your care team and the hospitals' guest services staff are the right people for questions about treatment.

Before you travel

1. Confirm the building and entrance. Stanford Hospital occupies 300 and 500 Pasteur Drive, but many clinics are in other buildings on Welch Road and Blake Wilbur Drive. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is at 725 Welch Road. Since February 1, 2026 its West lobby has been closed for construction, so everyone uses the Main building entrance.
2. Save the key numbers. Stanford Health Care Guest Services answers around the clock at 650-498-3333. The Lucile Packard Housing Office is at (650) 498-7971, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
3. Ask about social work. Hospital social workers can connect families with lodging programs, some of which take referrals only through them.
4. Book flexible dates. Discharge dates move. A cancellable hotel rate protects you.
5. Pack for a long day. Phone chargers, a warm layer, snacks, a refillable bottle and a credit card for parking.

Where to stay for a few nights

For a short stay, the three hotels side by side on El Camino Real across from Stanford Shopping Center are the obvious first call. The Westin Palo Alto, The Clement and the Sheraton Palo Alto each sit well under a mile from the medical campus in a straight line. Most families drive or take a rideshare, though the Westin estimates the walk at about 15 to 20 minutes. All three are also a few minutes from the Palo Alto Transit Center, where the free Marguerite shuttle to the medical center starts on weekdays.

The Clement is all-inclusive, with meals, snacks and valet parking in the rate. After a day at the bedside, not having to plan dinner can matter more than price. The Sheraton is larger, with an outdoor heated pool that children staying with a sibling in the hospital may welcome. The Westin is the quietest of the three.

Book through the hotel's patient rate first, then compare. If the closest hotels are full, you can search hotels near Stanford Hospital and widen to Menlo Park and Mountain View.

Published patient rates

Stanford Health Care keeps a list of hotels that offer discounted rates to its patients on its where to stay page. The version we read is dated October 13, 2026. Each listing explains how to book, such as a corporate code or a request to identify yourself as a Stanford patient. Hotels on that list include:

• The Stanford Guest House at 2575 Sand Hill Road. Patients and patient families of Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health qualify. Rates include breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi and the list describes a complimentary shuttle from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It sits inside SLAC, so bring a driver's license for the gate. Pets are not allowed.
• The Clement, with a discount on one-bedroom suites through December 31, 2026.
• The Creekside Inn on El Camino Real, booked online with a corporate code. Bring a photo ID and a copy of your appointment.
• The Sheraton and the Westin, with corporate rates online.
• The Residence Inn Palo Alto Los Altos, with a corporate rate for stays of 30 nights or more.

Stanford Health Care states that the discounts are not guaranteed and depend on availability. Download the current list before you call, since rates and dates change. Lucile Packard's Housing Office says several hotels also offer special rates to its families.

Longer treatment and family support

For treatment that runs for weeks, a kitchen and a washing machine become as important as distance. The Residence Inn Palo Alto Los Altos has suites with full kitchens and a free hot breakfast. Stanford Health Care's list says parking there is free for one vehicle on stays of 21 nights or longer. A furnished rental can suit larger families. Note that Palo Alto bars short-term rentals under 30 days in most residential zones, so look for monthly rentals or hotels for shorter stays.

Several programs help families directly:

• Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area, it offers overnight rooms, meals and support to families of seriously ill children treated at the hospital. Stanford Children's Health says it has 123 bedrooms and serves another 76 families each night. Families apply through rmhcbayarea.org under Family Stays. Families who are not staying there can ask the house whether day passes are offered.
• JW House. Stanford Health Care lists free day use and a few overnight rooms, by social worker referral.
• American Cancer Society Hotel Partners Program. Free or reduced-cost rooms, when available, for cancer patients traveling for treatment. It needs five business days' notice.

Keeping parking and transport costs down

Parking adds up over a long stay. At Stanford Hospital's Pasteur Visitor Garage, 200 Pasteur Drive, the first two hours are free and the daily maximum is $18, payable by card only. A free cart shuttle links the garage with the hospital entrances daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. At Lucile Packard, the first hour is free and rates run from $2 up to $12 for 8 to 24 hours. Admitted patients get one validated pass good for seven days with in-and-out privileges. The Welcome Desk validates tickets for patients, parents and legal guardians.

On weekdays, a hotel near the Palo Alto Transit Center lets you ride the free Marguerite shuttle's Medical Center line instead of paying to park. It does not run on weekends or university holidays. Flying in, many families take a prebooked car. You can book an airport transfer from SFO or San Jose straight to the hospital or hotel. For longer stays with several appointments, a rental car may cost less than daily rideshares, so compare rental cars for your dates.

Food and daily needs

Inside Lucile Packard, the Harvest Café is on the first floor of the Main building. Stanford Hospital has its own food options and Guest Services can tell you what is open late. Close by on Welch Road, the brick Stanford Barn holds Tootsie's, an Italian-style weekday cafe for espresso and panini. Vina Enoteca in the same building serves a sit-down Italian dinner. Stanford Shopping Center, a short walk or drive away, has many cafes and restaurants. Our guide to where to eat near Stanford Hospital lists more, including takeout.

For groceries, snacks for the room and basics, see our groceries guide. For prescriptions, our pharmacies guide lists nearby options. No 24-hour pharmacy is listed in Palo Alto, so fill prescriptions during the day when you can.

Quiet places for a break

Even half an hour outside can reset a hard day. These are all free and close to the medical campus.

• The Arizona Cactus Garden and the Arboretum. A few minutes' drive away on campus, with shaded paths, old trees and the Stanford Mausoleum.
• The Rodin Sculpture Garden. Outside the Cantor Arts Center, open around the clock and rarely crowded on weekday mornings.
• The Windhover labyrinth. Stanford's Windhover Contemplative Center at 370 Santa Teresa Street is open inside only to Stanford ID holders, but its outdoor labyrinth is open to everyone.
• Memorial Church. The church was closed to visitors for maintenance from June 15 to October 31, 2026, though services continued. Check Stanford's site for visiting hours. Stanford Health Care also lists spiritual care among its patient resources.
• Gamble Garden. The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden at 1431 Waverley Street is a free 2.5-acre garden around a 1902 house, open daily in daylight.
• The Dish. The paved foothill loop above campus has wide views. It is steep, so it suits a family member who needs exercise more than a patient.

Frequently asked questions