Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley

The Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley is one of the best-known luxury hotels near Palo Alto, though it is not in Palo Alto at all. It stands at University Circle in East Palo Alto, just across San Francisquito Creek from Palo Alto. It opened in January 2006. The 10-story building holds 200 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, a spa and the Quattro restaurant. Its guests are a mix of executives with meetings on the Peninsula, Stanford families on big weekends and locals in for dinner or a spa day.

This profile is based on the hotel's official website and fact sheet. We do not publish prices, star ratings or reviews. For live rates, check the Four Seasons Silicon Valley on Booking.com or book with Four Seasons directly.

Location and neighborhood

The full name, Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto, gives away the geography. The hotel is at 2050 University Avenue, part of the University Circle complex of offices and the hotel that replaced an old commercial strip in 2000. It sits on the southwest side of Highway 101, between the freeway and San Francisquito Creek, right at the University Avenue interchange. Palo Alto's Crescent Park neighborhood is just across the creek.

That location has two sides. Downtown Palo Alto is about a mile and a half southwest along University Avenue, so restaurants and shops are within a long walk. Stanford is roughly ten minutes away by car, according to the hotel. At the same time, the freeway is right outside, which makes driving to San Francisco, San Jose or Menlo Park simple. East Palo Alto itself is a small, mostly residential city. Our East Palo Alto guide describes it.

Getting there from Caltrain and the airports

The nearest Caltrain stop is the Palo Alto station, at the far end of University Avenue. It is a little under 2 miles away. Most guests take a short taxi or rideshare from the train. On a nice day, the walk along University Avenue through downtown takes 35 to 45 minutes. The hotel's complimentary e-bikes make the trip back easy.

• From SFO: the airport is roughly 20 miles north on Highway 101. By car, allow 25 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. By transit, take BART to Millbrae and Caltrain to Palo Alto, then a short ride. Our SFO guide covers both.
• From SJC: San Jose's airport is a similar distance south on Highway 101. The free VTA Route 60 connects it with Caltrain at Santa Clara. See our SJC guide.

Many guests at this level prefer a booked car. You can book a meet-and-greet airport pickup ahead of time, or ask the concierge to arrange one.

Rooms and suites

The hotel's fact sheet lists 200 rooms in total: 173 guest rooms and 27 suites over 10 stories. Hill Glazier Architects designed the building. Interiors for the hotel and spa are credited to Chhada, Siembieda Remedios.

In-room features and services the hotel lists include:

• Tonal strength-training equipment in guest rooms, with an in-room Peloton bike on request.
• Complimentary premium Wi-Fi.
• Twice-daily housekeeping and all-day in-room dining.
• Kids' welcome amenities and children's toiletries.
• Wheelchair-accessible rooms, described on a separate accessible rooms page.

Dining on site

Quattro is the main restaurant, set partly in a glass cube that extends from the front of the building. It serves seasonal California-Italian food with handmade pasta and a long wine list. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays and for breakfast, brunch and dinner on weekends. A sunny terrace adds outdoor seating and a private dining room seats up to 20.

Quattro Bar has a renovated wraparound bar with cocktails and small plates. [esc], the lobby lounge, serves coffee and pastries every day and afternoon tea on weekends. There is also a grab-and-go cafe. Diners who are not staying at the hotel get complimentary self-parking and valet, which makes Quattro a common choice for business dinners. Our East Palo Alto food guide covers places to eat in the rest of the city.

Pool, spa and fitness

• Pool. A heated outdoor pool on the third-floor rooftop, open year-round, with cabanas and summer pool bar service.
• Spa. Also on the third floor, with seven treatment rooms reached directly from guest room corridors. A Himalayan salt sauna is part of the facilities.
• Fitness. A 24-hour fitness center designed with trainer Harley Pasternak, with Peloton bikes, a Tonal smart gym and weights. Personal training and yoga are available on request.
• E-bikes. Complimentary for guests.
• Meetings. About 7,050 square feet of indoor event space, including a ballroom of about 3,757 square feet, plus a 5,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard.
• Services. A multilingual concierge, on-site tailor, laundry and dry cleaning, shoe shine and a dog walking service.

Parking and policies

The hotel lists valet parking for guests. It does not publish self-parking for overnight stays on its amenities page, so ask about the current arrangement and fee when you book. Check-in and checkout times and the pet policy are not listed on the main amenities page either. The hotel offers dog walking, which suggests dogs are welcome, but confirm the rules first. Current details are on the hotel's services and amenities page.

Who the Four Seasons suits

• Executives and investors with meetings across the Peninsula who want a full-service hotel by the freeway.
• Stanford families on commencement or reunion weekends who want a pool, a spa and room service.
• Couples marking an occasion with dinner at Quattro and a spa treatment.
• Event planners who need a ballroom or courtyard close to Palo Alto.

It is less ideal for travelers on a budget and for anyone who wants to step straight out onto a downtown street. For other high-end choices, compare our luxury hotels guide.

What is nearby

Downtown Palo Alto, with its restaurants, the Stanford Theatre and the Saturday farmers market, is about a mile and a half southwest. The Palo Alto Baylands and the Bay Trail are a short drive east for marsh walks and birding. In East Palo Alto, Cooley Landing Park looks out over the bay. Shopping at Ravenswood 101 and IKEA is just across the freeway.

Booking tips

1. Book early for Stanford weekends. Commencement 2027 runs June 10 to 13 and luxury rooms near campus go first.
2. Expect business pricing on weeknights. Monday to Thursday is the busy stretch for a hotel this close to the venture and law offices of the Peninsula. Weekends can be calmer.
3. Ask about parking before you drive. Valet is the listed option for overnight guests.
4. Reserve Quattro for special nights. Weekend brunch and holiday meals draw locals as well as guests. Compare luxury hotels near Stanford on Expedia if the Four Seasons is full.

Frequently asked questions