Holiday Inn Express Mountain View - S Palo Alto

The Holiday Inn Express Mountain View - S Palo Alto is a small, three-story chain hotel on El Camino Real. The name oversells the geography a little: it is in Mountain View, about 5 miles from downtown Palo Alto, not in south Palo Alto itself. What it offers is the familiar Holiday Inn Express formula, with free breakfast, a fitness room, on-site parking and EV charging, plus IHG One Rewards points. It is a sensible pick for drivers on a working trip to Mountain View, Los Altos or south Palo Alto.

This profile is based on IHG's official page for the hotel, checked November 1, 2026. Background details come from IHG's 2013 announcement of the hotel's opening under the brand. We do not publish prices, star ratings or reviews. For live rates, check the Holiday Inn Express on Booking.com or book through IHG.

Background

IHG announced the hotel's opening as a Holiday Inn Express in December 2013. The announcement described a renovated three-story hotel with 46 rooms. It said the owner had spent more than $1 million on renovations and named RPK Investment as owner and manager, with the hotel franchised by an IHG affiliate. Those details date from 2013. IHG's current page does not restate the room count or the owner, so treat them as background rather than current fact.

Location

The address is 1561 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040. This is the west end of Mountain View's stretch of El Camino Real, between downtown Mountain View and San Antonio Shopping Center. The newly opened Signature Inn Mountain View is a short walk west on the same stretch.

Distances in a straight line:

IHG says the Googleplex is about 3 miles away and San Jose's airport about 10 miles. It names Shoreline Amphitheatre, Moffett Field, NASA Ames, California's Great America and Stanford Shopping Center among nearby sights.

Getting there

The nearest train is Mountain View station, an express Caltrain stop that also serves VTA light rail. It is under a mile away in a straight line, about a 20-minute walk or a short rideshare. San Antonio station, served by local and limited trains, is a little farther. Palo Alto station is in the same fare zone, about 10 minutes north on most trains.

• From SJC: about 10 miles, per IHG. Our SJC guide covers the options.
• From SFO: about 30 to 40 minutes by car down Highway 101 without traffic. Our SFO guide explains BART and Caltrain.

Rooms

IHG's current page does not list room sizes or a room count. The 2013 announcement described queen and king rooms with a sitting area, a 40-inch flat-screen TV, an in-room coffee maker, a refrigerator and a microwave. A fridge and microwave in every room is useful for longer stays and for families who want to keep snacks and leftovers. Confirm the current setup and bed types on the booking page. Free Wi-Fi is standard at the brand.

Amenities

IHG's current page lists:

• Free breakfast. The brand's Express Start breakfast. In 2013, IHG described hot egg and meat dishes, pancakes, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and the brand's cinnamon roll.
• Fitness center. With cardio machines and free weights.
• On-site parking. IHG does not say whether it is free.
• EV charging. Listed among the amenities.

The 2013 announcement also listed a swimming pool and a business center. The pool does not appear on IHG's current page. If a pool matters, call ahead or see our guide to hotels with pools. There is no restaurant.

Policies

• Check-in and checkout. 3 p.m. and 11 a.m.
• Minimum age. 21 to check in.
• Pets. Not addressed on IHG's page. Ask before you book if you are bringing an animal.
• Parking fee. Not stated. Ask when you book.

Food nearby

Breakfast is covered. For dinner, El Camino Real has restaurants and takeout in both directions. San Antonio Shopping Center, to the west, adds groceries and a wider choice of restaurants. Downtown Mountain View's Castro Street is a short drive or bus ride east, with its car-free blocks near the train station. Our Mountain View food guide covers it all.

Around the hotel

This end of Mountain View is practical rather than scenic, but a few useful places are close:

• San Antonio Shopping Center. West along El Camino Real, with supermarkets, a pharmacy, restaurants and the Village at San Antonio Center, where the Alamo Drafthouse dine-in cinema opened in June 2025.
• Stevens Creek Trail. A paved path that runs north toward Shoreline Park and the bay. Our Stevens Creek Trail guide lists access points.
• Downtown Mountain View. Castro Street restaurants, the public library and the Sunday farmers market at the train station, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• South Palo Alto. A short drive north beyond San Antonio Road, with Mitchell Park and its Magical Bridge Playground, a good stop with kids.

Shoreline Amphitheatre and the Computer History Museum sit north of Highway 101, about 10 to 15 minutes by car. On concert nights, traffic on Shoreline Boulevard and Rengstorff Avenue backs up, so leave early or take a rideshare.

For a day in Palo Alto, the simplest plan is to drive to downtown and park in a city garage, or take Caltrain from Mountain View station to Palo Alto station and walk up University Avenue. On weekdays the free Marguerite shuttle runs from Palo Alto station to the Stanford campus. Allow 20 to 30 minutes door to door either way, longer at rush hour.

Who it suits

• IHG One Rewards members who want points near Palo Alto.
• Drivers who want on-site parking and EV charging.
• Business travelers who want breakfast included and quick access to El Camino Real and Highway 101.
• Families on a budget who can use an in-room fridge and microwave.

It suits visitors less well if their plans center on downtown Palo Alto evenings or walking to Stanford. Hotels downtown or near campus save time on those trips; our guide to staying near Stanford lists them.

Booking tips

1. Ask about parking costs. IHG lists on-site parking but no price.
2. Bring ID if you are under 25. The minimum age to check in is 21.
3. Check the pool. It appears in older IHG material but not on the current page.
4. Compare the neighbors. Signature Inn is a short walk west. Compare Mountain View hotels on Hotels.com to see both.

Frequently asked questions