We just returned home from our trip and here's my report about the hotel. It opened earlier this year and is definitely a business hotel as opposed to a resort. We had a Stanford package which included a standard room - American breakfast for one (that's kind of weird - but probably a tip that it's a business hotel) - and free parking. $290 on the weekends - $370 during the week. The different classes of non-suite rooms are all the same except for the floor. We were upgraded for free from the second floor to the fourth because it's the smoking floor (and I smoke). But our view - of a neighboring roof - was still less than spectacular.

The location - in a large office complex inhabited mostly by law firms - is convenient to highway 101. It was easy to get to San Jose - Half Moon Bay/the coast - Stanford - etc. (probably in part because most of our driving was counter-flow to rush hour and Stanford wasn't in session yet). We had a rental car - but the hotel has a limo and you can use it on a complimentary basis for short trips around the area (we used it to get to a Palo Alto restaurant one night). There is absolutely nothing in the immediate area to walk to - you have to have a car.

I loved the decor of the room and the hotel in general. Very modern. Liked the furniture - loved the lamps. The room itself was on the smallish side - but that's because the bathroom/dressing area was quite large. The space as a whole was very comfortable - and user friendly. The large desk along one wall (with handy outlets and internet connection - no need to hunt on the floor) had an oval extension which 2 people could use as a table for breakfast (or other room service). There was a large walk-in shower - with - get this ladies - a ledge where you could raise your legs when you shaved them. Now you guys may not think this is a big deal - but as someone who has suffered in many rooms trying to figure out a way to shave my legs short of filling a huge tub (which this room had too) - the ledge was a blessing. Liked the soaps and the like - Acca Kappa (had those in Tokyo too). Plenty of complimentary newspapers to choose from. This was - in short - a "don't think twice" room in terms of doing everyday things - except to look around once in a while and think how pretty everything was (except for the view).

I don't use the exercise facilities - but my husband does. He thought the gym was small - but serviceable - although it did not have a recumbent bike (that's his usual exercise equipment). The pool looked fine - and it is heated to 84 - but his Florida blood was a bit thin to use it in the chilly mornings. The exercise facilities weren't like what you'd get in a resort - they're for business travelers who want to do their 30 minutes and get on with their day.

Service all around was excellent - from getting a fax delivered to the room - to my husband ordering flowers from the concierge desk (it was our anniversary and my birthday) - to using the limo - to the front desk removing a $9 phone charge (3 minutes to Los Gatos!) because they agreed it was over the top. One morning - when my stomach was upset (see below) - the staff even offered to go to Walgreen's for me to get an OTC med that it didn't sell in the gift shop. And - every staff member we met - from the valet staff to the room service staff - was courteous and friendly. The only service glitch during our whole stay is one morning I ordered breakfast an hour before we wanted it. When it hadn't arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled delivery time - I called - and it was clear that somehow our order had been lost. Breakfast was delivered 10 minutes later by the room service manager with a profuse apology - and he said he would comp us for the meal (he didn't know we had a package which included breakfast).

Service at the bar (I like a couple of drinks at the end of the day) was top notch. We ate dinner at the hotel more than we planned to (twice instead of once). That was because I got some GI problem the third day of our trip (maybe it was the spinach salad I had the day before - whatever it was - I was a mess). The kitchen prepared a soothing breakfast for me that morning - and a nice light dinner that evening - except for the plate with the homemade truffles inscribed "Happy Birthday" .

Luckily - the day I was sick wasn't my birthday - it was the day before. On my birthday - the hotel was offering a special multi-course tasting/wine meal (it plans to do that once a month - did the first one in August - and this was the second). The food is Italian - we met and talked with 2 of the chefs at length - they are both from Italy - and they are intent on serving fine Italian food in Palo Alto. The featured wineries are (very) local. This month's winery was Boony Doon. The tasting menu was excellent - although about twice as much food as we could eat - not great (it's not the French Laundry) - but excellent. Some courses were big winners - and there were some losers - but that is to be expected when you're served 3 appetizer courses - 2 pasta courses - 3 main courses with 2 sides - and 5 different desserts. Then another "Birthday Plate" with homemade truffles . Overall - there was plenty of really good food - and I was a happy camper. About what you'd hope for in a hotel dining room. And a bargain at $75/person (including all the wine you care to drink - there was a white - a red - and a dessert wine). Even if you are local and will never stay in the hotel - I recommend trying this special dinner next month to see what this restaurant can do. If you do - I suggest a table of at least 4 - since there was so much food. Similarly - I suspect the kitchen can do an excellent job catering business and social functions if you have one.

Overall - this was an excellent hotel experience - and another example why Four Seasons was #1 in the Wall Street Journal review of hotel chains about a week ago. Although we were on vacation (I know - it's a weird place for a vacation - but we'd never seen this part of California before) - not on a business trip - we very much enjoyed our 5 night stay. Robyn