Background and Location
I was attending a wedding with a friend in the Silicon Valley area and decided to stay in Palo Alto as our home base. Weekend rates in Palo Alto are quite reasonable, and we got our room for $200 a night all in, while weekday rates can be quite expensive with business travel.
The hotel location is across a nursery and Toyota dealership, so there isn’t really anything to walk to. You’ll definitely want a car or utilize rideshares. We just Ubered everywhere, and Stanford/Downtown Palo Alto was just a 10-minute car ride away.
The hotel shares a driveway with the AC Hotel across the street, which was interesting to me! Just like how Marriott pairs Courtyard/Residence Inn and SpringHill/TownPlace Suites, they seem to do it for their more luxury options as well. The AC Hotel offers a consistent Euro-inspired minimalism vibe across the brand, while the Tribute Portfolio offers a more boutique and unique personality across their locations.
The last Tribute Portfolio property I stayed at was the Casso in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it was nice to compare the Hotel Citrine to it. I think the Hotel Citrine was more upscale, and a better property overall.
Takeoff Points
Pros: Nicely appointed rooms, a large shower, and a solid breakfast benefit for Platinum and above Bonvoy Members.
Cons: Some of the destination fees inclusions were odd and not proactively offered.
Takeoff Point: The Hotel Citrine provided a comfortable stay in the Palo Alto area with nicely appointed rooms and a solid breakfast.
Arrival & First Impressions
The lobby was cute, and we were helped by a friendly associate for check-in. Then, we were quickly on our way to the room.
The property does charge one of those annoying “Destination Fees,” which is $20 a night. It includes a:
- $10 Food and Beverage Credit
- Caltrain passes for two guests per stay
- Daily 2-hour bike rentals for two guests
- A welcome beverage for two (choice of rosé or sparkling cider) per stay
- Bonvoy Elite Amenity (Gold members and above): Daily ice cream sandwich
We easily used the $10 F & B credit, which was automatically taken out at checkout. We were never offered the welcome beverage or the Bonvoy Elite amenity.
I tried to inquire about how the CalTrain passes would work and if we could get a ticket, but the front desk associate said we would have to buy tickets and then get reimbursed. They seemed a bit confused as well- so I’m not sure if they need to rethink that offering.
The Room: Two Queen Beds
As we headed to the room, something was interesting that I had never seen before, which was a tea station on our floor next to the filtered water stations/ice. They had a variety of loose leaf teas, sachets, and teacups to take back to your room, which was cool!
Our room was at the end of the hall, and upon entry, the large bathroom was a nice sight to see! While simple in the fact that it offered a single vanity and standard toilet, the standup shower was huge! The shower offered both a showerhead and wand, and the water pressure was excellent.
And, the vanity offered ample counter space, and some basic amenities were provided like shower caps & a vanity kit. Toiletries were provided by an interesting brand called Scientific Organics in a Citrus Kombucha scent. There was shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the refillable containers, while a travel-sized lotion was provided.
Once back in the room, there was a small closet that confused me slightly. They added a mini fridge for personal use in there, had an iron board, but no iron board and rather a steamer?
Going back to the room itself, there were two large queen beds, with nightstands on each side of the bed, which was appreciated.
The room felt quite spacious, and had a desk with chair, as well as a sofa. A Nespresso Machine, along with tea bags, was included. Also, a carafe for water and canned water was provided.
Overall, I loved the room! It was spacious, and felt quite modern.
Dining
The main restaurant is called Wild Onion, a casual California eatery inspired by farm-to-table. It’s open for all meals of the day.
For those with breakfast included in their rate, or Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and above who select the breakfast benefit as their welcome gift, it includes a drink (coffee or tea) plus any main dish. This was quite generous, and they had no exclusions to the dishes. My friend opted for a breakfast burrito, and I gave the steak and eggs a try! Both dishes were quite tasty.
Amenities
There is a small sundries shop located next to the reception with snacks and essentials for purchase.
A small swimming pool and lounging chairs lie outside the restaurant. The pool is quite small, but a pool is better than no pool! I forgot my swim trunks, so I did not test the pool out this trip.
On the lobby level, there is a well-equipped fitness center, and it even had 2 Pelotons. As much as I wanted to squeeze in a quick workout, my schedule unfortunately did not allow it.
The Verdict
Overall, the Hotel Citrine was a great option for my visit to the Palo Alto area. I found the rooms to be comfortable, and the breakfast benefit to be solid. If my travels bring me back to the area, I would definitely consider staying here again.
Have you stayed at the Hotel Citrine Palo Alto, Tribute Portfolio before? How was your experience? Comment below!
Happy travels,
Ty
Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
