I am so grossed out by this hotel and that's saying something since I have done my fair share of college-budget international traveling. My husband's company had a conference and as all hotels in this area do, Hotel Lucent raised their prices to almost $500 a night during the conference- this is a badly remodeled motel and even on conference weeks, not worth a quarter of that rate. I am giving two stars for the kindness of Eve at the front desk and the fact that it was a roof over our head. The good ends there. Please see attached pictures: the carpets are tearing, stained and faded; there are dirty handprints on the walls in the rooms; when we arrived we found feces in the toilet and broken glass in the bathroom sink. There was spilled/splashed food on the walls behind the desk/work station; an old, dusty coffee maker; no fitted sheets on beds; mold in the shower; a musty, dirty smell in the hallways and in our room; scraped and damaged furniture in the room and in the lobby area; a non-heated outdoor pool; a broken jacuzzi with no guest access; and two slime-covered "water stations" (they only provide bottled water once upon check-in), and the "mini-fridge" in our room was non-operational. We tried our best to find other accommodations once we realized the state of our room but by that time, all the hotels in the area had been reserved for the conference. I will say, once I kindly spoke with Eve about my concerns, she assured me that they would take care of the issue and while they did use some mold-killer in the shower and cleaned the feces off of the toilet's sides- our fresh towels still had lipstick and makeup marks on them from the prior guests' use; they left a dirty coffee cup on the table and didn't take out all the trash in the room. I asked if I could have some cleaning products to try and wipe the room down on my own but I was refused, I am sure this is due to liability and I understand but as a guest paying $500 a night, I would really have expected not to have to go to the Safeway next door and purchase my own cleaning supplies to try and get the room to a more comfortable level of cleanliness for myself, my husband and my child. I am baffled by the positive reviews and feel truly led astray. read more

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This place is cute. Cute game area, they offer free breakfast which was ok. Great customer service. But the only bad part is the ac was broken, so we left the window open all night and can hear the cars and conversations of other people when they walk by. Also noticed that the drawers weren't cleaned. They had previous customers clothes in there. I did report this to the front desk. Also did notice the mold in the showers like the other reviews. They have great customer service. read more

I wanted to like this hotel, i liked it. The idea of this hotel is very cute, charming with perfect location. Also they offer breakfast which is very nice for who are traveling. But very disappointed in very important detail. That was cleanliness of room. I even mentioned it to the front desk person. She looked like surprised when i told her about it. (Maybe someone never mentioned it ? ) the room smelled like old, but didn't look old. There was lot of small trash under the desk. Bathroom was full of small hair. Around power outlet there was so much dust that looked never cleaned. I really want them to improve their cleaning service. read more

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Reserved here for a quick getaway staycation :) Great hotel, location was convenient and most of all friendly staff. They were very much accommodating. Unfortunately, during the time we came the pool was not available due to testing and maintenance which was fine. AC in the room worked well, cable tv was good too including HBO I think lol. There is Complimentary Breakfast which is delicious :) I would totally recommend this hotel. read more

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Small courtyard vintage motel redone for the times. Small but comfortable rooms. Bathrooms had walk in shower, new tile work, and large bottles of lotion, shampoo, conditioner on the walls. Lovely peaceful courtyard with fire pits, lap pool and seating. Close to Stanford medical. Would return. read more

Reading the other reviews gives me the impression this is a great place to stay when weather conditions allow you to enjoy the outdoor patio areas. I stayed a chilly night after a long day of travel and lots of rain. All I wanted was a warm shower and warm bed...and hotel lucent hit those points at a minimum thus the 3 stars. I travel a lot for work and rarely stray from a Hilton Homewood Suit/Double Tree/Garden Inn or Marriott Residence Inn/Towne Suit/Courtyard. And trust me I've stayed at my fair share of La Quinta's and Best Westerns (and some amazing Holiday Inns which don't compare to the other two) so I know what a variety of hotels are like. Because of the price point, I'll compare Hotel Lucent to a mid-tier Hilton/Marriott for this review. Also my stay was around $140 for the night, but maybe a random Monday night isn't super expensive. Pros: HUGE rooms; can't be understated. Overall nice look and feel. Comfortable beds and nice touch of coming with plenty of towels and a bathrobe. Really adorable and inclusive welcome signs Right by a Safeway and some great places to eat. Free parking and free internet. Meh: Tried a little too hard to appeal to I guess millennials (see pillows) Tried to get me to leave my room an hour early before check out Television was confusing to start up and didn't have the best selection (it was freezing that night so there wasn't much to do). Mini fridge, but no microwave in the room. :( Internet was slow in my room (fast in the parking lot?) Cons: Water pressure on shower was pretty weak and it took awhile to get to maximum heat. Ordinarily I wouldn't care too much, but it was cold and rainy that day. Speaking of heat, the thermostat took FOREVER to warm up the room and I had to set it to like 78/80 for the room to just get WARM because the heating unit is above the door. One of the front desk people wasn't wearing a mask. I get the Bay Area has high vaccination rates, but this is a hotel like 30-40 minutes away from an international airport and there's a new variant going around now. I would honestly consider coming here when weather is nicer, but for typical work travel (which is 98% of the travel I do) I would not. The internet is too slower for that, the room isn't consistently warm enough for me to focus, and I'm a little weirded out seeing people working here/guests lounging in indoor spaces without a mask. read more

Hotel Lucent - Interior room - Hotels Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Great location! Friendly employees! However, the room was a bit of a challenge: Noisy room, thin walls and my room had a very strong smell of paint. With all of these things happening, the TV in my room was not working. However, the NBA playoffs are currently happening. The pictures on their website are doctored and the carpeting looks very worn. read more

We were in town for a concert and booked this hotel months in advance for four people. When we arrived we were given the incorrect room with only one bed instead of the two that we had reserved and two of our party were forced to sleep on the floor of the room due to the hotel being sold out. However, Mark at the front desk was wonderful and did his absolute best to make the experience as great as he possibly could considering the circumstances. Without Mark this would have been a 0 star experience. We would like to give Mark a big shout out for making an otherwise horrible experience somewhat tolerable and positive! Thank you Mark!! read more

Very basic mid-range motel but at a premium price point (of $300+ a night). It's a converted an old motel from the 1950's. The walls were very thin and I could hear our neighbors and their children wake up every morning around 6 am. Also the patio area, fire pit and dipping pool are gorgeous but very loud at night, especially on the weekends. This is a newer hotel but the sheets had holes, the paint was chipping off and the carpet looked dirty. On top of all of that, we were charged double on our credit card for our stay (6 nights, instead of 3 nights) and instead of Hotel Lucent fixing their error - the credit card company had to step in. read more

Hotel Lucent - Sheets full of holes, this one is the size of a quarter. - Hotels Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Had high hopes based on the great reviews but was disappointed by the room itself. The room reminded me of a renovated motel 6. The room itself is small and dark and had a musty smell. The walls are thin; you can hear the road noise from El Camino Real and constant doors slamming from the other tenants. Two stars for the nice outdoor area and breakfast offerings. Next time I would stay at Holiday Inn Express instead. read more

Was told by front desk the pictures of rooms on Website are all when it was first built. The rooms and everything is run down. The room they were giving us smelled so bad. I've never seen anything like it. It was disgusting. Got a full refund through my capital one card. Beware of this hotel. read more

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The hotel is just the right size--not tiny, but not so big that it has no soul. Thoughtful touches abound from the slippers that the manager brought us as we were getting out of the hot tub to the myriad toppings for oatmeal and yogurt to the Naked juices at breakfast to the huge hot tub are great. I was most impressed with the service, though. From Ron who checked us in to Maria and her fabulous cleaning team to the fellow who one-handedly sets up the amazing hot breakfast spread, everyone was helpful and friendly and clearly took pride in their jobs. It is close to shopping and Stanford, too. My only complaints are: 1) for two days, several of their staff told us they would be serving s'mores and they never materialized 2) they should have better newspapers (Wall Street Journal?) and 3) the black out curtains didn't block all of the light coming from the bright light outside our window. read more

Hotel Lucent - Great touches like this at breakfast. - Hotels Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Awesome spot if you find yourself needing to stay in Palo Alto/Stanford area for business. The rooms were large and comfortable and it was great having a safeway and access to groceries right next door. The small pool is actually a giant hot tub! Make sure to make use of it as it's pretty unique and was pretty much empty the whole time I was there. read more

Is Hotel Lucent one of the best places to stay while visiting the Menlo Park Palo Alto area? For me it was. Loved my stay there over the weekend. You see, it's like this, whenever I travel, and reach my destination, I don't live my life in the hotel room. I just go there to shower, change, head back out, then return to go to bed. Hotel Lucent was the perfect place for me to do just that. For what I needed to do over this particular weekend, Hotel Lucent was all that and more than just a bag of chips. Very clean, nice and affordable. I already plan to stay here on my next visit. They have several flat panels in the lounge area, a billiard table, coffee machines, a fitness center and a daily complementary breakfast that was better than I expected. The entire staff was super friendly. We stayed in a room that had two double beds. The beds were comfortable and the linens very clean and fresh. The room itself; as well as all the other areas of this complex was super clean. I noticed people complained about noise in other reviews, but I slept like a baby. They also have a beautiful spa that's shaped like a lap pool and a large gas firepit in their patio area. I have more, but would like to wrap up this review. I'll end it by saying I'm extremely happy with my decision to stay at this hotel. Now go get some Lucent Love for yourself. Nighty night. Zzzzz. read more

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I am so sad to say that Hotel Lucent has gotten long in the tooth. What was once a well-kept and modern place now show signs of wear and neglect. We have stayed in this hotel nearly a dozen times in the past few years. The last time was literally our last time. After first being assigned to a room that reeked of animal urine, we were relocated to another. While it did not have the same putrid odor, it looked as if the maintenance team had left it off the list altogether. If you look at the photos attached, you'll see chipped furniture, damaged walls, ragged carpet, a broken toilet seat and more. At more than $325 a night, there is no excuse for this and certainly no reason for us to return. read more

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My hubby and I booked this hotel because it's near Stanford hospital. It's only 2 miles away. We checked in after 4 and we originally got room #201 and it was not good. It was a cold day and the heater was not working. Not to mention your right next to el Camino rd and it was super noisy all we could hear is all the traffic. The gal working front desk was kind and moved our room to #217. What a blessing. We couldn't hear the traffic noise. However it is right next to the staff room and about 9am it got noisy. We could here all the noise from housekeeping rolling the carts. So this is not good if you prefer to sleep in. The rooms are decent. They look updated. They are on the smaller side. There is a tv, mini fridge and Keurig in the room. The bathroom is nice. Has shampoo & conditioner. It's a nice and simple room. The bed was decent. Complimentary breakfast is always nice. There was cereal, muffins, eggs, sausage, and a pancake maker. And the best part was the Starbucks coffee. Safe way is walking distance and there is a fish restaurant at the corner. Parking is free it's a smaller hotel so the parking lot is really small. I'm giving 4 stars would give 5 if there wasn't so much noise from house keeping. read more

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The kind lady at the front desk helped me plug in my charger for my Nissan Leaf electric car. The charger on the right is broken, so she told me to use the one on the left . read more

We stayed here for one night after attending a wedding in Woodside. We checked in late (probably 10:30pm) and they didn't have an issue with late arrival. The place definitely looks like a motel that has been remodeled to look more modern. Our room was nice and clean. We had a little bit of a difficult time finding our room because it was in a weird spot in the building. They offer a grab and go breakfast for now because of covid. We chose to eat out for breakfast, but it looks like options were cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. Overall a decent stay for a good price! read more

This place is really quite nice. The staff are super helpful and friendly. Marina at the front desk went above and beyond to accommodate us when we arrived a few hours early. The room is very clean with a nice bathroom. The lobby is clean and organized and there are several fire pits to enjoy on the terrace. If you're wanting a traditional pool where kids can splash about, etc. then this would not be the ideal hotel for you. There is a huge grocery store next door which is beyond convenient, and your close to tons of restaurants and shopping. read more

My husband and I were looking for a hotel to stay near Atherton. We took a chance and booked a room at the Hotel Lucent. It is a small boutique hotel with a great ambiance. We were greeted by a friendly front desk clerk who gave us a room upgrade "just because". Don't mind if we do! Our room was very quiet since we specifically requested a quiet room as I am a very light sleeper. The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. There was a lovely central patio area that would be fun to enjoy in warmer weather. Breakfast was very good as well! Starbucks coffee for my husband and a chai tea latte for me were the perfect final touch. All in all, the Hotel Lucent exceeded our expectations. We will definitely return! read more

Well located clean and quiet hotel. Staff was accommodating and responsive. Stayed on a weekend and had the outdoor seating with fire pits to ourselves. Excellent value with free parking and breakfast included read more

Two star experience at a five star price. First, I encountered everything in Jerome M's review. Maybe we had the same room. If that's true, it's deteriorated more in the past few months. Second, some of the problems are minor in themselves but the number of problems shows a lack of attention to detail and render this more of a budget motel than a luxury hotel. It started right at checkin. My room showed not ready even though I arrived two hours after checking. The elevator was broken. There was a beautiful fire pit by the pool but no one was at it or at the pool, maybe because the key cards didn't work. (A couple told me they don't work at night.) Onto the room - the door to the refrigerator cabinet is off the hook. No soap. The bathroom was dirty, especially the floors. The toiletry trays were black, but so scuffed they were chipped white all over. The bed was not good. Very hard like metal in the middle and soft and saggy on the sides. It took two days for my hips to recover. The AC worked but it was a stand-alone unit attached to the ceiling and I couldn't figure out how to get up there to adjust it. I heard the breakfast is good. I can't verify that as I was fasting for medical procedures. I'll be trying somewhere else the next time I'm in town. read more

Went in to ask about prices and to check out the lobby. Desk clerk would not stop surfing internet and mak tenance person stared at me disapprovingly. I'm a Stanford regular who was shpping for a hotel for when I have a lot of medicL business in town. But the whole staff seemed totally indifferent and didn't seem happy even answering basic questions. read more

I stayed here recently bc I was going to a wedding in the area. The hotel is off of a busy road, luckily I checked the reviews & requested a room towards the west side (back) of the hotel so my room was quiet. This hotel is in a great location - Safeway, CVS, a liquor store, & Trader Joe's either across the street or within walking distance. There are also coffee shops and restaurants within walking distance. The Menlo Park train station is a 5-10 minute walk from the hotel which provides easy access to the city. There are 2 floors since this used to be an old motel. They did an amazing job. Everything was brand new. There was a Keurig machine with Starbucks k cups in the room & a mini fridge. Breakfast is included in the rate. Eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage with a variety of different breads. Also they have a small fridge of Dasani waters, S. Pelligrino, Perrier, Naked juices, & Chobani yogurts. There is a Starbucks machine that's available 24/7. The courtyard includes a lap pool, ping pong table, & fire pit. The check-in process was quick & easy. I got to my room which was nice and clean. The clock in the room was wrong, traveling from the east coast I was very confused about what time it was. I did have an issue connecting to the free Wi-Fi (cell phone and tablet) I worked with Octavio from the front desk who was able to resolve the issue. The staff here really care about their guests; they are friendly, greet them & ask if they need anything. I would recommend this hotel to others. read more

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Hotel Lucent is much like an updated Motor Inn. Our king bed was very comfortable and with just enough amenities for us to get dressed for a wedding and put our heads down for the night. Mitchell, Mitchell, Mitchell...is why this place gets a 5 Star rating. After a long drive, a friendly face is the best welcome "INN". He personally showed us to our room and provided us with all the information one might need to make the most of their stay. What hotel can you name that gives you a personal tour? Yeah, I can't name one either. The pool though....nice for sitting, but you won't be doing the 500 yd backstroke here, so leave the Speedos. Breakfast was one of the better hotel experiences...they DID NOT have the standard Costco muffins with powdered eggs. The offerings were of a higher caliber, real eggs, and fresh cut fruit and good COFFEE. If you don't serve good coffee to your guest, well that pretty much says there is not a whole lotta love for the guests. A lot of thought, i feel went into the simple comforts and if simple and comfortable is all you need, then this is the place for you. Hey Mitchell! Thanks for the hospitality. read more

I'm sitting and eating their delicious breakfast. There is a big assortment, including fresh cut grapefruit and melon. The highlight for many is this fancy Starbucks machine which makes coffee, cocoa, and tea much faster than a trip to Starbucks. Besides the eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes there are lots of breads and good pastries. Lots more too. The best part is the staff. Everyone we've talked to has been so friendly, so helpful, and I they really want you to be happy here. I am sensitive to smells and there were no chemical cleaners. Even the soap was unscented. The cups and plates are compostable. (I hate hotels that give you styrofoam cups.) It is nice to be at a place where I can breathe and eat without worry that is reasonably priced. The room is comfortable with lots of drawers to put things, and bath is nicely done with a big shower. The hotel is centrally located. I would stay here again. read more

Hotel Lucent - Hotels Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Friendly staff, timely. Rooms are very clean and beds are comfortable to sleep in. The hot breakfast they have is very tasty. Never leave Hotel Lucent disappointed. read more

We loved loved loved our stay at Hotel Lucent We really appreciate all the care given by Yvonne Pelaiz, Gary Sterman and Mitchell Monack Breakfast was great, Starbucks coffee and great clean and fresh room We cannot recommend enough read more

I cannot say enough about how pleased I was with my stay here. The price was very reasonable for this area. The front desk staff were warm and friendly. They showed me around the lobby and how to find my room. They have a Starbuck's coffee machine in the lobby. Available self-service 24 hours a day. Our room was off an interior corridor, very quiet, and roomy. There is a small fridge, bottled water, and a Keurig coffee maker. They have a very nice patio area with pool, lounge chairs, and a fire pit. It was raining while we were there so we didn't get to enjoy the outdoor area. It looked wonderful though. They serve a complimentary breakfast in the am that was quite impressive. Best free hotel breakfast I've had in a long time. Did I mention they have a Starbucks coffee machine in the lobby. I felt very safe at this hotel. The staff were friendly and the property was very clean. I will certainly stay here again. Hopefully during nice weather so I can enjoy the patio. read more

Stayed here for two weeks and the workers were very nice. The room is clean with a small little fridge, but no inside microwave (they had one near the lobby) and very comfortable beds. The place is small and a little hidden so you might pass it when going through the intersection. It is right next to Safeway so it was very convenient for me to get groceries during my stay. I don't know how their hot breakfast would've been because covid, but they do try to accommodate on-the-go with milk, fruits, muffins and bagels. I work early morning through the late evening so I didn't get it much, but they did provide me with some delicious almond milk when requested. Definitely would stay here again. read more

Great location, pretty room, and pretty bathroom for a motel/ hotel. Unfortunately the room smelled damp and a faint musky odor was present the entire night. The AC did not go lower then 74 in December. The beds are not soft. read more

Clean, compact, pool tables, a long skinny lap pool, multiple tv screens, a fire pit, free coffee, and a complimentary breakfast of yogurt and cereals. Expensive room at $255 after tax, but there wasn't any hidden fees, incidental holds, or resort fees. Update: After having payed Hotel Lucent using my credit card at the hotel on March 1st, with check out March 2, on the occasion of my birthday weekend, a month later I receive voicemails from this hotel March 27 and April, 8, 2020, saying that they were then trying to run my credit card for the March 1st stay, which they already had done when I was standing right in front of them on March 1. They ran the card and had me sign the digitized screen as I was standing in their hotel. It went through, and the stay was pleasant enough. I have a print out of my bank records, so... The voice mail left for me today April 8, 2020, threatened to escalate collection. Really? It is obvious your hotel got hacked, and you are attempting to contact me to recoup a lost payment record. I don't think threatening and harassing a paying guest is the way to run a business. Yes, you cannot run the card you have on file a second time more than a month later, as I now have a new bank card. I think Lucent needs to change its approach, its tone, its accounting methods, and the security of its digital historical records to preserve the public's trust in your business. If you would like to take this to small claims court, be my guest. I am not going to pay you for your incompetence, poor relationship management, or a second time for a previously paid stay. You'll just have to wait until the courts open back up in May to file and serve your complaint. Hospitality much? read more

This boutique hotel was amazing. Super Clean, and lovely staff, I would recommend to anyone. Yvonne was super sweet and very kind during my stay. Love the place and the people! A++++ read more

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Fabulous, personal service from Yvonne. She let us check out a little later and was super nice about it. Also liked the communal spaces whose doors open to create an open floor plan leading to the pleasant patio with long, huge hot tub and great fire pit. Breakfast is great, parking is free, the beds are comfortable, and the water pressure good. The shower products also smelled great (lemongrass). Room is not huge, but everything is nice. Also could hear the low hum of trucks delivering food at hight at the next door Safeway. Almost a white noise (but not quite). A shout out to the great service and location of this place. read more

During a recent trip, I stayed at Hotel Lucent and had a great stay. The service was great, the room was comfy/clean/nice, and the complimentary breakfast was satisfactory. While the hotel is off a busy street, I specifically requested a room that was on the quieter side, which they accommodated me perfectly. I slept great during my stay. The hotel's location is good, because it is near several restaurants and a Trader Joe's. The inside was decorated nicely and they had nice amenities - a pool, a firepit, a workout room, and a nice breakfast area. The breakfast in the morning looked tasty but I only had coffee from the awesome Starbucks machine. Overall, if I was in the area, I'd definitely come back. read more

This morning, I attempted to charge my car at the Chargepoint station at Hotel Lucent. Both parking spots for charging were taken, but only one car was charging. When I asked the night manager, if he knew who was parking in the spot, he replied yes, he would look into it. After 15 minutes, I asked again. He told me that it looked like I was currently charging my car. I replied that I was but was in the handicapped spot, so I could not leave my car there. The night manager told me to leave my car there in the handicapped spot, that I would not receive a parking violation because it is private property. He said it was his car in the charging spot, "that is my spot, I'm the night manager." He would not provide his name. Most of the parking lot was empty. There was no reason for him to park in the charging location This night manager was working Wednesday, October 2 at 7:30 am. Very poor customer service. read more

I know it's COVID and all, but this was our experience. It was very bad and obviously disgusting. Their website is deceiving and the stay is not what they portray online. The breakfast was just cereal and the list goes on and on... read more

This was an unfortunate hotel for a business traveler. My room was incredibly loud -- I could hear every car that drove by throughout the night on the extremely busy el camino real. The accommodations were pretty basic which is fine but not for how much it cost. Their website is also fraught with issues and the email address they listed simply does not work (automatic "your mail was undeliverable") makes it hard to trust this hotel in the future. read more

Cleanest hotel in Bay Area (I have stayed at dozens). Great if you have allergies to dust mites and mold like I do.

I like this place. I go up for work in Menlo park and this is a great affordable place to stay on business. A totally remodeled motel, nice rooms and other amenities that make the most of its small size. Breakfast is included, as well as 24/7 coffee from a Starbucks machine in the lobby. I like the bedside USB ports for charging, marble desk, lap pool size jacuzzi and quite AC. It is trying really hard for the cool tech, Silicon Valley vibe (e.g throw pillows on the beds that sat "tweet" "chat" etc.) but I say, when in Rome! read more