el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)

Luxury & Style - The Pearl of Downtown Palo Alto
5 out of 5 stars and 7 reviews
·
Downtown Palo Alto, CA
$15,150 starting price
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201 to 250 guests
Holds ceremonies and receptions

About this venue

2012 Best of Weddings Winner
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
El PRADO is a contemporary-chic, luxury, boutique hotel and wedding venue nestled in Downtown Palo Alto, Northern California. A perfect location for your romantic Fairy Tale wedding. The open-air courtyard and fountain create a dreamy ambiance-a world apart in the center of everything. The hotel is an epitome of elegance, a gorgeous venue to celebrate a once in a lifetime event. Our staff is world renowned, famous for impeccable service with extraordinary attention to detail.
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Pricing details

Starting prices
Reception
Contact for price
Reception
Contact for price
Ceremony
$1,000
Bar services
$50 per person
Catering
Contact for price
  • Couples usually spend $18,250
  • Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees.
  • Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices. Peak season for this venue is Jul-Dec.
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Amenities + details

Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 250
Settings
Ballroom
Hotel
Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Bar Rental
Cakes & Desserts
Other Desserts
Food & Catering
Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
2012 Best of Weddings Winner
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Availability

Reviews

5.0

out of 5.0
7 reviews
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AvatarA
9/15/2024
FIVE STARS in Every Aspect of a Wedding Venue! Our wedding reception at this venue was truly exceptional – better than we could have ever imagined. Highly recommend! The Team: It all started with Jesse’s impeccable planning and coordination. His expertise and attention to detail were a huge relief, making the entire process seamless and stress-free. The Venue: El Prado’s courtyard and patio are simply stunning. With its large fireplace lit at night, beautiful Spanish-style balconies and string lights, the ambiance created a beautiful, global, and inclusive atmosphere that made the evening unforgettable. The Food: As many others have mentioned, the food was incredible – some of the best you can get at a wedding! The steak and salmon were fantastic, and the hors d'oeuvres, especially the lamb and twice-baked potatoes, were a big hit. We also used the second-floor lounge for an after-party, which was absolutely perfect. Accommodations: Having the venue as a hotel was the icing on the cake. Our family was able to stay together in the rooms, adding so much convenience and comfort to the celebration. Overall: Our experience was nothing short of amazing, and we couldn't have asked for more. Highly recommend for anyone looking to host an event here!
AvatarA
11/14/2023
Jesse, the events director at el PRADO, is exceptionally diligent, responsive, organized, and kind! We are only at the early stages of wedding planning (we'll update this review later), but we wanted to write a review just to emphasize how meaningful it is to us to have someone like Jesse on our team. We've learned that the role of the events lead at one's wedding venue is critical from the very beginning – Jesse never made us feel rushed during our walk-through, sent a simple sample quote in a clean and easy to adjust Excel sheet so we could estimate costs quickly, compartmentalized the steps of venue planning so we could focus on what matters at the initial contract stage, and was flexible with us to ensure we had everything we needed.
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AvatarE
10/16/2019
Words can not describe how appreciative I am of Jesse! He was our point of contact throughout the wedding planning process when we selected to host our reception at the Garden Court. If you are planning a wedding I highly recommend doing it here - not only is the food amazing (I was getting compliments all night), but the Terrace room is absolutely lovely and there are so many amazing perks with hosting a wedding here - among those complimentary stay in one of their lovely suites and also complimentary stay at one of the sister hotels in Spain for 5 nights. Everyone I interacted with from the Garden Court was so amazingly sweet and helpful and I received endless compliments on the venue and food.
AvatarA
1/05/2017
If not the best, one of the best reception venues in the Bay Area! We had our wedding reception at the Garden Court Hotel on 12.31.16, and it was definitely a NYE that no one will ever forget! First and foremost, this place is the definition of class. From the valet to the concierge to the event manager, Jesse, every single person you encounter is incredibly nice and respectful. The reception was beautiful, the banquet manager and staff were on top of everything and made sure every last detail was setup the way we had requested. We truly feel like this place was home for the 2 days we stayed here for the wedding. We had an expedited wedding plan in just under 6 months, and Jesse was the absolute best to work with. Incredibly flexible with his time, always was there for any question we had and more importantly was just a great person overall. The hotel rooms are beautiful. Our guests had about 38-40 rooms for NYE (out of 61). Every single person that stayed there had nothing but great things to say about their stay. Each room is slightly different and has its own little touch. Whether you are planning a wedding or just looking for a beautiful place to stay, we highly recommend the Garden Court Hotel for everyone! We will definitely be back!
AvatarE
11/03/2013
Thank you to Caitlin for being so organized and ensuring everything was perfect. Us OCD people stick together! :)
AvatarC
9/24/2012
Kelly was my coordinator and I can not speak enough good about what she has done to answer all any any of my random questions and concerns throughout the whole planning process. I got married over two weeks ago and people are still raving about the food and the venue site! Free night and honeymoon isn't a bad perk either!
AvatarC
5/20/2012
The Garden Court Hotel did an amazing job hosting our wedding reception. One can tell, Kelly, the wedding coordinator, has many years of experience. She was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, genuine, and a great communicator. Everyone thought the food was amazing and the service and staff were always on top of things. I would definitely recommend this venue!

Location

520 Cowper St, Downtown Palo Alto, CA
520 Cowper St, Downtown Palo Alto, CA
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$15,150 starting price
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el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)
Jesse Bresnahan
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el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)
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