First off, I think it's necessary to clarify what I had read in some of the reviews. People have posted that there's "no sink." Before we arrived I was thinking up all sorts of camping-esque strategies for brushing our teeth. Jug of water? Brush in the shower? It seemed like a weird situation, but I was willing to roll with it. I'm happy to report (and to set the record straight) that there *is* a sink in the cottage, there is just no *kitchen* sink. This is an important distinction, people! And it's easy to use the bathroom sink in place of the kitchen sink, so I'm not sure what the problem is. The cottage is like a dorm room with a private bathroom. The same amenities as the average hotel room, fewer amenities than a home. I'm not sure what people have been so tripped up about...?
Anyway, the cottage is in a great location - walking distance to a Chinese restaurant, bagel place, Starbucks, and upscale market. It's about a $10 Lyft to Stanford. It's clean, it's cozy, and the fruit trees and sweet neighborhood make this spot feel secluded, even though it's on a shared lot.
If we ever have to return to Palo Alto, this is definitely where we'll stay again. It has everything, and the price absolutely cannot be beat.