San Francisco Wedding Venues

el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)

Luxury & Style - The Pearl of Downtown Palo Alto
4.7 out of 5 stars and 10 reviews
·
Downtown Palo Alto, CA
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Deals
GiftPermanent
Complimentary Deluxe Guestroom
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About this venue

Vendor
Sherry Michelson Hernandez
SR. CATERING AND SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER
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.
42+ years in business
Speaks English, Spanish, Tagalog
5 team members
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
Settings
Ballroom
Hotel
Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Bar Rental
Cakes & Desserts
Other Desserts
Food & Catering
Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Circle Message
Any questions?
Meet the team
  • Vendor
    Jesse Bresnahan
    Director of Events
    Jesse’s love for weddings began along the picturesque coastline of her home state of Maine, where he discovered the joy and beauty of celebrating life’s most meaningful moments. Drawn to the energy, emotion, and detail of each event, she turned her passion into a lifelong calling. Since moving to California in 2005 to be closer to family, Jesse found his home at el PRADO—and instantly fell in love with the hotel’s timeless charm and warm elegance. For nearly two decades, she’s been part of the heartbeat behind unforgettable celebrations at the property. Jesse’s approach is heartfelt, thoughtful, and seamless—guiding couples through the planning process with grace and care. With Jesse by your side, your wedding is more than an event—it’s a memory in the making.
Reviews
4.7
out of 5.0
10 reviews
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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
El PRADO is highly recommended for intimate and charming weddings, with guests praising the beautiful setting, delicious food, and impeccable service. Reviewers highlighted the flexibility and professionalism of the staff, particularly mentioning Sherry and Jesse for their exceptional assistance throughout the planning process. The venue's courtyard, patio, and second-floor lounge were all commended for creating a stunning ambiance, and the convenience of having accommodations available at the hotel was a bonus for many guests. Overall, El PRADO exceeded expectations and provided an exceptional experience for all aspects of wedding celebrations.
AvatarE
Highlighted review.
8/15/2025
Highly recommend el PRADO if you are looking for something intimate and charming for your wedding. We had our 90-person wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and reception all on the sec...
ond floor (Terraza Ballroom, solarium and hotel lounge), and it was a decent size for our number of guests. The hotel staff was professional and courteous, and the food was great as well. A special shoutout to Sherry for going above and beyond in helping us throughout the planning process and being flexible with last minute changes!
AvatarZ
7/19/2025
el PRADO absolutely exceeded our expectations! So many of our guests (family AND friends) told us el PRADO was beautiful. Our moms specifically were wow'd by the opening of the b...
allroom at the end of the cocktail hour, and our foodie relatives loved the food! (which means a lot as they can be very... critical). Sherry took great care of us through all the planning, and both her and her staff were flawless and flexible in their day-of execution. We were able to fully immerse ourselves in the celebration with our guests, which means so much to us.
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Any questions?
AvatarL
4/26/2025
- Hidden Fees - Overcharged for the service we didn't use for
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 la...
ter), 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.
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 Cour...
t. 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, know...
ledgeable, 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!

Service area & Contact info

520 Cowper St, Downtown Palo Alto, CA
520 Cowper St, Downtown Palo Alto, CA
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meet the owner
el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)
Sherry Michelson Hernandez
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Sr. Catering and Special Events Manager
My wedding date is flexible

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el PRADO (formerly known as Garden Court Hotel)
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