Downtown Menlo Park, California

Ask to be shown a room before you check-in which signals the front desk agent to show the best room available to sell it right away. This can put you in the best room available at that time and gives you the ability to check for cleanliness, smells and sounds before transacting with the hotel.

Call ahead to make sure your reservation is still active and rebook if there are any price drops or changes in number of people staying with you. Another cost saving tips is to bundle the stay with airport parking and shuttle to avoid hefty fees.

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Menlo Park offers on-the-go dining when you visit your favorite food truck. Pick up some corn tortilla tacos with freshly made pico with a fresh squeeze of lemon to give your day a boost. Food trucks can offer a wide variety of niche ethnic blends.

Menlo Park brings smiles by way of doughnuts and pastries made fresh daily for your enjoyment. Everyone has their favorite of course but having a variety of bakeries is what makes downtown so special. Fritters, scones and pies oh my!

Menlo Park is a great place to rent a bike and take it for a ride around downtown. There are many bike shops that sell bike and accessories as well as provide service and tuning on your ride. Don't forget your helmet and other protective gear such as reflective gear, headlight and horn.