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Carmel Magazine Digital Edition SU16

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T his March, an innovative new luxury hotel opened its sleek doors in downtown Palo Alto. The Clement is an all-inclusive, 23-room luxu- ry hotel designed primarily for the sophisticated business traveler. "We have a range of customers," says Clement Chen, III, president of Pacific Hotel Management. "One guest who is a regular visitor is a venture capitalist…Another is a business traveler from overseas. We had a musician who came to this area for a meeting with Facebook. His agency sent us a 2- ½-page list of what he wanted in his room when he arrived, including his favorite kind of yogurt and water. We said, 'You've done all our work for us!'" In fact, every guest is encouraged to complete a survey and e-mail his or her preferences prior to their stay so that their room may be outfitted with favorite beverages, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, stationary may be personalized with their names, favorite snacks be in their refrigerator, and space set aside for the family dog, if he tags along. Not one single item is charged extra for, and even the day's tips for the staff are included in the room price. "My wife and I first experienced an all-inclusive resort in Bali," Chen recalls. "We had dinner one night and were looking for our check. We were told, 'You don't need to sign anything.'" That seamless experience inspired Chen to create "a pricing model that you don't see very often in this type of location." The all-inclusive amount ranges from $699-$899 a night for a suite for a single traveler, with an extra $150 per night per additional room guests. There are also two regular rooms (which don't have living rooms) that are $200 less per night. "All meals, beverages, valet parking, and Internet are included," Chen says. "A 5 percent service charge is distributed to all the staff so you don't need to tip." The small hotel is designed to feel like a large private residence, where THE CLEMENT HOTEL, PALO ALTO Pa l o A l t o, C a l i f o r n i a B Y S A B R I N A S P E I D E L D E S T I N A T I O N S C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 6 267 Photos: Courtesy of The Clement, Palo Alto

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