Courtyard San Mateo Foster City

Courtyard by Marriott San Mateo Foster City is a business hotel on Shell Boulevard in Foster City, the planned bayside town built on landfill in the 1960s next to San Mateo. Marriott says the hotel is fully renovated, with new room designs and a modernized lobby. It sits roughly halfway between SFO and Palo Alto, with Highway 101 and the San Mateo Bridge close by. For a Palo Alto visitor it is a useful base when your trip also includes San Francisco, an early flight or meetings in San Mateo and Foster City. Parking is cheap by Peninsula standards.

This profile is based on Marriott's official page for the hotel, checked on November 3, 2026. We do not publish star ratings or reviews. Fees are what Marriott listed that day and may change. For live rates, check Courtyard Foster City on Booking.com or book with Marriott.

Location and distances

The address is 550 Shell Boulevard, Foster City, CA 94404. The hotel is in central Foster City, a short drive from Highway 92, among offices, shopping centers and the lagoons that wind through town. Foster City is flat and quiet. Most of its restaurants sit in shopping centers along Foster City Boulevard and around the Metro Center area near Route 92.

Road estimates are ours. Highway 101 south to University Avenue is the direct route. It slows badly at weekday peaks, especially near Highway 92 and through Redwood City. Our traffic guide covers the worst times.

Getting to Palo Alto and SFO without a car

No train runs into Foster City. Marriott lists the Hillsdale Caltrain station in San Mateo and Millbrae BART as the nearest rail. Hillsdale is about 2 miles away, a short rideshare or a SamTrans bus ride. SamTrans route 251 starts at Hillsdale Shopping Center near the station and loops through Foster City, but buses are not frequent, so check the schedule. From Hillsdale, Caltrain reaches Palo Alto in roughly 15 to 25 minutes. Hillsdale is in zone 2 and Palo Alto in zone 3, so you pay a two-zone fare. That was $6.25 with Clipper in October 2026 and rises to $6.50 on January 1, 2027. Our Caltrain guide explains Clipper and express trains.

For SFO, ride Caltrain north to Millbrae and switch to BART for one stop, or take a rideshare for the 9.5 miles Marriott lists. The hotel has no shuttle. Our SFO guide compares the options.

Rooms

Marriott does not publish a room count. It describes spacious rooms and suites with plush bedding and ergonomic workstations, all redone in the renovation. Here are the listed terms:

• Check-in and checkout. 3 p.m. and noon.
• Minimum age. 18 to check in.
• Housekeeping. Every other day.
• Wi-Fi. Free high-speed Wi-Fi.
• Front desk. Open 24 hours.
• Smoking. The property is smoke-free.

Parking, pets and fitness

• Parking. Self parking at $10 a day as of November 2026, low for this part of the Bay Area.
• EV charging. None. Marriott says the hotel has no electric vehicle charging stations.
• Pets. One pet per room, up to 35 pounds. Marriott listed $20 a night plus a $100 nonrefundable fee per stay. Service animals are exempt.
• Fitness. A free 24-hour fitness center with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, free weights and strength machines.
• Pool. None listed.
• Meetings. Flexible event space for meetings and small gatherings.

Check the official Marriott page before you travel. The pet terms in particular are tighter than at many hotels.

Dining on site

The Bistro serves breakfast with Starbucks coffee drinks and lighter, healthier options. Marriott's FAQ says breakfast is not free. The Market is open 24 hours with snacks, drinks and grab-and-go meals, handy after a late flight into SFO. Marriott does not list a bar, so plan to go out for an evening drink.

Food nearby

Downtown San Mateo, about 10 minutes away, has one of the Peninsula's best restaurant clusters, strong on Japanese food. These places were confirmed open in our San Mateo food guide on November 1, 2026:

• Taishoken at 47 E. 4th Avenue, ramen and tsukemen.
• Tokie's at 34 E. 4th Avenue, a Japanese restaurant and bar.
• HiroNori Craft Ramen at 211 E. 3rd Avenue.
• Pausa Bar and Cookery at 223 E. 4th Avenue, Italian dinners that take reservations.
• Pancho Villa Taqueria at 365 S. B Street, tacos and burritos.

Closer to the hotel, Foster City's shopping centers hold Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean and Mexican restaurants plus cafes and large grocery stores. Several San Mateo restaurants close on Mondays, so check before you drive.

Who Courtyard Foster City suits

• Travelers flying in or out of SFO who also need time in Palo Alto.
• Business visitors with meetings in Foster City, San Mateo or across the San Mateo Bridge in the East Bay.
• Drivers watching costs, since $10 a day is low for parking near Palo Alto.
• Owners of one small dog up to 35 pounds.

Because the hotel sits between the airport and Silicon Valley, it also works as a first or last night on a longer trip. Land at SFO, sleep here, then move to a hotel in Palo Alto once you know your way around. Or spend your final night here before an early flight north.

It is a poor fit for families who want a pool or for anyone planning to ride the train every day. Foster City itself is good for an easy walk or bike ride along the lagoons and the bay. Our Foster City guide covers Leo J. Ryan Park and the new community center that opened in September 2026. Coyote Point, with its beach and the CuriOdyssey museum, is a 10-minute drive north. See our Coyote Point guide.

Booking tips

1. Count the bridge toll. If your plans include the East Bay, the San Mateo Bridge toll for cars rises from $8.50 to $9.00 with FasTrak on January 1, 2027.
2. Plan for SFO traffic. Allow extra time on Highway 101 north on weekday mornings.
3. Read the pet rules closely. One pet up to 35 pounds is a tighter limit than at many Marriott hotels.
4. Weekend rates. Business demand is heaviest Monday to Thursday, so weekends can be cheaper.
5. Compare sites. You can compare San Mateo and Foster City hotels on Hotels.com for your dates.

Frequently asked questions