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🌟 The Jay, Autograph Collection, 433 Clay Street🌟
🛏️ Number of rooms & suites: 360
💰 Price: The Jay Hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and a standard room will start at $300–$500 per night, depending on dates/season/room type, and increase from there for premium-view rooms and suites.
If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member, you might get some advantages, such as upgrades and free WiFi (check with them). You might also find deals between January and March. In my experience, Marriott hotels are generous with their points too, so check that out.
📚 Why book: The thoughtful and comprehensive renovation of the former Le Méridien Hotel is gorgeous, and this 25-story old-timer feels like a hip and trendy downtown gem that re-opened at the end of 2023. Though the exterior is considered “brutalist” architecture, nothing about The Jay Hotel feels unwelcoming or brutal.
The rooms and suites vary in size and configuration, appealing to couples, groups, and families. You can expect neutral tones, but they are not bland, with accents and textures such as brass fixtures, leather chairs, and patterned fabrics.
Some rooms have balconies that overlook downtown. And the minibars are stocked with local products, such as St. George Gin, distilled across the bay in Alameda.
🧀 Dining: The Third Floor Restaurant & Lounge serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is a gathering spot to meet, socialize, conduct business, or work quietly in a corner on your laptop.
The space features several distinct areas: the dining room, a lounge/bar area, and an outdoor rooftop terrace where you can enjoy drinks and snacks around fire pits, offering stunning views of the skyscrapers. This area also has a morning coffee bar and plenty of seating for those who wish to work and chill on their own.
Prelude is situated on the hotel’s street level and offers an upscale experience, featuring southern-inspired dishes served à la carte or as part of a tasting menu. It’s considered one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. The restaurant’s bar is super cute and cozy, too, and they serve nibbles if you want to soak up the atmosphere without committing to a sit-down dinner.
🗺️ Neighborhood: In the heart of downtown, walking distance to Chinatown, North Beach, Cable Cars, the Ferry Building, Oracle Park, museums, and more. The Jay Hotel is a great home base for exploring all the amazing things to do in San Francisco.
👀 Nearby attractions: Ferry Building, Chinatown, North Beach, Museums, the Embarcadero, Cable Cars, Coit Tower, Oracle Park.
💫 Highlights: Views, location, the Third Floor Roof Terrace, Prelude
❤️ My heartthrobs: The 3rd-floor roof terrace was a lovely surprise, and I appreciate the numerous fire tables and outdoor heaters, since San Francisco is rarely warm enough to sit outdoors. The in-room minibars feature products made in San Francisco, including a locally made gin. I loved the super-soft bathrobes and the custom bath amenities in the hotel’s signature scent.
💔 My heartbreaks: Charging for WiFi. Why? WHY? (I’m shaking my fists at the sky). Nickel-and-diming guests for internet access is so passé. Everyone wants the Internet and, dare I say, needs it for their jobs. If you’re a Marriott member, you can get it for free, so it might be worth signing up.
Book a stay at The Jay!
