A new downtown nest

The Jay, Fidi

GETAWAYS • Staycation

Old school San Franciscans remember 433 Clay Street as the Park Hyatt, or later, Le Méridien. Now, the brutalist hotel has reopened as The Jay, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, after the company spent millions in an effort to revive downtown’s luxury lodging scene.

It just might work. The years-long renovation by design firm AvroKO introduced 360 brighter, lighter, and sexier rooms than at any other hotel in the area. The penthouse, nicknamed “The Nest” due to frequent visits from the city’s wild parrot flock, is stunning, a 1,660-square-foot space with a bathtub that might be the wildest place to ride out San Francisco’s next big earthquake.

The Jay’s restaurant and rooftop terrace also take big swings, intended to lure locals to mingle with the out-of-towners. The Omakase Restaurant Group, also behind Michelin-starred sushi spot Omakase and steak and whiskey destination Niku, is hoping for similar cred at The Third Floor, the hotel’s all-day offering. The menu is a work in progress, but echoes the group’s overall East-meets-West vibe. Highlights so far include a duck dumpling soup and a truly ambitious passionfruit Pavlova.

Next up: a concise “power lunch” menu and afternoon tea service. Until then, there’s always a “Here’s Johnnie” cocktail (Scotch, apple brandy, carpano, and Earl Grey) at the sky-scraping bar. –Eve Batey

→ The Jay (Fidi) • 433 Jay St.