San Francisco City Guides is thrilled to announce our newest premier sponsor for 2024: The Jay Autograph Collection. This extraordinary boutique hotel, whose design and décor are inspired by the city’s art and architecture, opened in November at 433 Clay Street.
“This is a special partnership because City Guides and the Jay share the same passion for San Francisco and for telling the stories of our city with pride,” says Demetri Rizos, Executive Director of City Guides. “We’ve been doing that for 46 years with the community’s support, and we’re incredibly grateful to The Jay for its support.”
As a premier sponsor, The Jay Hotel’s support is a fundamental difference maker for City Guides, helping to underwrite our non-profit organization’s educational mission of sharing the history, lore, characters, and stories of our City.
“Our name in Latin is related to the word rejoice or celebrate,” says Michael Musarra, The Jay’s General Manager. “We are dedicated to celebrating the positive spirit and people of San Francisco, not just the well-known but also the small businesses and lesser-known people who make a big contribution to the city.”
The Jay, at 433 Clay Street, is an entirely new reimagination of the space of the former Le Meridien hotel. Its interior takes its inspiration from several creative people with indelible links to the city.
The main lobby, circular staircase, and sculptural elements of the public space are a nod to architect John Portman, reflecting his brutalist design of the Embarcadero Center complex. Guest rooms are provided with a relaxing, residential atmosphere using color tones and palettes inspired by the iconic San Francisco artist Ruth Asawa; their in-room “Market Bars” are stocked with food and beverage items from the Ferry Building marketplace. In the meeting spaces, the energetic vibe is derived from the bold colors and avant-garde style of Peggy Caserta and the trend-setting Haight-Ashbury boutique Mnasidika, which she opened in 1965.
One of the other drivers behind the new hotel was a desire for “unearthing” San Francisco’s hidden stories and characters, Musarra said, and being able to curate experiences for guests. That’s one of the primary reasons for the partnership with City Guides. “What you do is fantastic,” Musarra says. “To educate people who come to our city and share this great, positive story about San Francisco. Like City Guides, our hotel has made a big investment in San Francisco, and we think it’s a great time to be here.”
