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NEW YORK
In the heart of the City that Never Sleeps, a select few find solace within the hushed walls of New York's most exclusive private member's clubs. From the historic elegance of The Union Club to the contemporary glamour of Zero Bond, where creativity finds its canvas, these clubs weave a narrative of exclusivity and connection. These elite establishments represent more than a testimony to timeless sophistication, networking and culture, but spaces of legacy and allure. Behind the exclusive doors and applications, history and modernity intertwine to craft a truly New York narrative. Here are some of the top establishments:
1) The Knickerbocker Club
With no website or social media, The Knickerbocker Club's secrecy has fascinated many since its founding in 1871. Little to none is known about its details but its geographic location on 2 East 62nd Street and its birth from former members of The Union Club. It is one of the oldest gentlemen's clubs in the city and was once beloved by political figures like President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the financier J.P. Morgan, as well as poet T. S. Eliot and Hollywood star Douglas Fairbanks. Located once on 32nd Street and the Fifth Avenue, the Knickerbocker Club stands as a testament to legacy, privilege and sophistication.
Estimated Price: undisclosed.
Application undisclosed.
Address: 2 East 62nd Street, New York, USA
2) The Union Club
Before all, there was The Union Club. New York's first private social club established in 1836 originally hosted 250 “gentlemen of social distinction”, and is considered to be the 'Mother of Clubs' of New York (former members include founders of The Knickerbocker Club, The Metropolitan Club, The Brook and Union League Club of New York). Today, this heritage institution is situated at the intersection of 69th Street and Park Avenue. While it is no longer exclusive to just gentlemen, its prestige reputation still prevails among the elites. You may recognise some of its notable members: Dwight Eisenhower, Ulysses S. Grant, William Randolph Hearst and Cornelius Vanderbilt, just to name a few.
Estimated Price: annual fee of rumoured USD$5,000 - USD$7,680 with an initial fee of USD$14,000.
Application through invitations only.
Address: 101 East 69th Street, New York, New York 10021, USA | Website: theunionclub.com | Phone: +1 212 734 5400
3) Soho House New York
The title of Soho House is no stranger to a list of exclusive private members' clubs. At the heart of Manhattan, Soho House New York offers 45,000 sqft of luxury for its members. The building features a rooftop terrace, spa, fine dining restaurants, 44 elegant bedrooms and private screening rooms. Known for its appreciation of the arts, this outpost houses more than 65 artworks from esteemed artists around the world.
Estimated price: Membership starts from USD$666.75 quarterly (USD$333.50 for Under 27 members).
Address: 29-35 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10014, USA | Website: sohohouse.com | Phone: +1 212 627 9800 | Instagram: @sohohouse | Facebook: @sohohouse
4) The Metropolitan Club
The Metropolitan Club was established in 1891 from a gathering of esteemed gentlemen from politics, finance and business on the night of February 20th. The initial members include William K. Vanderbilt, James A. Roosevelt and the first club president and former Union Club member J. Pierpont Morgan. The Metropolitan Club's prominence bleeds through history in prominent figures like Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon. Embracing the old glamour of New York, the 3-story mansion and 6th-floor penthouse are reminiscent of the classic Gilded Age.
Estimated Price: annual fee of USD$5,000 with an initiation fee.
Application undisclosed.
Address: One East Sixtieth Street, New York, NY 10022-1054, USA | Website: metropolitanclubnyc.org | Phone: +1 212 838-7400
5) CORE: New York
Rising in the city's bustling exclusive private members club scene, CORE Club captures the eyes of the elites with its luxurious, chic modernity and pristine amenities and the hearts of socialites with its exclusive networking of respected personalities from 13 different industries (architecture & design, art, banking & finance, biotech & healthcare, business, fashion & beauty, hospitality & culinary, media & entertainment, real estate, science, and sports, and technology). This eminent presence was founded in 2005 by Jennie Enterprise and is said to be a hot spot for Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzma.
Estimated Price: annual fee of $15,000 - $18,000 with an initiation fee of USD$15,000 - USD$100,000.
Address: 66 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022, USA | Website: thecoreclub.com | Phone: +1 212 486 6600 | Email: membership@thecoreclub.com | Instagram: @thecoreclub
Opening just a year ago, The Ned NoMad has already marked its name in the list of members' clubs among the elites. From hosting private exclusive afterparties to events, the celebrities spotted at the scene include Gigi Hadid, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Ratajkowski, Irina Shayk, G-Eazy and Giancarlo Stanton. The Ned NoMad is located in the iconic Johnston Building, capturing a luxurious view of the Empire Building. Its extensive art collection holds more than 150 artworks across the 167 bedrooms and the members-only bars and terrace.
Estimated Price: annual fee of USD$5,000 with a joining fee of USD$1,500 | present Soho House members: annual fee of USD$2,500 | new members younger than 30: annual fee of USD$4,000 with a joining fee USD $350
Address: 1170 Broadway , New York, NY, United States, New York, USA | Website: thened.com/nomad | Phone: +1 212 722 0555 | Email: enquires.nomad@thened.com | Instagram: @thenednomad | Facebook: @The Ned NoMad | Twitter: @TheNedNoMad
7) The Yale Club
The City of Dreams is the place of business and prosperity, the destination for many graduates looking to dive into their career path. As the name implies, The Yale Club is a private members club of brilliant minds who have graduated from the prestige university. Founded in 1897 on 17 Madison Square, the 22-story clubhouse is now situated on Vanderbilt Avenue as one of the world's largest clubhouses and the largest college clubhouse to date. Inside The Yale Club, you can find portraitures of the five Yale-educated Presidents and members: William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, overlooking the comforting escape from the bustling business lifestyle for a sense of familiarity.
Estimated Price: Those who have received a degree from Yale University, full-time graduate students who are completing a degree-granting program at Yale, and full-time professors are eligible for membership.
Address: 50 Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY, United States, New York, USA | Website: yaleclubnyc.org | Phone: +1 212 716 2100 | Email: info@yaleclubnyc.org | Instagram: @yaleclubnyc | Facebook: @yaleclubnyc
8) The Colony Club
In 1907, society doyenne Florence Harriman founded the first ladies-only private members club in New York, The Colony Club. Elegant and luxurious, the clubhouse was designed by actress-turned-interior designer Elsie de Wolfe to provide a home-away-from-home experience for the established ladies. On its first anniversary, a complete membership list was published by The New York Times featuring leading figures like four Vanderbilts, four Whitneys, the three daughters of J.P Morgan, Mrs. John Jacob Astor and Ethel Barrymore.
Estimated Price: undisclosed
Application through invitations only.
Address: 564 Park Avenue, New York 10065, USA | Website: colonyclub.org | Phone: +1 212 838 4200
9) Zero Bond
Drake's Barclays Center debut afterparty, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson's second date night, Elon Musk's 2021 Met Gala afterparty, Gigi Hadid's 27th birthday dinner... It is safe to say that Zero Bond has established its 'it' status in the lists of private members clubs among current Hollywood A-listers. Opened just in October of 2020 at Zero Bond Street in NoHo, this clubhouse encapsulates the allure of New York- a place of character, liveliness and vibrancy. From a rumoured $15 million art collection to an omakase sushi bar, there is no doubt that we can expect to see more from Zero Bond's social scene.
Estimated Price: under 28 annual fee of USD$2,750 with an initial fee of USD$750 | 28-45 annual fee of USD$3,850 with an initial fee of USD$1,000 | over 45 annual fee of USD$4,400 with an initial fee of USD$5,000 Application Details.
Address: Zero Bond St., New York, NY, 10012, USA | Website: zerobondny.com | Phone: Email: info@zerobondny.com | Instagram: @zerobondnyc | Facebook: @zerobondny
10) Casa Cipriani
Casa Cipriani is the chic backdrop to the bustling scene of New York. Here, elites from all walks of life gather to enjoy the simple pleasures of life away from the blinding cameras. Located in the stunning Beaux-Art style Battery Maritime Building, the private members club captures the view of the city's signature Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. This is where music comes to life, and also the place where Gigi Hadid and Leonardo Di Caprio were spotted leaving together after their date.
Estimated Price: NY only under 30 annual fee of USD$2,500 with an initiation fee of USD$1,000 | NY only general individual annual fee of USD$3,900 with an initiation fee of USD$2,000 | global under 30 of USD$4,000 with an initiation fee of USD$1,000 | global individual annual fee of USD$5,000 with an initiation fee of USD$2,000
Address: 10 South Street, New York, NY 10004, USA | Website: casaciprianinewyork.com | Phone: +1 212 584 5801 | Email: membership@casacipriani.com | Facebook: @casaciprianinyc
11) The Harvard Club
In 1865, Harvard alumni founded The Harvard Club of New York City as a serene sanctuary in the bustling Big Apple. The heritage clubhouse is one of the first buildings to be named a New York City Landmark and one listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Here, the renowned university alumni and affiliated elites drown themselves in the luxurious library, pristine venues and chic lounges under each others' familiar presence.
Estimated Price: Resident/Professional Membership annual fee of USD$495 - USD$2,474 | Suburban Membership annual fee of USD$334 - USD$1,650 | Non-Resident Membership, East annual fee of USD$223 - USD$1,113 | Non-Resident, West and International annual fee of USD$148 - USD$742 | Faculty Membership annual fee of USD$148 - USD$495
Address: 35 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036, USA | Website: hcny.com | Phone: +1 212-840-6600 | Email: info@hcny.com | Instagram: @harvardclubnyc | Facebook: @harvardclubnyc
12) NeueHouse
Within the growing culture of private members clubs during COVID, NeueHouse manages to stand out with its emphasis on providing elegant and exquisite work/social space. NeueHouse's home at Madison Square, a celebrated Manhattan art auction house in the 1930s, reflects its respect for creativity and commerce. Members are able to indulge in its luxurious amenities ranging from Private Studios, Broadcast & Podcast Facilities, Conference Rooms, Screening Rooms, Private Phone Booths, Wellness Rooms and more.
Estimated Price: Salon membership annual fee of USD$3,600 | Off-Site membership annual fee of USD$3,500 per member | Resident membership price tailored per location
Address: 110 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, USA | Website: neuehouse.com/houses/madison-square | Phone: +1 212-273-0440 | Instagram: @neuehouse | Facebook: @NeueHouse
13) The University Club
Under the masterful hands of architects McKim Mead & White, The University Club was built to offer a royale experience. The clubhouse's elite exterior and luxurious interior reflect a true Italian Renaissance palazzo. In the hushed halls, members relax in its iconic Library inspired by the Borgia apartments of the Vatican that holds over 100,000 volumes and periodicals of book collection. Members require an earned Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, a proposal of admission and 3-5 recommendations from current members.
Estimated Price: annual fee of USD$1,000 - USD$5,000.
Address: One West 54th Street New York, NY 10019, USA | Website: universityclubny.org | Phone: +1 212 247 2100