Pulling Back the Curtain on Where the Global Elite Meet and Mingle
How do you define success? Love, family and happiness are all key pieces to the puzzle—but sometimes you just gotta splurge. Exclusivity is something we all relish, packaged with an aspirational lifestyle in which luxury is enjoyed at the highest levels of service and convenience. For the right combination of work, play and privacy, the world’s most compelling social clubs are eager to welcome members. Just know not everyone is invited.
SOHO HOUSE
Founded in the district it’s named after in London, Soho House set new standards of what’s possible for a social club, expanding aggressively while retaining a strict code of selectivity. The operation focuses on global networking with more than 40 locations throughout the world’s greatest cultural destinations.
Soho House is a coworking and connecting space, targeting creatives and a crowd that found traditional private clubs too stuffy. Each location has the residential feel of a stylish home with in-house dining. (It’s not uncommon to see the same dishes appear between menus.)
Yet as the brand expands, some adapt to the identities of their respective cities. The Little Beach House in Malibu, for example, feels like a coastal resort with sundecks; while the Soho House in Istanbul took over a restored 19th-century palace, emphasizing the preservation of artifacts and architecture.
A global pass runs around $5,000 a year, although limited access is granted to a lower “friends” tier and American Express Platinum cardholders.
CORE
Compared to Soho House, CORE is much more strict about who’s allowed inside. Formed in the heart of Manhattan, New York, in 2005, this members-only club is available by invitation-only to business leaders, artists and media figures with an annual fees of at least $15,000, plus a $50,000 sign-up fee and referral.
Members may find themselves rubbing shoulders with the likes of Bill Clinton and powerful corporate CEOs. The model proved to be a success, moving to a larger space in 2023, taking over four floors of NYC’s historic, prestigious Coca-Cola Building on Fifth Avenue near Central Park.
Spend the night in a suite, soak in terrace views or close a deal inside a speakeasy-style lounge. CORE is looser than other clubs about the dress code and cell phone rules, but make no mistake: These players are serious business. A second version is in the works for Milan.
Yacht Club de Monaco
As far as private clubs go, this one hides in plain sight in Monaco, celebrating the affluence of the world’s smallest sovereign state—if you don’t count Vatican City. Just steps from Monte Carlo’s extravagant casinos in, the Yacht Club de Monaco is the crown jewel of Port Hercule, where the wealthiest in the world love to park luxury boats. Founded by Prince Rainier in 1953, the club moved to its current, more expansive building in 2014. It’s layered with viewing decks, resembling a cruise ship that’s locked in place. The royal palace remains tightly involved; new members require approval from Prince Albert II and sponsorship by two existing members. The window to join is open just twice a year and is celebrated with a cocktail reception and dinner.
Afterward, the fine dining and French Riviera lifestyle are yours to enjoy year-round. Membership is geared towards yachters and boat owners, especially those who participate in regattas and other sailing competitions.
Yellowstone Club
If you seek an outdoor-driven lifestyle in Montana, it doesn’t get much better—or more elite—than the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky. Beyond the background checks and references, those seeking membership are required to plunk down millions for prime real estate—from condos, to sprawling ranch estates; close to half a million in initiation fees; and up to $80,000 in annual dues.
It all adds up to an exclusive Rocky Mountain environment with more than 2,900 skiable acres, an 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf, plus spaces like The Barn and Rainbow Lodge for dining and special events.
The community was designed by the Discovery Land Company, which also reimagined experiential residential lifestyles with elevated, discreet communities like Summit in Las Vegas, Driftwood in Austin, Texas, and Chileno Bay in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
ZERO BOND
Founded by 1OAK mastermind Scott Sartiano, Zero Bond represents the evolution of the social club through a modern American lens, coming to life with inspiration from New York’s nightlife and hospitality scene.
The original location, which is named after its NoHo address on 0 Bond Street in the heart of Manhattan, occupies an old Brooks Brothers factory. It was built in 1873 as a magnificent example of Victorian Romanesque architecture. The renovated interior was designed as a retreat for celebrities and power brokers, from Taylor Swift to former mayor Eric Adams, with an emphasis on privacy and a no-photos policy.
A second Zero Bond is now open inside Wynn Las Vegas, one of the most indulgent hotels on the world-famous Strip. While smaller than the original, the Vegas version equally embraces a culture of discretion with dining, cocktails, a private disco lounge and an outdoor sculpture garden overlooking the resort’s iconic golf course. Annual membership dues begin at $2,750 with a $1,000 initiation fee.
The Battery
Located in San Francisco’s historic Jackson Square, The Battery is a networking hub for the Bay Area elite, from politicians and artists to Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs. The club is inside the industrial Musto Building, an old marble factory that dates back to 1907.
Today members can explore a wine cellar, hobnob among bars and restaurants, or view a documentary by an independent filmmaker inside the screening room. In a fun twist, The Battery has its own 14-room boutique hotel on premises—and guests are considered “members” during their stay. Otherwise, a standard membership runs $3,200 a year with an additional $2,000 paid upon initiation.
DRACULA CLUB
The Dracula Club in St. Moritz, Switzerland, is a private, members-only meeting place inside the Kulm Hotel, a luxurious alpine town in the Swiss Alps. Also known as Dracula’s Ghost Riders Club, it’s mostly active during the winter ski season but rises from the dead over summer for the Festival da Jazz concert series.
Founded by photographer and art collector Gunter Sachs in 1970, the Dracula Club is exclusive but doesn’t take itself too seriously. Opting for mirror balls, smoke machines and a retro atmosphere, the club’s parties traditionally start on or after midnight.
Guests must be accompanied by a Life Member. Formal jackets are part of the dress code, and cell phones are frowned upon. Photos and filming are prohibited. Just like a Swiss bank account, discretion is everything. Admission is typically by referral. You don’t apply, and fees aren’t published.
