Members Only: Why Hotels From LA to Atlanta are Opening Private Clubs
Join the club at hotels like Pendry West Hollywood, Thompson Buckhead and more.
Covid redefined the staycation. First, by necessity, pandemic lockdowns encouraged us to turn our homes into resort-like retreats that could offer some of the same pleasures as a getaway at a favorite hotel. Now, as the world opens back up — but farther-flung travel is still unpredictable (if not actually limited) — top-flight American hoteliers are evolving staycations again by creating ways for locals to better enjoy properties that are close to home. Among the most exciting of these developments? Hotels and resorts with their very own private clubs.
While the concept of a hotel-based private club is not new—there are the ones at the Saint James Club in Paris and Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, for example, along with billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s by-invitation-only club at Houston’s Post Oak Hotel—the slew of new versions launched in 2021 (and slated for 2022) are taking the concept to a higher level. Rather than just providing “day pass”-style access to hotel services and amenities (like the pool, spa or restaurant), these outfits are aiming to entice members with perks not available even to those checked into the hotel.
The timing for this trend makes sense. Asked why now proved the right time for the nearly century-old Gurney’s in the Montauk to launch a membership club, brand owner George Filopoulos tells Robb Report that it comes “at a time when individuals are prioritizing privacy and personalization as well as their physical and mental wellbeing. Not to mention, we’ve seen more full-time residents (in the Hamptons) as a result of the flexibility of remote work.”
