Want Clubby Cachet? Stay at a Private Club

I'm a bit surprised you mentioned the Princeton Club without noting the infamous plaque which formerly adorned the entryway to the formerly men-only grill: “Where women cease from troubling and the wicked are at rest." (The Times covered the demise of that tradition on December 2, 1972.) We have come far, but clearly have miles to go before we sleep, as evidenced in part by the gentleman quoted as adverse to mixing "with the great unwashed masses" because his grandchildren were exposed to "a shirt that had the F word on it" at the Four Seasons. And at high tea, no less! Oh, the shame, the shame. . .

Private city clubs, especially big city clubs affiliated with major universities, are racially diverse places now, no need to consider one’s stay a “protest.” Nonwhite and nonmale faces are everywhere, and totally welcomed.

Well, now that you've let the cat out of the bag, everyone will want to visit these private clubs. And they should. Private clubs are no longer what they were even 50 years ago. White-Christian-men only clubs have ceased to exist in America. These clubs welcome all who can find a member sponsor, a second and 5 character references along with the initiation fee. To quote a line from the Delta Fraternity in the movie Animal House, "We need the dues!"

From the article: “The reason people stay in private clubs,” said Mr. McCabe, the industry consultant, “is so they don’t have to be with the great unwashed masses, the proletariat. Reading this made me think that the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposal for a marginal top tax rate of 70% is WAY too conservative. Let's make it 90% (as it was during the Eisenhower era). Go AOC! And, why in the world should such clubs get the tax benefits of non-profit status?

It appears from the article and other comments that these clubs are located in cities. Also that they cater to graduates of exclusive private colleges. As I rarely visit cities, and attended a public university, it appears these clubs have little use for the likes of me. That's fine, I have little use for them either.

Uh-oh. Do your research! We once spent a night in San Francisco at a journalists club of some kind. We were sent there by our hotel who had somehow lost our reservation. The decor was ancient, the long heavy draperies had never been cleaned and were falling apart, and the smell of cigarette smoke was overwhelming. We were only a few floors up from the street, there was no soundproofing, and the traffic went by noisily all night. It was one of the most miserable nights of my life (other than sick occasions). We got almost no sleep, and the next day we were so tired it was hard to enjoy San Francisco.

My husband is a member of the Princeton Club in NYC. He joined to have a place to go and work while in between his frequent meetings in NYC. We have not used the reciprocal clubs but have stayed at the Princeton Club more than once while visiting NYC as a family. The updated rooms (these are the only ones we have seen) are quite nice and relaxing. They are also much less expensive than comparable rooms in NYC. We have also hosted family there for Passover and Thanksgiving and have had a very good experience. My husband did not join the Princeton Club because it is an exclusive venue but rather because it provides a practical, economical and functional business use. As an extra bonus, we are able to make use of the Princeton Club’s amenities while visiting NYC for leisure reasons.

I don't know whether to LOL or wrend my hair and scream in total frustration. I am a recently retired executive who has lived and worked all over this country and abroad, staying everywhere from small, local hotels to the Four Seasons (yes, in Chicago, I could happily live in that suite) to the Intercontinentals abroad. I am from Chicago. I am female. I am now over 60. BUT.....when I was a young 22 YO grad working on my MBA and working part-time as a model and working part-time for a law firm, I was introduced to a charming man, roughly 2x my age at the time, by a partner at the law firm. This gentleman asked me out to dinner. I agreed only if he would entertain me at the Union League Club, a notorious MEN ONLY MEMBERSHIP club. I knew he was a member and wanted that peek inside: what was so special that women guests had to wait in a special room to be invited inside? I was a young feminist sure, but I was mostly just curious. It was a lovely evening in exactly "the men's club" you can imagine: a formal greeting by name, fawning white gloves waiters, classic wainscotted interior, formal dinner environ. BUT....I was thrilled to be one of the few women ever allowed to partake. My total gentleman brought me home, we shared a very chaste kiss and I waved to him from the front window of my greystone rental. Only later did I learn he was a state Senator, his separation/divorce from a very prominent woman atty. I was young and naieve. McCabe just ignorant.

After this lovely NYT suggestion, all open clubs will swiftly be incorporated in Touristlandia. Travelers may want to stay home, if their home is protected a long dismissed factory or busy train tracks. If it is not, staying inside an armored vehicle may do, for a while.

Cleveland, OH has The Union Club in the heart of downtown which offers plenty of amenities and rooms for overnight for guests. They have been a welcome Godsend when out of town folks come in and don't want to stay in a hotel, not to mention that the chef at The Union Club offers some innovative and tasty cuisine. These private clubs, like the Union Club in Cleveland, often have reciprocity with similar clubs in other cities which beats the hotels. While they are not for everyone, these private clubs have an appeal for those who need a quiet, often old world kind of space to work and recharge. These kinds of spaces are not often found in hotels.

There are 2 military clubs I have stayed at in central London. The Union Jack Club has no fee and is near Waterloo Station. The Victory Services Club has a modest fee and is near Marble Arch. Both are much cheaper than nearby hotels. You have to be in the military or a veteran to stay at both clubs though.

Years ago my husband and I stayed at the United Oxford and Cambridge Club in London which was conveniently located but I was only allowed in our room and the dining room and had to wear a skirt. If I was going out for the day in slacks (no Bermuda shorts, please) I had to use the back stairs to exit! By now I'm sure things have changed.

I'd be tempted by this but it appears the cost for members of one club to stay at reciprocal clubs is so high that staying at a nice hotel in the same city is a much better value.

I have stayed at the Yale Club of NYC for many years now. First, it is an incredibly civilized and quiet place, something in very short supply these days. Most important, the staff are unbelievably kind and generous. They always tell me that this is "my home away from home," and make sure that that's the case. I won't consider staying anywhere else.

I always enjoyed the reported the ironic comment by a Englishman who was asked about his club. He said, "The wine cellar is good, the facilities are fine, but the best thing is that not a single member knows me." The irony is not lost when you consider the use of a club as simply a place to stay because of its prestige.

I've done this several times as a guest and was totally underwhelmed. It may feel elite to some, but the reality is that it's not.

Happy to read any story that doesn't tout short-term vacation rentals. Affordable housing in my area is being devastated by the speculation caused by that scourge, so I'm good with this club idea, even if I don't qualify.

This sounds delightful and actually NOT elitist. It's more about connecting with your "tribe" whether that's of a collegiate nature or geographical or another treasured affinity. What really sold me was the ability to have a dress code encouraging mindful, appropriate clothing---no rude slogans or bare midriffs here. Furthermore, the safety and networking aspects are marvelous. And, this trend may encourage more historic preservation of older larger homes that might not suit today's smaller families, yet would be perfect as a Club property.

Mr. Campbell shows excellent taste in not choosing to stay in The House of Mirth, and wishing him warmth and comfort at the Hope Club during his visits.

So bothersome, deciding how best to spend one's wealth.

"It’s critical to clubs’ success to have you be vocal if you’re unhappy.” Pretty much tells you everything you know - primarily that you don't want to be around those who choose to stay at these places. I had my fill of these privileged, whining, self-important toffs when I was at university -very few of whom made it to grad school, I could add...

The buy in to stay in these clubs would kill it for most people. Tossing in a grand or two a year just to be able to stay in this club would pay for the vacation I would usually take. Sounds like a rich person's version of traveling.

A building in an area of the city here with history not found in every city, which has amenities similar to the LA Athletic Club was vandalized. I wondered why anyone would want to do such a thing. As I sat at the bar of a restaurant in the district, I overheard that a fundraiser had been held where prominent and successful business owners in that particular community had donated to the renovation of the vandalized property. Exclusivity contributes to the increasing partisan divide in our society of those left behind. In the first paragraph, I thought of sending a link of this article to an influential friend, but then thought better of it due to the aforementioned vandalism. The person in the shirt with the F- word is rebelliously rubbing it in that he has broken a financial barrier which "connections" didn't provide for him.

Sounds incredibly elitist to me.