Like most men, we’re pretty big fans of our local. On some nights we can even get a steak and a beer for a fiver. However, we’d be lying if we said that filed under a list of ‘things to buy when stinking rich’ wasn’t access to some of the most exclusive watering holes in the world. These are they.
Capital Club (Dubai)
The Capital Club is where Dubai’s biggest movers and Sheikhas come to mix business and pleasure. Located in the heart of the city’s financial district, it’s where most of The Gulf’s money changes hands between business moguls, embassy representatives, bankers, lawyers and oil and gas chiefs.
When the Middle East’s privileged power set aren’t cementing deals, they’re likely to be found smoking a Cuban cigar from the club’s cigar room, knocking back La Fine de Claire oysters in one of the four restaurants or heading to the terrace to take in views of The Burj Khalifa.
The Yellowstone Club (Montana)
Entry cost to this 13,600-acre private ski club just north of Yellowstone National Park is as steep as its slopes. First, you must own a property on the land (the smallest of which comes in at around £3.2m), and that’s in addition to an initial £240,000 charge and £29,000 a year in fees.
But what does it all get you? Try anything from mountain golf and fly fishing during the summer, to skiing and snow-mobiling in the winter, plus a security team run by a former US Secret Service officer.
Silencio (Paris)
Silencio’s membership reads like a who’s who of the music, film and art world. To get into the exclusive underground bunker, you not only have to pay a subscription, but also prove your artistic credentials.
Founded by American director David Lynch and named as a tribute to his cult movie Mulholland Drive, the Parisian hideout is best enjoyed by the city’s night owls, who show up just before midnight to watch the Cinderella-style shift from speakeasy social hangout to nightclub.
The Clubhouse (Buenos Aires)
Expensive membership isn’t the main barrier to this converted four-story residence in Buenos Aires – it’s actually finding it. To maintain exclusivity, the hangout is hidden by high, ivy-covered walls and never reveals its full address to non-members.
Housed somewhere in the capital’s chic Palermo Soho neighborhood, the pool and outdoor bar have become a popular destination for jet-setting party people in search of Friday night DJ sets, as well as laid-back weekend drinks.
Roppongi Hills Club (Tokyo)
A sleek, urban oasis 51 floors above the bustling city of Tokyo, the Roppongi Hills Club is the place to go to rub shoulders with global leaders.
Split across more restaurants than you could shake a chopstick at (seven, to be precise) and two bars, plus spaces for private dining, meetings and events, the club offers a 360-degree view of the skyline from a 250-metre-high vantage point.
Soho House (West Hollywood)
It’s a well known fact that you’ll need to sharpen your elbows to get a spot on the Soho House Group’s 3,000-name-long waiting list. However, once you do you’ll have access to a network of 17 clubs around the world including its West Hollywood haunt.
Located on Sunset Boulevard the boutique facility offers a bar, panoramic roof garden, 50-seat screening room and three dining options with views of Hollywood and beyond.
The South Kensington Club (London)
This historic Georgian Music Hall wasn’t always the place to go for some R&R. Up until 2014, it was home to the notorious rock ‘n’ roll Harrington Club founded by Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood.
However, having been redesigned for London’s high society and merged with what was Francis Bacon’s first London studio, it now boasts a lavish bathhouse with seawater imported from Sicily, sky-lit conservatory gym and an open-air terrace.
