The return of the gilded age seems upon us as the membership club scene in New York has rapidly grown in recent years. We’ve covered this topic over on the blog before but it seems that for those willing to pay a premium for next level hospitality paired with exclusivity, the next coveted thing is always right around the corner.

 

Enter, Casa Cruz and The Aman. The latest, priciest and most exclusive memberships in town.

 

 

 

Located in a Beaux-Arts mansion on the Upper East Side comes “the buzziest slice of London’s Nightlife,” according to the Wall Street Journal. What differentiates a membership at Casa Cruz from any other membership club is that you’re investing in the group as opposed to paying annual dues. The investment comes at a steep $250,000 – $500,000 to join. From there, every potential investor is vetted by founder and restauranteur Juan Santa Cruz who’s looking to curate the right crowd.

 

The 99 current investors have exclusive access to the lounges and dining areas on the fourth floor and rooftop terraces while the main restaurant and lounges on the second and third floors are open to the public, assuming you can secure a reservation.

 

 

 

On the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street, located in the historic Crown Building, you’ll find the Aman New York, also known as the mecca for all things luxury hospitality. Each Aman resort is a destination worth a trip in itself and this outpost is no exception. The Aman New York is categorized in four parts: the hotel, spa, residences and membership club.

Here, you can’t get access to the lobby bar, speakeasy Jazz Club nor 7,000 square foot terrace without a hotel key or membership to the Aman Club. Rates for the hotel start at $3,200 a night for their lowest tier rooms and membership to the Club begins with a $200,000 initiation fee…and yes, there’s a waiting list. 20 of the 22 residences are already spoken for, including the $180 million Penthouse.

 

 

It used to be about how interesting or creative you were, now it seems it’s becoming more about how much you’re willing to pay. This begs the question, how many more private membership clubs does New York need?