Dropping names and knowing every promoter in town won’t fly on this side of town, because the velvet ropes at these members-only clubs are as exclusive as Victoria Grayson’s New Year’s Eve soiree.
From private screenings at the Soho House to drinks on the bohemian rooftop at the Petit Ermitage Hotel, there is no shortage of select amenities for Westside socialites who want to escape the city’s busy nightlife.
Here’s a look inside LA’s elite private clubs:
Soho House West Hollywood
9200 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood
Actors, agents, publicists and other Hollywood executives flock to this West Hollywood hotspot founded in 1995 by Nick Jones as a private club for those in film, media and creative industries. Each house in the Soho family, which includes locations in New York, Miami and Berlin, is slightly unique from each other.
Soho House West Hollywood, which is the second American house since its opening in Spring 2010, occupies the top two floors of the 14-story 9200 Sunset Boulevard building. The bar in the Sky penthouse offers view over the city, while the terrace garden dining area is lined with olive trees and covered by a retractable roof.
To satisfy its entertainment clientele, events and screenings are held in a private room with plush armchairs, cashmere blankets and pillows, and a 25-foot communal couch.
The Jonathan Club Town / Jonathan Club Beach
545 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles
Located in the heart of the downtown business district, this Italian Renaissance-style building for the Jonathan Club Town hosts a theater, indoor pool, cultural center and old-fashioned service—fittingly appropriate since the club was established in 1895. Then in 1923, the Jonathan Beach Club was established at the foot of the bluffs in Santa Monica where it features a beachfront restaurant and sunset terrace.
Bel-Air Bay Club
16801 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades
Realtor Alphonzo Bell was on to something when he created the Bel-Air Bay Club in 1927 as part of a 31-acre project. Once ranked one of the nation’s top 10 tennis players in 1904, the Hollywood legend served as club president to the club that now consists of two facilities separated by the Pacific Coast Highway. The venue features a living room, lawn, patio, lounge, music room and dining room, which boasts al fresco options.
The California Club
538 South Flower Street, Los Angeles
Registered on the National Register of Historic Places, this 1888 established private social club is the oldest club in Southern California. With more than 100 years of rich tradition, The California Club has a timeless design created by architect Robert Farquhar and houses fine antiques, handcrafted furniture and rich imported fabrics.
Petit Ermitage Hotel
8822 Cynthia Street, West Hollywood
While this Spanish-Moroccan themed West Hollywood hotel is open to the public, its private rooftop club is not. With membership rates comparable to annual dues at Soho House, prospective purveyors must apply and interview with a two-person committee.
Once approved, members can enjoy the “Supper Series” at its native gardens, “Gypsy Brunch” at the Butterfly Bar, a heated saltwater pool, cabanas, an outdoor sunken fireplace where international films are screened at sundown, indoor/outdoor lounge spaces where monthly tastings are held and 360-degree views of the Hollywood Hills. The club is also recognized as a Hummingbird & Butterfly Sanctuary by the National Wildlife Federation.
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