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(Faena.com)

Faena Rose members’ benefits include VIP use of the Faena Beach Club.

Discover Miami's Exclusive Private Clubs

Where membership lets you mix and mingle with the elite

Private, members-only clubs in Miami date back a century ago to the granddaddy of them all, The Bath Club in Miami Beach, which was founded in 1926 and is still in existence.

Now more popular than ever, private membership clubs are for the elite who seek the ultimate in exclusivity, with access to luxuries and experiences that few can afford or attain. They are the answer for those who want to meet and mingle with others like themselves, score coveted reservations at the best restaurants and dine on haute cuisine prepared by Michelin-starred chefs. Members want access to private beaches; the best spas; private cabanas, exclusive cultural events; and the ability to entertain their guests in private enclaves or on a yacht with a steward and crew.

Here's the scoop on some of the best private clubs in Miami, and how you can join them.

Faena Rose is an exclusive art and culture-based private member's club founded on principles of cultural enrichment, patronage, and VIP access. Faena Rose is for people who embrace art, culture, and current affairs and sits at the intersection of multiple experiential platforms (NY Times Talks, Lincoln Center, MOMA programming, Summit Series, Tribeca Film Festival, Masterclass, etc.), integrating the community aspect of conventional membership clubs. For individuals with cultural and intellectual curiosity looking to meet like-minded individuals, Faena Rose delivers in spades.

Rose members' benefits include VIP status and access throughout the Faena District Miami Beach, 32-36 Collins Ave. Members are granted VIP use of the Faena Beach Club (including their own section), the award-winning Tierra Santa Healing House, a private members-only reservation line, preferred pricing, and more at the 5-star Faena Hotel Miami Beach.

How to join: Visit faena.com/faena-rose to express interest and someone will meet with you in person or virtually to go over all the details.

The membership-only lifestyle club operated by the MM by Riviera Dining Group is one of the hottest membership clubs right now. It offers uncompromising quality within the private membership scene, where members access a network of luxury restaurants and lounges in Miami and Orlando.

Members receive preferential status across all venues, including last-minute table bookings, exclusive treatment, special requests, and access to private, members-only areas in several locations, including AVA MM (407.794.9896) 290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park; Mila MM, (786.706.0744) 1636 Meridian Ave., Rooftop, Miami Beach; CASA NEOS MM Beach Club, (786.885.9223) 40 SW North River Dr., Miami (was slated to open in June.) 

With dining curated by multiple Michelin-starred Chef Michael Michaelidis, who is at the helm of the Riviera Dining Group, MM offers priority access with personalized service to memorable dining and nightlife experiences.

MM has also partnered with Vanquish Yachts, offering eight-hour rides on a 12-person V45 yacht, which also comes with a captain and steward.

How to Join: Membership applications are now being accepted at info@mm-club.com. Support of two existing members as references are required.

Beach Club, The Miami Beach Edition (786.257.4607) 2901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach offers a resort environment with the highest standard of luxury in South Florida’s private membership club scene. The Miami Beach Edition’s Beach Club provides members private beach access, hotel amenities, preferred room rates and privileges throughout the five-star property. Members receive personalized services, exclusive member events and a serene beach with unparalleled ocean views.

Membership includes priority reservation access to the Matador Room to experience Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Latin fare. Members get 15% off the entire menu; plus 15% off at Market at Edition and at Tropicale, the poolside restaurant featuring gorgeous ocean views.

How to join: The Beach Club has annual membership options for singles, couples and families. Two member referrals are required. Applicants fill out an online form, describing why they have the right profile for the club. If accepted, an application will be sent to them. For more information, email mb.membership@editionshotels.com.

For the Jetsetter

Soho House was founded in 1995 in London by restaurateur Nick Jones and was so named because it was situated in a Georgian house in Soho. Now with more than 40 sites around the world and more than 211,000 members, it's frequented by the young and hip, professionals and creatives, where members make connections in both physical and digital spaces. For 30 years, Soho House has been the most sought-after, celebrity-heavy private members' club in the world. Prince Harry met Meghan at Soho House in London, and you might spot the Beckhams, Taylor Swift, Margot Robbie, or Kate Moss in various Soho Houses.

Soho House offers two membership types, Local House and Every House. Local House membership allows access to all the amenities at the House closest to you, while Every House grants access to all Houses globally, with access to everything in the Soho House world.

Soho Beach House Miami (786.507.3900) 4385 Collins Ave., Miami Beach is in the restored beachfront art deco Sovereign Hotel. It has all the amenities of a Local House Membership, including a private dining room for hosting events, pool and pool bar, the Cowshed spa, a gym with a terrace for outdoor training, and Ocho, an exclusive rooftop oasis with Atlantic Ocean views, pool, large daybeds and comfy lounges.

At Cecconi’s Miami, Soho House's classic Italian restaurant on the ground floor, members receive discounts off all food and beverages on tables of up to four people from 4 p.m. on Sunday to closing on Wednesday.

How to Join: Create an online profile at sohohouse.com with a photo and a short bio. The cost for Local House membership in Soho Beach House Miami is $2,800; for those under the age of 27, it’s $1,400 until 30 years of age. An Every House membership is $5,100 and $2,600 for those under age 27.

Tried and True

The Bath Club (305.867.5938) 5937 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, is still here and is available only to a carefully curated group of members from the crème de la crème of business leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and notable public figures. Members enjoy privacy, impeccable service, access to the 1920s estate's three-acre private beachfront, European style beach service, fine dining, a state-of-the-art spa, fitness center, oceanfront clay tennis courts, historic event spaces, and a myriad of dining experiences.

The Collins Room, the Bath Club's signature restaurant, serves Mediterranean-inspired classics in the informal dining room and poolside area. The Pool Bar offers artisan cocktails; The Courtyard features idyllic al fresco dining beneath palm trees and a bougainvillea-bedecked pergola. In the century-old Governor’s Loggia, members enjoy special culinary offerings, live entertainment, craft cocktails and fine spirits. On the Sunset Terrace members enjoy a Riviera-inspired luncheon and after-work aperitifs. Boasting sweeping views of the city, it is the perfect setting for sunsets, outdoor social gatherings, and relaxed corporate receptions.

How to join: Applicants fill out a membership form that requests information about education level, greatest achievement, and favorite travel destination. Membership is capped at 200 and is only by referral from another member. Direct membership questions to membership@thebathclub.com.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.

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