Club Culture
Luxury consumers are seeking out high- end clubs where they can interact with like- minded people.
Luxury consumers are seeking out high-end clubs where they can interact with like-minded people
IIF THE HEAD HONCHO of a leading corporation got invited by the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel to become a member of its coveted Chambers Club in the 80s or 90s, he or she was thought to have arrived in business circles. For, the guest list included the likes of Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Rahul Bajaj, Anand Mahindra and Shobhana Bhartia. Two decades hence, an invite to join the Chambers Club or The Belvedere at The Oberoi is still coveted. The rich are willing to pay any premium to be seen in the same league as a Mukesh Ambani or an Anand Mahindra.
So, what do first movers such as the Chambers Club offer to guests? Private meeting rooms and ex-
clusive dining areas and lounges, bundled with perks such as concierge service and discounts on F&B, room tariff, and so on. “The world of business is getting crowded. The elite are looking for exclusive spaces where they can not only interact with likeminded people but also hold meetings in privacy. For instance, if you are interviewing a CEO for your business, you need to do it discreetly,” says Madhav Srinivasan, CEO, Quantum Consumer Solutions.
While the good old Chambers Club or The Belvedere have traditionally attracted industrialists and lawyers, the post-liberalisation breed of rich Indians is more diverse and includes techies, sport spersons, artists as well as CEOs and CXOs, all seeking premium spaces where they can network with likeminded people as well as hold meetings. This has seen the entry of global hospitality chains such as Four Seasons, Mariott and St. Regis, all of whom are trying to woo the new generation of rich and famous with their versions of luxury clubs. “While the Chambers Club is largely for the older crowd, Equus at St. Regis or The Club at Four Seasons attract fairly young and contemporary achievers,” says Akash Sheth, the founder of luxury consultancy Magnanimous.
The likes of Equus or The Club offer almost similar services such as the Chambers or The
Belvedere but are far more informal and offer fun and lifestyle activities which could range from single malt events, wine-tasting dinners as well as events for spouses. “The new-age members don’t want the ambience to be stoic; they are looking for informality,” says Anuraag Bhatnagar, Head, Luxury, Mariott India, and GM, St. Regis, Mumbai.
“Younger people getting into the world of business look for luxury club memberships. People are using it as an extension of their office space. They even come during weekends to introspect. Some even hold board meetings in clubs,” says Adarsh Jatia, MD, Provenance Land (Promoter of Four Seasons in India). The new age clubs are also priced more reasonably than the older ones. The Equus at St. Regis, for instance, charges an upfront fee of ` 8 lakh and an annual fee of ` 1 lakh, while The Club at Four Seasons charges an upfront fee of `7.5 lakh and an annual fee of ` 2.5 lakh. The Chambers Club charges an upfront fee of ` 20 lakh for 10 years.