A new private venue in the heart of H'wood promises to reinvent exclusivity.
The new club’s terrace-level Pool Bar.
In an increasingly crowded landscape of members-only clubs, Los Angeles’ most exclusive enclaves are forced to find a niche. But the latest to hit the scene, h Club LA—founded by the late Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul Allen alongside Eurythmics legend Dave Stewart—has a novel one: an ethos of inclusion. It’s surprisingly not an oxymoron.
The initial membership of the five-floor Hollywood club represents leaders in industries as wide-ranging as art, entertainment, tech, fashion, sports and music, and they’re all able to connect not only in person, say, on the 18,000-square-foot rooftop over a hearth-oven pizza, but also on h Club’s own social networking website and app.
h Club LA hopes to lure Tinseltown’s movers and shakers with primo vino and cocktails to their old-school-cool Club Lounge.
The Vine Street location is a follow-up to the first venue, which opened in London in 2018. Here, General Manager Kynderly Haskins says, “We looked to mirror the diversity of Los Angeles, from both a cultural and ethnicity standpoint,” seeking members in a variety of ages who offer the community an interesting perspective based on their backgrounds.
“Each of the five floors offers a truly unique experience, and we’re proud to offer amenities that enable creators to do what they do best—create!” adds Chris McGowan, president of Vulcan Arts + Entertainment, the engine behind Allen’s network of organizations. These assets include a state-of-the-art recording and music studio, an Artist Lounge for live performances, a hair salon, fitness center, workspaces and a screening room. More creative juices flow in the design of the 35 bedrooms available exclusively to members and club partners. Each is decorated with artwork from an LA-based or international artist. A cocktail cart goes from room to room each day at happy hour to encourage guests out into the club, part of the venue’s ethos of building an interactive, engaged community.
The eclecticchic Tea Room is a perfect spot for a late-afternoon power snack.
Perhaps h Club’s strongest suit is the culinary arts, thanks to Kris Morningstar, a James Beard semifinalist. Of signature restaurant Jarman’s, he says, “It was clear this was built to be a top dining experience both in Los Angeles and beyond,” with its contemporary approach to produce and seafood. He also serves up refined gastropub grub in the Club Lounge, offerings from fish crudo to tea pastries to dumplings in the Tea Room, and poolside dishes featuring bright herbs and tangy acid.
The real secret recipe h Club is banking on is a delectable mix of people. Says Morningstar, “It’s the type of team that leads the way forward and sets new bars for expectation and success.” Sign us up. 1717 Vine St., hclub.com
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF H CLUB
