How many memberships do you have? One, maybe two? More? Memberships for gyms and social/work haunts have been du jour for years now, but it seems like wellbeing and escapes are the latest categories to get in on the act.
First, it’s the exclusive one. Nightlife dame (and UJ fave) Amy Sacco is launching a member’s club at the Aman Hotel New York, which opens in the new year. But as this will be 2020, the membership – unlike at Bungalow – will not be just for swinging off the rafters without paps; the crown jewel here is the 25,000 sq foot spa, complete with private ‘spa houses’, daybeds and fire pits, and, we’re sure, the best treatments money can buy. An urban oasis in the heart of Manhattan.
Also in NY is The Well. Here, it might not be about getting accepted, but it is a membership for serious wellbeing. This is not a gym membership as you know it, but a complete ‘ecosystem for wellness’, as they describe it. With sought-after doctors and healers on site; menus that include things like vibrational energy healing, emotional wellbeing, and mindful movement; a club that includes very stylish rooms like the reflexology lounge, meditation dome and movement studio; and of course its own restaurant with organic fare, this is the hassle free spot to come if you’re into this kind of wellbeing (and sick of running across town to fit it all in).
Lastly, it’s a getaway. We all know the benefits of leaving the city for the weekend. But it takes organisation and cash (how many £800/night pub rooms can there be?!). Retreat East in Suffolk is the brainchild of architect Dominic Richards – someone who knows that it’s good to share. This is a membership based on farmshares, where, for a fee (one-off and yearly, so you still need cash), you can buy yourself a select number of annual nights to stay at the farm. Like most timeshares, the thinking here is that so many second homes are often unused, so why not share – it makes perfect sense. With 43 barns made from eco-friendly materials, a spa, restaurant, bar, and the ability to do things like collect eggs and pick vegetables, a weekend here, which is currently open to non-members, is a great way to feel like you’re getting a proper break from urban living. Which is worth the fee alone.
