The Willow Club Launches As New York Private Membership Club

By: Destination Club News
Date: August 13, 2010

Described as "a first-of-its-kind" private membership club, the Willow Club has officially launched, giving members a taste of all things New York including access to luxury hotels, high performance vehicles, a private yacht, and performances and private events at Carnegie Hall, the NY Philharmonic, and Broadway.

"In creating Willow Club, we drew upon our extensive understanding of travelers who visit New York City to secure and acquire an incredible and unparalleled selection of benefits for our members – including great hotels – the outcome was the creation of a private club product never seen before," said Willow Club President John Yoon. "Every benefit was selected to provide members with the ability to enjoy some of the most sought after city experiences, with the flexibility to enjoy the world."

The club's hotel properties currently include The Mansfield on 44th Street and The Shoreham on 55th Street, both just off Fifth Avenue. Members also can visit The Franklin on the Upper East Side at 87th Street and Lexington Avenue.

Using a points based structure, members redeem their points for various club benefits and amenities. Beginning at $28,000 to join, members are able to purchase additional points to coincide with their usage patterns.

The Willow Club lists a long assortment of benefits available to members, including:

• Premium season tickets to all New York area sports teams
• Membership at a private, 54-hole golf club
• Complimentary entry to New York City museums
• Access to Willow One, a Jeanneau Prestige 42S yacht
• Shopping and fashion experiences with leading stylists
• Year round court time to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

"Willow Club is a completely new product resonating with sophisticated consumers who understand both luxury and value. The club already has generated a tremendous number of membership inquiries and pre-sale reservations," said Jay DiGiulio, the club's Managing Director of Membership Sales. "Willow Club offers premiere access to the finest New York experiences through a single membership – truly an 'Urban Country Club' in the world’s greatest city."

Other destination clubs have provided members with luxury vehicles, yachts, and other amenities in addition to the fine accommodations, but to date, none have been successful. Clubs like Vita Luxury and Grand Legacy Club both closed their doors just as they launched. Elite Shares Club, yet another Florida based club offering members a collection of benefits, appears to be on life support, having not updated their website in over a year and not responding to any of our inquiries.

Willow Club appears to offer far more than these other competitors and New York has long been one of the most popular destinations in the industry. Check back soon for more news on Willow Club and the rest of the destination club industry and request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide for more insight into buying a destination club membership.