For expats looking to expand their network in a new environment, private member clubs are the key to a thriving and exclusive community.
With its endless array of dining and entertainment options, Singapore has no shortage of world-class establishments to keep the most discerning bon vivant busy.
But it’s the
A designer aesthetic, first-rate amenities and astute programming are the hallmarks of these sophisticated spaces. For many expats looking to expand their network in a new environment, it’s the sense of community that’s the real draw.
“It’s the programming, followed by the community,” says Preeti Gupta, a director in the automotive industry who joined Mandala Club last year. “Since joining, I’ve had a chance to experience a lot of interesting events, be it exploring unique culinary experiences, participating in health and wellness activities or simply networking.”
For 1880 member Pete Duckett, it was finding a space to entertain clients that also had co-working facilities. The club provides a “social escape” for the chief innovation officer in the tech sector. “They have done well to expand their programming and have a more relaxed atmosphere on weekends with live music,” he says.
Mandala Club
Not the newest or most established, but by far the hippest. Mandala Club has been making waves and all the right moves since it opened in 2021. Located near Singapore’s bustling Chinatown, the 2072sq m club spans four storeys of a 1928 shophouse that has been conferred conservation status. The vibe is heritage hip, with every floor proffering distinctive design concepts and beautifully furnished spaces with art deco influences.
The ground floor is an open concept event space aptly named The Canvas that has hosted events with car brands such as Porsche. On level two you’ll find Popi’s Dining Room, Bar & Garden, The Analogue Room and my personal favourite, The Library, which is a distinguished-looking space where you won’t be out of place with an old fashioned cocktail in hand.
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Advertise with NZME.There are two more hidden spaces on the second level: The Tasting Room, an intimate 10-seater saloon ideal for wine and cocktail masterclasses, and the Private Terrace for outdoor gatherings.
More stylish settings await on the third floor including The Straits Parlour, with its chic lounge vibe, as well as The Orchid Room and The Palm Room, both tucked away in private corners for when discretion is favoured.
Then, there’s The Den, another favourite spot, oozing opulence with plush leather armchairs, a cosy fireplace and a bespoke cigar menu. The Cellar, meanwhile, houses more than 1000 rare and notable wines, champagnes and spirits for all palates, while 12-seat omakase restaurant Mori celebrates contemporary Hokkaido fusion cuisine.
Finally, the gym in the attic on level four allows members to enter the club discreetly, work out then shower up and look fabulous before heading down for the many glamorous parties and events on the club’s calendar.
Its eclectic design aesthetic has won Mandala Club many fans in the island city, as has its specially curated events line-up you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
The Mandala Masters series features culinary collaborations with some of the world’s finest names in gastronomy such as three Michelin-starred Mirazur restaurant in France, and renowned Indian chef Gaggan Anand.
Mandala’s second Singapore outpost, Mandala at M.O., opened in September in a 21st-floor penthouse at Mandarin Oriental hotel, and joins the growing brand of Mandala Clubs around the world, including Bali and next up in Niseko, Japan.
1880
“It’s like you cheat on your perspectives for one night,” is how one member describes 1880. Founded in 2017 by Marc Nicholson, 1880 was borne of a desire to create a salon for discourse where thought-provoking talks, dialogues and conversations pulse in stunning spaces, where curiousness is a prerequisite and a passion for ideas and expression is the price of admission.
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Advertise with NZME.The club has hosted esteemed speakers such as three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman, Nobel Prize winner Sir Richard Roberts, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, philanthropist Peggy Dulany Rockefeller and more.
Think soul food in soulful spaces designed with an upscale atmosphere accented with Asian influences by London-based Timothy Oulton Studio. Housed within the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay hotel complex, the club offers myriad concept spaces for members to enjoy intimate get-togethers, five-minute powwows or last-minute liaisons at Arthur’s Bar, The Double and Leonie’s, helmed by executive chef Colin Buchan (a Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Jason Atherton restaurant alum). Members also have access to reciprocal clubs around the world, including new 1880 clubs in Hong Kong and Bali.
67 Pall Mall
“Grand” best describes the newest kid on the block, 67 Pall Mall. Opened in March last year, this is the first Asian outpost of the prestigious London club for wine lovers, and its third club globally after Verbier, Switzerland. Two more clubs are slated to open in Bordeaux and Beaune in France in 2025.
The 1394sq m club is spread over the 27th and 28th floors of Shaw Centre in the heart of Singapore’s famous Orchard Rd shopping belt, with the penthouse being the former private residence of the late movie magnate Tan Sri Runme Shaw, who made his fortune as a pioneer in the early film industry in Asia.
Its S$14 million renovated interior therefore pays homage to the corridors of time and place, borrowing inspiration from Chinese and Malay films of the 1950s and 1960s, while floor-to-ceiling windows proffer marvellous 270-degree views over the city.
The Singapore outpost stays true to the original club’s ethos of making fine and rare wines accessible to its members. Here, you’ll find what’s said to be the largest and most diverse wine list in Southeast Asia curated by Master of Wine Richard Hemming, with his 15-strong sommelier team on hand to offer members expert guidance on the expansive selection of 5000 wines, including 1000 available by the glass.
As a tribute to the London club’s namesake spirits den, two intimate spaces have been carved out for further savouring of fine spirits: The Naughty Corner, which sits in what was once the bedroom of the penthouse, and Whisky Bar on the upper level.
Members enjoy access to masterclasses and themed tastings on the club’s busy calendar of top-drawer events, as well as the privilege of storing their own wines in the club’s humidity-controlled cellars.
33Club
Opulence is the order of the day at 33Club, a distinguished lifestyle space touted as Asia’s first private members club for luxury timepieces.
Located in the Central Business District, the club opened its doors in November last year as an exclusive space for an esteemed clientele of CEOs, entrepreneurs, founders and savvy investors to come together, network and bond over a shared love for all things horology.
Through the club’s bespoke watch sourcing service and other white glove services, members can gain access to rare timepieces that are often traded privately and rarely surface in the public market.
Why “33″? Because it sounds like the word “rising” in Mandarin from which the club’s sundial concept and aesthetic is inspired.
Designed by award-winning Syrenka Studio, the 390sq m club celebrates the art of watchmaking in luxurious surrounds spread over two floors.
From the outside, you’d probably assume this is yet another high-end retail watch boutique (of which there are plenty in Singapore).
But venture within past the posh displays of limited-edition Rolexes, Patek Philippes and Richard Milles and you’ll find a restaurant and bar offering an exquisite dining experience along with a fetching selection of rare, collectible wine vintages and rare cask whiskies.
On the second floor you’ll find a boutique spa where both members of 33Club and the public can relax and indulge in facials and massage treatments using premium skincare products from German beauty care brand Dr Baumann.
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