For such a densely populated city, Hong Kong offers many private social and sport clubs to suit more tastes than most other places. Escapes and indulgences range from decadent spas and luxurious restaurants and bars. As an international financial centre much of the social life revolves around both business and the diverse communities and shared interests. Let’s discover a group of clubs that are easy for newcomers to attain membership.
From facilities meeting luxury resort standards to cultivated exclusivity, here are Hong Kong’s best clubs for newcomers.
Hong Kong’s private social clubs were cultivated from a rich history of being an outpost for executives. Corporate and financial chieftains and independent businesspersons, especially if you’re new in town, need to join and plug into a welcoming and supportive community.
Whatever interest you have- covering sports, fine dining and playgrounds and activities for your children- Hong Kong’s private clubs are more than a diversion from city stress. They are a fun and necessary community hub for you and your family. They allow you and your family to decompress and relax as you travel in and out of Hong Kong’s global travel hub.
In no particular ranking, here is a list of must join clubs. With a few exceptions, you can readily join them without a long waiting list. Contact each club to enquire about the latest membership requirements and fees.
Aberdeen Marina Club (AMC) (8 Shum Wan Road, Wong Chuk Hang, aberdeenmarinaclub.com) is one of the easiest clubs to join and it offers an amazing array of facilities and fun activities for the entire family. The AMC boasts seven restaurants, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a bowling alley, fitness centre, ice rink, beauty salon, and separate play zones for children. Few private clubs anywhere in the world provide so many choices. Additional facilities and equipment are added and rotated regularly ensuring that you and your family will never become bored. The Shangri-La Hotel group’s management team means that resort level standards of luxury and service are consistently met. Look outside the clubhouse and you will see a fully serviced (and busy) marina that can accommodate superyachts. Seven eateries won’t disappoint as they cover major cuisines.
The Hong Kong Country Club (188 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Deep Water Bay, countryclub.hk). For those of you who plan to live on Hong Kong’s South Side, the Hong Kong Country Club is convenient and ideally located with an impressive menu of facilities and equipment for you and your kids. Its expansive and rolling manicured lawn is reminiscent of a different time in Hong Kong when it was founded in the 1960s. Sweeping views about Deep Water Bay impress every visitor. Major facilities include tennis and squash courts, a bowling alley, health centre, and swimming pool. Chinese and French-themed restaurants as well as outdoor Italian dining on the Foreshore Deck and the Garden Room, which serves international cuisine are well reviewed by members.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) (Happy Valley Clubhouse: Shan Kwong Road, Happy Valley; Sha Tin Clubhouse: Sha Tin Race Course, Sha Tin; Beas River Country Club: Kam Tsin Road, Kwun Tong, hkjc.com). It’s one of the most prestigious and difficult clubs to join, but HKJC members represent Hong Kong’s social and business elite. Horse racing has historically been the center of Hong Kong’s social and sporting scene. Members enjoy privileged access to numerous exclusive and comfortable viewing and betting facilities. Excellent restaurants, bars and lounges with their own private terraces are available only to club members on racing days. HKJC is the largest private club network in the city with three independent and luxuriously equipped clubhouses. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sports complexes, fitness centers, tennis and squash courts, spas, children’s play areas and equestrian facilities are among the wide array of offerings. The three clubhouses and the two racecourses offer the most dining choices of any club.
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) (Kellett Island, Causeway Bay; Middle Island, Repulse Bay; Shelter Cove, Sai Kung; rhkyc.org.hk). Yachtsmen and wannabe sailors are certainly not forgotten in a port city. The RHKYC serves the community of yachtsmen and rowers through three waterfront locations. Whether or not you own a boat, you can socialize or improve your skills at their facilities. Other facilities include casual and formal restaurants, a bowling alley, gym, swimming pool, tennis and squash courts. Fine dining is available at the Compass Room, casual fare at the coffee shop fare, bar and deck for barbeques and a-la-carte dining at the club’s other locations at Middle Island and Shelter Cove. Your family is also well served beyond water sports with playrooms and playgrounds.
Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) (3 Sports Road, Happy Valley, hkfc.com.hk). Athletes and wannabe athletes are well served by HKFC. It is for those who are more interested in sports, fitness training and socializing around sports. HKFC is a sprawling and comprehensive facility with a broad portfolio of indoor and outdoor facilities. Set in the middle of Happy Valley adjacent the Hong Kong Jockey Club, this club is unique for operating Hong Kong’s largest collection of pitches and grounds. They accommodate football, rugby, netball and hockey, in addition to a swimming pool, bowling alley, snooker room, golf simulator and fitness center. The Sportsman’s Bar is HKFC’s main drinking area serving pub-style fare inside or on the terrace. The Chairman’s Bar represents a more businesslike dining atmosphere. Casual dining and buffets are offered in the coffee shop.
The Hong Kong Club (1 Jackson Road, Central, thehongkongclub.hk). Anyone and everyone who is important in Hong Kong establishment throughout the city’s history is a member of Hong Kong Club. The original clubhouse building was founded in 1846 only four years after Hong Kong’s incorporation as a colony. The décor, atmosphere and membership exude exclusivity and formality. The club owns the entire Hong Kong Club Building in Central. Six floors of leisure and fitness facilities serve the members. They include restaurants, squash courts, a bowling alley, a billiards room, a well-stocked library and a barber shop. Two restaurants and three bars serve Chinese and Western fine dining in a selection of private function rooms and a casual garden lounge. Expect strict membership standards.