The island of Manhattan is home to the greatest concentration of private clubs in this country, and no, we are not talking about the velvet-roped doors of the Meatpacking District. These elite institutions date back to the early nineteenth century, modeled after the gentlemen's clubs of London and retain the codes of behavior from that era. The buildings are reverent but nondescript, the fees are astronomical, and the dress code is de rigueur. Here are 7 members-only clubs, where the upper echelon of New York Society can freely mix business with pleasure.

From Annabel's in London to Dracula in Saint Moritz, we list the creme de la creme of members' clubs internationally. While the US tends to take a more democratic and egalitarian approach, (you may have to pass face check, but you don't necessarily have to submit which boarding school you attended), back on the European continent, members' clubs remain one of the last bastions of old world elitism. Here we round up the most exclusive members' nightclubs in the world. And like anything else in the nightlife world, longevity is the name of the game... More»