Membership clubs are booming expanding beyond the traditional country club. From dinner clubs, tennis clubs to wellness clubs- many metropolitan cities have seen a rise in super niche communities in the last few years. Proper Hospitality has taken note launching the Proper Club where it’s intersecting wellness, fitness, longevity, co-working, entertainment and community. The membership extends the ethos to wellness and community-making longevity, creativity, and connection part of everyday life. Proper Club is the group’s answer to what the modern wellness and lifestyle experience should feel like—effortless, elevated, and deeply integrated into real life.
“We believe that wellness isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription or a passing trend—it’s a way of living. And Proper Club is the next evolution of that belief. It’s not a wellness retreat or a gym—it’s a fully realized lifestyle offering that combines movement, recovery, longevity practices, social connection, and learning in a beautifully designed, culturally vibrant space. We have long envisioned our hotels as reflections of the way we live—creative, connected, and grounded in health. As our own routines began to include daily practices like cold plunging, sauna, and mobility work, it became clear there was an opportunity to reimagine what a wellness club could be. Community and wellness are key pillars of our brand, so it was a natural progression to launch a membership component to Proper where these elements intersect. We love that locals can now enjoy their wellness, fitness, & social all in one place where design meets community and good energy,” shared Brian De Lowe, Co-Founder and President of Proper Hospitality
The Proper saw a growing desire for something deeper, a place where people could feel connected, stay curious, and invest in their own vitality in an environment that inspires. It’s for people who want more than a treadmill and a green juice. They want to train, recover, connect, learn, and live well, without giving up great food, cultural energy, or aesthetics. Over the last few years, the team has noticed guests weren’t just visiting, they were staying for weeks, even months, and they didn’t want to leave behind the wellness rituals they’d developed while staying at the property. At the same time, locals were asking for more consistent access to the spaces, energy, and amenities they loved at Proper, even when they weren’t checking in.
This membership brings together the best of all worlds: access to science-backed longevity tools, personalized wellness programming, beautifully curated environments, and an authentic sense of community. You can have a breath work session in the morning, work from a sunlit rooftop lounge, cold plunge at lunch, then meet friends for a natural wine tasting downstairs. In addition to wellness, members can indulge in cultural programming such as live music, panel conversations, and culinary experiences. “Building community is the secret sauce of any successful membership program. While the amenities and ambience will inspire interest, it’s truly the relationships individuals build with one another and with our team that create longevity,” explained Jamie Mark, Vice President, Membership & Community Development. “Our current founding members are our biggest advocates, and our membership has grown almost entirely through referrals. Our program is intimate—we’ve spent time getting to know every prospective member before their acceptance. We’re obsessed with feedback and are nimble enough to adjust and evolve based on what our members want, while also introducing them to new experiences.”
The membership highlights wellness which includes daily use of the Club Lounge & Terrace featuring private showers, cold plunges, and a dry sauna, private 60-minute Recovery Room session per month, one private 25-minute Ammortal sessions and a homemade Ayurvedic welcome lunch at Surya Spa; fitness which includes daily the state-of-the-art fitness facilities, 13+ fitness and wellness classes each week, one private training session and monthly classes at each of the following neighboring studios: Barry’s, BodyROK Pilates, Sweat Yoga and Studio Elevate; community which includes monthly and weekly curated community events like tennis at Sunset Tennis Club, music events, supper and breakfast clubs. Members will also receive access to the workspace, two free complimentary nights, daily access to pools and discounts to all Proper properties, Surya Spa and Next Health. In addition to the basic membership, members can upgrade to include Ayurvedic services and/or health testing and IV therapies.
Some of the unique features of their wellness amenities include the first accessible Ammortal Chamber, the award-winning Surya Spa founded by Martha Soffer and integration to Next Health. On the fitness front, members receive a VO2 Max assessment as part of their membership, as well as a complimentary training session to start their fitness journey. The member lounge offers private showers, a terrace with sauna and cold plunge, and a place where members can receive concierge bloodwork and IVs, all in a Kelly Wearstler-designed cozy setting. “Santa Monica Proper Club offers a distinctive East-meets-West approach to wellness. We blend ancient wisdom with cutting-edge technology—from Surya Spa’s Ayurvedic treatments like Panchakarma and Martha’s pulse readings to modern medical assessments, including blood work analysis and performance-enhancing technologies such as red light therapy and the Ammortal chamber,” added Mark.
The Proper has been choosing partners to complement the membership based on community feedback. “We seek partners that truly enhance our member experience. Our members are wellness-savvy and discerning, so we carefully select innovative, first-to-market brands that align with Proper’s values, as well as beloved Santa Monica neighbors that are already part of our members’ regular routines,” Mark explained. “We’re obsessed with feedback. We engage with members daily, host monthly breakfast conversations to gather insights, and use targeted surveys to evaluate new offerings and shape what comes next. This ongoing dialogue ensures our partnerships remain relevant and valuable to the people who matter most. Some of our partners include Barry’s, Sweat Yoga, Sunset Tennis Club, PVolve, and Alo. We partner with like-minded brands so that our members have a robust and eclectic offering.”
Casey Dolkas, Vice President, Activations & Experiences, added how bringing together the community through events and meaningful interactions in addition to all the wellness amenities is what the Proper Club prides itself on, “We pride ourselves on a dynamic offering of cultural programming that covers health/wellness/fitness, live music, culinary classes, panel conversations. From music events with Anderson.Paak, Neil Frances, and BANKS to panel conversations with Deadline and Frieze, to culinary tastings with Quintessa Wines and Lalo Tequila to intimate experiences with Surya Spa. We choose to work with like-minded partners & talent that will bring our members together to enjoy and discover.”
Members will be able to book and sign up for treatments and classes as well as access discounts, perks and benefits through their member portal. A concierge member phone number is also available to assist with anything needed. Currently the Proper Club membership is available in Santa Monica and Austin. While the amenities differ slightly at both spaces, members can expect the same discounts on rooms and food and beverage, as well as recovery room access and state-of-the-art fitness centers.
Two-thirds of the members thus far are female and on average members spend three to five days a week at the Proper. The Club has offered members a third place where they can feel like they belong while having all the conveniences they need in their everyday life. As Americans have faced more isolation and “third place” closures since the pandemic, finding a consistent place to socialize, work and play has a positive impact on health and well being. Kate Price, founder and creative director of Kate Rose Fine Jewelry, has been able to utilize the Club not just for wellness and community but as an entrepreneur, “Proper Club strikes that rare balance between elevated and inviting. It’s polished but never stuffy, the kind of place where meaningful conversations just happen more easily. Because my work is so personal, I need a space where clients feel instantly at ease, and Proper always sets the right tone. The other day, the sun was out and you could see the ocean from the rooftop. A couple flew in from Portland to design an engagement ring, and we tucked into a cozy alcove upstairs. The setting made them feel comfortable right away, and it created space for a deeper connection. It was one of those moments that reminded me how much the right environment matters.”
As travel and lifestyle continue to blend, Proper is intentionally evolving into a platform for how to live, not just where to stay. Proper Club is a powerful expression of that idea. Most wellness clubs feel either clinical or overly aspirational. Proper Club is designed to feel lived-in, vibey, and inspiring—an extension of the Proper experience. You don’t have to choose between health and culture, recovery and nightlife, science and style. “At Proper Club, it all coexists. We see wellness as a major driving force in hospitality. As we expand our membership program, health optimization and premium wellness amenities will be central to our offerings and guide the creation of our new spaces,” shared De Lowe. “This approach reflects both current desires of our customers and our long-term vision for the Proper experience.”
Proper Hospitality plans to continue to expand its membership offerings across its properties and as they develop new concepts.