Comparison · 12 material differences
The Aster vs Petroleum Club of Houston
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Private club
Verified September 2026 The Aster
The club says it is "designed for creative leaders shaping the future of arts and culture" and describes a community built around collaboration in Hollywood
Private club
Petroleum Club of Houston
The club says it is "open to men and woman of all industries" and describes a membership that includes energy industry professionals, medical, legal and business professionals…
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining — The Aster: No published maximum age at joining; Petroleum Club of Houston: Junior membership is available to applicants under 40 years of age.
- Minimum age — The Aster: No published minimum age; Petroleum Club of Houston: All published membership categories start at age 21.
- Accredited-investor status — The Aster: No published accredited-investor status; Petroleum Club of Houston: Applicants authorise a consumer background report from Associated Services Employment Check and supply a Social Security number, date of birth and seven years of address history.
- Monthly dues — The Aster: $300 a month; Petroleum Club of Houston: $191–322 a month.
Side by side
| The Aster | Petroleum Club of Houston | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | Not documented | 1946 (The club's history page dates the founders' efforts to 31 January 1946, crediting Wilbur Ginther, Howard C. Warren and Harris Underwood; the clubhouse itself opened on 15 December 1951 atop the Rice Hotel.) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, United States | Houston, United States |
| Geographic footprint | One club and hotel at 1717 Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with reciprocal access to more than 100 clubs worldwide through the Sonato network and direct partners | Single clubhouse on the 35th floor of Total Plaza, 1201 Louisiana Street, downtown Houston |
| Members | 500as of September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed by the club. Wikipedia gives approximately 1,200 members as of November 2014; that figure is more than a decade old and has not been independently verified. |
| Chapters | 1 | Single clubhouse; no chapters |
| Primary audience | The club says it is "designed for creative leaders shaping the future of arts and culture" and describes a community built around collaboration in Hollywood | The club says it is "open to men and woman of all industries" and describes a membership that includes energy industry professionals, medical, legal and business professionals, professional women and young professionals. |
| Typical member | The club characterises members as creative professionals working in and around the Hollywood entertainment industry. It publishes no income, seniority or occupational test. | Members range from energy industry professionals -- the club's founding constituency -- to lawyers, doctors and other business professionals. Membership categories are age-banded, with Junior members under 40, Active members 40 to 64 and Senior members 65 and over. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | No published maximum age at joining | Junior membership is available to applicants under 40 years of ageOn reaching 40 a Junior member is entitled as of right to Active membership on paying the balance of the then-current Active initiation or transfer fee; all Junior members are enrolled in the Young Professionals' Associationverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum age | No published minimum age | All published membership categories start at age 21Junior membership covers ages 21-39; Non-Resident, Clergy, Diplomat, MBA/Graduate and Legacy categories are open from 21verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Accredited-investor status | No published accredited-investor status | Applicants authorise a consumer background report from Associated Services Employment Check and supply a Social Security number, date of birth and seven years of address historyThe authorisation remains on file for the duration of the membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | Prospective members submit a membership enquiry through the club's website or by email to its membership address. The club states that all memberships are subject to approval and that an initial membership fee of US$500 applies, with no long-term contract required. No sponsorship, nomination, interview or committee stage is described. | Applicants download the club's application PDF and submit it with a background form and a payment form (ACH or credit card). The application goes to the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors, which meet twice a month; the initiation fee is processed only once both approve. The club states the approval process can take less than four weeks. An online membership inquiry form is also available. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. The club publishes no acceptance rate or waitlist information; it reports more than 500 active members. | Not publicly disclosed. The club publishes no acceptance rate or waiting-list information, and describes an approval process that can complete in under four weeks. |
| Cost | ||
| Monthly dues | $300 a monthFull Membership: "$300 per month", giving "access to all six floors of The Aster, including work, wellness, dining, and event spaces - plus member-exclusive perks and preferred hotel rates". The club states "No long-term contracts required."verified September 2026 · source ↗ | $191–322 a monthPublished schedule: $322 for Active and Premier/Secondary Active company members; $191 for Junior, Senior, Non-Resident, Clergy and Diplomat. Legacy $191-$322. The schedule labels the column simply Dues; the application text refers to monthly membership dues. Subject to 8.25% taxverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | $500 one-time"Initial membership fee of $500 applies."verified September 2026 · source ↗ | $500–7,500 one-timePublished schedule (application dated 12 July 2024): Active 40-64 $5,000; Junior 21-39 $2,000; Senior 65-89 $2,000; Non-Resident $1,500; Clergy $500; Diplomat $500; MBA/Graduate none; Legacy none (assessment fee instead). Company accounts: Premier Active $7,500, Secondary Active $4,000, Secondary Junior/Senior $1,500. All initiation fees are subject to 8.25% taxverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Monthly, with no long-term contract required, plus a one-off initial membership fee | Ongoing with monthly dues; the MBA/Law/Medical/Graduate category waives dues for twelve months from approval and then rolls automatically into a dues-paying account unless the member gives 30 days' notice |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with more than 20 classes and events a week | Continuous clubhouse operation with member social events, networking events and family events through the year; the Petroleum Club Dance Club holds three ballroom dances a year |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Committees (Food and Entertainment, Wine, Membership and others) plus three associations: the Young Professionals' Association, the Ladies' Association and the Petroleum Club Dance Club |
| Confidentiality | Could not be independently verified | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | Not documented | No |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Partial | Partial |
| Leadership development | No | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Family programming | No | Yes |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Yes |
| Next-generation programming | No | Yes |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Yes |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: The Aster · Petroleum Club of Houston