The 'Quin House

The 'Quin House is a private social club in Boston's Back Bay, occupying the 56,000 square foot McKim, Mead & White building at 217 Commonwealth Avenue that was built in 1888 for the Algonquin Club. The Algonquin closed in October 2020 for renovation and the building reopened on 7 July 2021 as a new club under a new name, reimagined by the designer Ken Fulk as creative director, with an art collection curated by Kate Chertavian. It contains four dining venues, three bars, five lounges, eight guestrooms, a rooftop deck, a fitness and wellness centre and event spaces. Membership runs on an annual renewal with a one-time initiation fee, neither of which the club prices publicly, and invitations currently come through referrals from existing members. Alongside standard membership the club offers a Non-Resident category for people who live and work more than 50 miles from Boston and an Arts, Civic, Non-Profit category priced at a significant discount for a limited number of applicants, granted on a two-year renewable basis. There is no corporate membership. The club is for adults aged 21 and over, with limited access for members' children.

How it works

Members use a single Back Bay clubhouse for dining, drinking, working, fitness, overnight stays and events, and can host corporate gatherings and private parties. Programming includes speakers, book talks, culinary events, wellness activities and social events. Membership includes access to reciprocal clubs nationally and internationally; Wikipedia states the club maintains reciprocal relationships with more than 150 social clubs internationally. Philanthropy runs through The 'Quin House Impact Fund, which channels money to local organisations alongside volunteer events and donation drives.

Typical member

Not publicly disclosed in numbers. The club characterises its membership as leaders, creators, innovators and rising stars, and reserves a discounted category for people working in the arts, civic and non-profit sectors who would otherwise be unable to join.

The 'Quin House is a deliberate reset of a nineteenth-century Boston club rather than a continuation of one, and reads that way: same building and same architect, new name, new design and an explicit pitch to people the Algonquin Club would not have admitted. What it does not do is publish prices. The FAQ confirms the structure -- an annual renewal plus a one-time initiation fee -- but not the amounts, and no reliable published figure was located, so any number circulating should be treated as unverified. Two published details are unusually informative. The Arts, Civic, Non-Profit category is a stated, limited-number subsidy for people in those fields, which is rare and worth asking about. And the entry route is narrow: invitations currently come through current-member referrals, so without an existing member the practical route is an enquiry to the membership team. The age rules are strict for a club that markets itself as a social home: adults 21 and over, with children admitted only under specific conditions.

Editorial analysis by Peer Group Guide editors. It is separated from the record above and follows the editorial policy.