I used to HATE members-only clubs. I’d brush away any exclusive grouping with the famously tongue-in-cheek mantra: “I wouldn’t want to be a part of any club that would have me as a member.” But this was different. I’m afraid to say it, but I’ve had my mind changed, so here goes. This is an open letter to country clubs, social clubs, and any other club-like establishment —move over old and crusties— there’s a new game in town, and it’s called SELECT. I got to try SELECT over the fall, and the following is my report:

SELECT, which bills itself as a “private perks and privileges community,” is actually a Members-only club that grants its denizens access to VIP treatment across major cities. Actors, models and the glitterati have been flocking to the platform, which, in addition to offering intensely tangible benefits at top restaurants, entertainment, nightlife and travel venues, also hosts regular networking events for members. The networking events are arguably the real draw of the membership - who wouldn’t want to rub elbows with a Victoria’s Secret model, right?

But at first, all I saw were the qualifications: in order to become a member, one had to apply and be accepted. Ok, bougie… but again, not really my M.O. Specific qualifications are not listed, but from the site, the implication is that they’re looking for those who are on the up-and-up, and budding or established influencers in their own right. Skeptically, I trod on. I’m no socialite, but I happen to have worked my way through a top tier school and run a semi-influential blog. I know, look at me… (but hey, shameless blog plug courteously omitted).

Once accepted, there is a pretty reasonable annual fee of $300, which is comparable tomany credit cards that pride themselves on lesser rewards if we’re being honest. And then, once accepted, which I was lucky enough to be, your custom black metal SELECT card goes to the presses. A short time later a mysterious black box arrives at your door, the contents of which are your spankin’ new black SELECT card.

It was beautiful when I unwrapped it. A perfect onyx slab of pure purchasing glory ready for placement in an otherwise drab wallet. There was my name, right on the card. It was love at first glistening sight.

A quick note here: As I later learned, you can either use the card on its own, or tie it to an existing credit card and pay with it like the black card it is really meant to be. I chose the later, and still use it to this day, but the choice is apparently up to you.

Now card aside, time for (some more) fun stuff. I took SELECT for a test drive over the following weeks to see how great this SELECT membership thing really is – if it’s worth the investment. If you ask me, it’s a clear yes, but judge for yourself. Here’s what I found:

Restaurants

This seems to be the core of the program. Perusing through the options for each of the five major cities SELECT is currently in - Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Washington D.C. - there’s an even mix of discounts, free appetizers, free drinks and other insider-only perks.

Using these perks is where I found the glitz of the program to really shine. It just feels right to walk into a place and get treated preferentially. After all, I deserve to be treated like a VIP, right…? There’s a specific feeling you get when you sit down and the Mâitre’ d comes over with a couple flutes of champagne for you and your date.

Can you say… sex appeal?

Travel

SELECT definitely has a very impressive list of travel partners (hotels, transportation, and experiences) that participate in their membership deals, from The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, to Sailo, a platform for renting yachts in the Northeast and Florida. There was one situation in which a code no longer worked, but the concierge (more on that below) helped me out quickly!

Plus, as I dug in further on travel, I found one of the true hidden gems of the program. SELECT has a platform just for hotels with the cheapest rates I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure how they get them, but after testing a winter getaway booking to Miami Beach, it’s easy to see how I could make back my membership fee on this alone.

SELECT touts up to 60% off their ‘Member Deals,’ which are apparently all over the globe, and with this I would have saved about $145/night on my stay. Not too shabby SELECT – moving on…

Nightlife

The main perk of SELECT’s nightlife options is getting on the guest list for otherwise crowded locations, which would likely to be impossible to enter otherwise. I was able to get a reservation for TAO lounge pretty easily, which is normally sold out on weekends! Other notable hotspot benefits included guest list access at Miami’s LIV and Story, which if you have ever been, speak for themselves. As anyone who lives in New York can tell you, nothing says slick like a smooth nightlife experience.

Lifestyle and Entertainment

SELECT has a ton of lifestyle and entertainment treats, but they really shine in the fashion department.  As an amateur fashionista, I’d like to even see some more here, but all the same the offerings were impressive.  Most lifestyle deals range between 20% and 30% off, with a few throwing in great deals - like $100 off Audi On Demand (which is just what it sounds like).

Another cool one is their discount movie tickets. They seem to have all the theaters, but for example you can get AMC black tickets to see a flick for about 10 bucks, which here in New York, is basically half off. I’ve been giving them out as gifts to friends ever since.

Concierge

As mentioned above, the concierge is a shining star in SELECT’s offering. I was helped by a woman named Susanna who was attentive, and answered one of my trademark overly complex questions in minutes, even though it involved calling several hotels. Is SELECT the future of travel agencies? It could be!

Overall, I would recommend SELECT to anyone who enjoys the finer things in life, but is budget-smart. I haven’t yet had a chance to attend a networking event, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for ‘em - and will update when I do!

Learn more about SELECT and apply for membership.