I love New York City for its energy and speed. I love that feeling of walking down the street and knowing that something is always happening.
But sometimes—or honestly, often—you want to sit down with your family or a good friend, have a drink, enjoy some food, and simply relax.
You can do that at The Penn Club of New York.
In the middle of Manhattan, The Penn Club feels like a different world. It’s elegant and peaceful, but not disconnected from the city. In fact, that’s what makes it so appealing: you can be right in the heart of Midtown and still find a quiet place to slow down.
For us, it has become one of those places we enjoy returning to.
A Club With a Long New York Story
The Penn Club’s history actually begins in 1886, when University of Pennsylvania alumni in New York organized the university’s first local alumni group outside Philadelphia.
By 1900, they wanted a place in New York where Penn people could gather. The University of Pennsylvania’s Club of New York opened that year in four rooms at the Royalton Hotel, only about 200 feet from today’s clubhouse. The organization received its New York State charter in 1901.
The Club moved several times over the decades before finally finding its permanent home at 30 West 44th Street.
The University acquired the historic building in 1989, renovation began in 1992, and The Penn Club officially opened there in 1994, with more than 7,000 alumni and friends becoming Charter Members.
The building itself dates to 1900–1901 and has an impressive architectural history of its own. Today, it is a designated New York City landmark.
And that history is part of the experience. You don’t walk into a newly designed space made to look traditional. You’re walking into a real piece of old New York.
The Benjamin Franklin Library
One of my favorite places in the Club is the Benjamin Franklin Library.
It is beautiful—traditional, warm and surprisingly peaceful for a building in the middle of Midtown. It’s the kind of room that makes you want to sit down and stay awhile.
Members can use the library as a quiet meeting place or simply relax there. The Club also offers snacks and cocktails in the evening.
We especially enjoy bringing friends there for drinks and a few bites.
There is one little thing to remember: if you’re planning to visit the library specifically, check the Club’s schedule first. Private events can occasionally make the space unavailable.
Dinner, Drinks and Time With Friends
The Club has both a formal Main Dining Room and the more relaxed Grill Room, so the experience can change depending on what you’re in the mood for.
The Main Dining Room has the kind of traditional elegance you would expect from a historic private club, while the Grill Room is more casual and social, with a bar and a comfortable atmosphere for meeting friends.
For us, it’s less about making a special occasion out of every visit and more about having somewhere comfortable to spend time together.
Sometimes that’s dinner.
Sometimes it’s just drinks.
And sometimes you simply want to sit with people you enjoy without the noise and rush of a typical Midtown restaurant.
When Family and Friends Come to New York
Another reason we appreciate the Club is the 39 overnight guest rooms.
We can book rooms for family and friends when they visit New York, which makes having guests in the city much easier.
The rooms have a classic, comfortable character, and being able to stay in the middle of Manhattan while still having a quiet place to return to is a real luxury.
Members and their guests can also use the Club’s fitness facilities, and weekend overnight guests receive breakfast in the Grill Room.
The Club isn’t trying to compete with every new luxury hotel in Manhattan. Its appeal is different: it’s a private clubhouse where you can eat, meet, stay and spend time with people you know.
More Than a Place to Eat
The Penn Club occupies 13 floors and includes much more than dining and guest rooms.
There is a business center, fitness center, massage services, meeting and banquet spaces, and a regular calendar of social, professional and cultural programs. Members can attend networking events, lectures, tastings, book-club lunches, Broadway programs and other activities.
That social side is important.
A private club isn’t only about the building. It’s also about the people you meet there.
The Club describes itself as a place for members to develop friendships and professional connections, and it also participates in events with other university clubs in Manhattan.
One of My Favorite Benefits: The Reciprocal Clubs
And then there is something we particularly enjoy when we travel: the 180+ reciprocal clubs around the world.
This is one of those benefits that becomes much more interesting once you actually use it.
When we travel, we’ve enjoyed visiting reciprocal clubs in other cities. They give us another option for meeting friends, having a meal or drink, or simply spending time somewhere comfortable.
The Penn Club currently has reciprocal relationships with more than 180 clubs in the U.S. and internationally. Members obtain a letter of introduction through the Club, and individual reciprocal clubs have their own rules and availability.
For someone who travels regularly, that makes the membership feel much bigger than one address in New York.
Who Can Join?
The Penn Club is a private, members-only club, so membership is not open to everyone.
It primarily serves University of Pennsylvania alumni, students, parents, family members, faculty, staff and eligible people connected with Penn’s select affiliate schools and organizations.
The Club’s current membership page explains how eligible applicants can request a membership package, application and current dues information. The Club also offers tours for people who want to learn more about membership.
One example of the Club’s expanding affiliate network is New York University: NYU alumni are currently eligible for affiliate membership through an agreement with The Penn Club.
Because eligibility, membership categories and dues can change, it’s best to check the current requirements directly with the Club.
Penn Club of New York — Membership Information
Why We Enjoy It
There are countless restaurants, hotels and places to meet in New York.
What keeps bringing us back to The Penn Club is something simpler.
It gives us somewhere to be together.
We can bring friends and family. We can have dinner or drinks. We can sit in the library. We can book a room when family or friends are visiting. And when we travel, we can sometimes take advantage of the Club’s reciprocal network.
All of that comes with something I value even more: a sense of calm.
I don’t need every New York experience to be exciting.
Sometimes the best part of being in New York is sitting at a table with people you love, talking for a couple of hours, and not feeling like you have to go anywhere.
A Quiet Place in a Very Busy City
That’s probably the best way I can describe The Penn Club.
I will always love New York for its energy, movement and speed. That’s part of what makes the city unforgettable.
But sometimes you need the opposite.
You need a comfortable chair.
A beautiful room.
A drink.
Good food.
Family or friends around you.
And a little time to slow down.
In the middle of New York City, The Penn Club gives you exactly that.
And then, whenever you’re ready, you can walk back outside and return to the energy of the city you came for in the first place.
