Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1521219
On a recent Saturday evening, a group of gala attendees paraded from the Post Oak Hotel in their black-tie attire to the newly opened posh private social club Park House at 4411 San Felipe for an impromptu after-party. You didn't see the play-by- play of the revelry from the speakeasy- style Velvet Room posted on Instagram because no photos or videos are permitted to respect members' privacy. It's a refreshing change. The bookcase entrance leading to berry-pink velvet banquettes and pink-and-gold metallic marbleized wallpaper isn't made for social media clicks, but rather for an immersive guest experience. And Park House is all about fulfilling experiences. "We want our members to have many different room options, each with its own personality, depending on how they are using the club that day — a business breakfast, lunch with friends, girls' night out, family brunch on the weekend, or late-night listening to one of our DJs," says co- founder Deborah Scott as we saunter through the club during a busy lunch seating (executive chef Oscar Carrasco is from The Little Nell in Aspen). The visionaries behind Park House are hospitality and restaurant veterans Deborah and John Scott and Megan and Brady Wood, who debuted Park House Dallas in 2018, modeled after British private club darlings Annabel's, The Arts Club, and 5 Hertford Street. The Scotts spent nearly five years in London, where they joined and researched several private clubs, and where John was president and CEO of Belmond Ltd., formerly Orient-Express Hotels; prior, he was president and CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in Dallas for nine years. Deborah is a navigator of philanthropic, well-traveled, art-collecting friends, which informed the elevated programming for members. Brady Wood, founder of Woodhouse based in Dallas, is developer of The Moore Miami members club and Elevation Hotel & Spa in Crested Butte, among others. The Park House model translated well to a Texas audience — Park House Dallas has a wait list of 6,500 hopeful applicants (and growing). The Houston club benefits from experience and extra space — a total of 25,000 square feet with four bars with ample lounge seating, three dining rooms, two DJ booths, a lush patio, multiple private dining rooms, a late-night speakeasy, and an intimate cigar lounge. "Park House Houston is a larger footprint than Dallas, so we were able to build in the spaces that had been successful in Dallas and elevate the experiences and design elements," Deborah says. "We created more special opulent A John McAllister oil on canvas greets members as they enter the club level on the seventh floor. The Living Room with intricate geometric parquet flooring.