Soho House has tapped into a very unique concept. Folks living in and visiting select cities, particularly ones known for style and design, are offered the opportunity to stay, play and work in a “house.” A design team curates a style based on the city that the Soho House is in, and executes it with impeccable design aesthetics.

One must actually apply for membership for either the local Soho House or a membership that provides access to every house around the world. There are currently houses in 25 cities worldwide, such as London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, and Barcelona. Here in the U.S., houses are found in Nashville, New York, Miami, LA, and other fantastic locations around the country, including our very own Soho House Austin.

There are different membership options. For instance, if you’re just looking for a membership at Soho House Austin, you are looking at an annual membership cost of around $2,652. If you are looking for a membership that allows access to all the houses around the world, the annual cost would be nearly $5,000. Interestingly, they offer special pricing for members under the age of 27.

Here’s a little bit about Soho House design:

Lighting choices are spectacular and are designed to move with the day, mostly utilizing low-level lighting, which speaks my language.

While researching the Austin house, they met with 70 local artisans and upcoming Texas designers, so that you could see Texas throughout the house. From fabric designers and other collaborations, guests are embedded in the feel of the house. At the Austin house, you’ll find vintage furniture from the famous Round Top antique shows, various layering of different styles, and other special collections interspersed throughout the house. Everything is very “considered.”

An impressive point about Soho House is that you have the feel of luxury while also enjoying the feel of being at home. And guests that love their bespoke designs can now order from Soho Home, from interiors to outdoor furniture.

Flipping through their beautiful coffee table book, City Country Coast: Our house, your home, all about the Soho House design, now I desperately want to visit their location in the Cotswolds (UK).

Members enjoy various benefits specific to that house, such as the partnership that the Austin house has with nearby Equinox Fitness. There is also a gorgeous screening room for movies, a hipster bar called Dante’s HiFi+, featuring local DJs in the evenings, and an outdoor pool that is always cool.

Soho House Austin guests and members soak up feelings of fun with color, musical embodiments, and natural earthy tones. There are 46 guest rooms, open to members at a discount, and guests who, like me, are just really curious to be a part of this “cool kids” group.

A few of my favorite aspects of the bedroom that I experienced were the eclectic music playing on the old vintage radio on the bedside table, the impressive collection of Soho Skin products in the bathroom, including an eye cream, renewal serum, and even lip balm (my love language). The shower featured eight different choices of shampoo, conditioner, body gel, and other accouterments.

But the creme de la creme was enjoying dining at Club Cecconi. Dinner included the highly recommended whipped ricotta with truffle honey on crostinis, deliciously crispy truffle fries, short rib tacos, and fusilli with broccolini, kale and pesto, all to share at the table. We paired this divine dinner with a Two Shepherds Grenache Blanc from the Russian River Valley, an ideal wine to share on a hot Austin summer day.

Brunch featured a hearty and delicious avocado benedict, sweet waffles, and a gorgeous fruit bowl to share.

Trip Tips:

>Park in the Music Row parking garage just off of Congress, take the elevator up to the retail floor and you’ll find the Soho House near Aba.

>Get up early, ask for a coffee to go at the restaurant, and walk just a few blocks down to the Lady Bird hike and bike trail for the perfect morning stroll.

>On a weekend, the pool will be full of families with young kids in the morning and hip millennials in the afternoon. You might need to get on the waitlist for a cabana (no extra charge).

Membership definitely does have its privileges; and after visiting Soho House Austin, I definitely want to be in this cool kids club. But guests are also welcomed with open arms, so treat yourself to some of the best that downtown Austin’s SoCo has to offer at the Soho House Austin.

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Cover photo courtesy Soho House Austin

Marika Flatt, Outstanding Austin Communicator 2021, is the Travel Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. She began her travel writing career in 2002, and can be seen as a contributor on TV shows across Texas, such as KVUE, Daytime (FOX), San Antonio Living, Good Morning Texas, and KXAN!  Marika spent five years as the voice of the “Weekend Trip Tip” on NPR’s Texas Standard pre-Covid.