When I walked onto the third-floor terrace of the Ravel Hotel on a sweltering Saturday afternoon (a high of 84 degrees to be precise) a few weeks ago it felt as if I had been transported into one of my favorite reality shows.
If you’re unfamiliar with the popular UK-based dating show Love Island, well, essentially a dozen, super hot British people try to find love each summer while soaking up the rays of some beautiful, tropical destination. Participants mainly spend their time hanging around an equally exquisite and secluded villa decorated with bright neon signs, sun-soaked lounge chairs and a glistening infinity pool.
The vibe of The Summer Club — a newly opened rooftop day club in Long Island City — is similar to that enviable villa I watch attractive singles gossip and hook up in every summer: white lounge chairs stretched across faux grass, LED signs with the club’s name plastered all around and a 50’x20′ pool found in the center of the action.
Beyond aesthetics though, The Summer Club offers the complete day club experience, drawing inspiration from the affluent day clubs in Las Vegas and Miami. Guests are able to rent out private, shaded cabanas, cool down with specialty frozen cocktails and listen to live entertainment from acclaimed DJs and musicians.
“At The Summer Club, we want our guests to feel as though they’ve found a hidden gem in the heart of NYC,” says Owner, Seth Levine. “We’ve created a secluded summer oasis that offers both relaxation and celebration.”
To be totally transparent, I’m not a frequent participant in the New York City clubbing/nightlife scene these days, which I often find overrun with showboating influencers and ear-ringing techno music. Maybe it was the heat or the many (delicious) frozen drinks getting to my head but I immensely enjoyed my day time at The Summer Club’s kickoff party.
For starters, the size of the club is unlike any rooftop pool I’ve seen in the city. At 24,000 square feet, The Summer Club can be broken down into three sections. You first walk into a dining area where you can order food. As someone who enjoys an aesthetically pleasing establishment primed for TikTok or Instagram virality, I can assure you that most of the fare served at those places is overpriced and trash. So I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh sushi platter and juicy sirloin sliders I dined on poolside at The Summer Club — some much-needed fuel for the rest of my sun- and booze-filled day.
The middle section of the club — the terrace — is a large turf area lined with private cabanas and features a heap of lounge chairs, a DJ booth and a bar that serves cocktails, wine, beer and eight specialty frozen drinks Then through a luxuriant floral archway, guests are ushered into the pool area which has even more cabanas and chairs, plus some pleasant skyline views — and of course, a pool! A large, clean, refreshing pool that wasn’t as crowded as one might expect from a trendy rooftop day club on the hottest day of the year so far.
A day pass at The Summer Club costs $75 and includes pool access, a towel and a lounge chair. Private cabanas start at $375 and go up to $750. Those prices, however, will change (get higher) when the club has special guests perform. Or if you just want to mosey around the club, a general admission ticket with no pool access is $40.
While one of the city’s many public pools will do a fine job of cooling you off on an unbearably hot summer day, if you are looking for more of a private experience, one filled with live music, bottle service, good bites and — I’m gonna say it! — even better vibes, consider taking a trip over the bridge to Long Island City.
The Summer Club
8-08 Queens Plaza S. Long Island City, New York.
Hours: Open 7 days a week from 11 AM to 10 PM; no entry after 6 pm.
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