Aberdeen Marina Club is a privileged haven rich in friendships and tradition

One of the privileges of executive life in Hong Kong is the opportunity for membership at an exclusive private club.

The city has no less than 30 prestigious clubs catering for just about anything a hard working executive's heart could desire. From family-oriented to adults only, from formal to relaxed, from action-packed to total relaxation, Hong Kong clubs have something for everyone.

Bill Henderson, senior partner at Egon Zehnder International, the world's leading privately owned management consultancy focused on leadership resourcing and evaluation, says club membership is an important drawcard attracting top executive talent to Hong Kong.

"The top players know that senior executives here routinely have one or more memberships, and they ask for it," he says. "Club membership helps a family to assimilate. When the breadwinner is working long hours, it's a place where the spouse and children can come to form social relationships.

 "As Hong Kong is the regional centre for business, clubs also offer them a wealth of opportunity for networking in a social context.  Overseas clients love to be entertained at a member's club – it feels far more privileged than a hotel or restaurant, and shows them another side of Hong Kong."

Diverse choice

Mr Henderson believes no other city in Asia has such a diverse choice of private clubs. As a Briton and long-term Hong Kong resident, he personally has memberships at the Hong Kong Country Club at Deep Water Bay, the Foreign Correspondents Club in Central, and recently relinquished his corporate debenture at Hong Kong Cricket Club to a colleague because he "couldn't find enough time to do justice to two clubs, let alone three".

All of Hong Kong's clubs have individual characteristics. Hong Kong Country Club, on the picturesque waterfront at Deep Water Bay, is a relaxed club with a reputation for serving the finest cuisine and providing the best sports and recreational facilities for members.

The Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC), which began in 1943 as an association of journalists fighting for freedom of the press, evolved into a social club for foreign media, business and diplomatic community. FCC's Main Bar is a famous meeting place for some of the city's most colourful characters, renowned for its lively conversations and debates.

The American Club, one of Hong Kong's largest private clubs, has a focus on family recreational facilities. In addition to both town and country clubhouse facilities, the club has a box at Happy Valley Racecourse and over 80 reciprocal club agreements worldwide. Its combination of services, facilities and reputation make The American Club a pre-emminent social club populated by an international and affluent membership.

Privileged haven

Many clubs cater to the sporting-minded. The Aberdeen Marina Club positions itself as a privileged haven - a unique private community where members and their families enjoy superb facilities and services while enriching their lives with friendships and traditions. In addition to a full service marina, club facilities include tennis courts, squash courts, swimming pools, fitness centre and ice skating rink. All kinds of activities are on offer, from classes in Pilates, yoga and dance, to ball games and martial arts.

Golfers can play a round in the scenic Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, featuring resort-style golf, marina and spa facilities with unsurpassed sea views. Excellent restaurants and family activities provide welcome respite from city stress.

Apart from offering an enviable lifestyle, membership is also increasingly viewed as an investment. With long waiting lists for many of Hong Kong's clubs, it's a concept broker Tony Chan, sales director of Everfine Services, believes is gaining momentum. "Everyone is looking for a good investment, and membership rates keep rising," he told South China Morning Post.