Casa Cipriani turned a 1909 ferry terminal at the tip of Manhattan into one of the city’s most talked-about private clubs. Here is what it costs, what is inside, and why getting in is only half the job.

Casa Cipriani at a glance

Location Battery Maritime Building, 10 South Street, Lower Manhattan
Opened 2021
Owner The Cipriani family
Building A 1909 ferry terminal by Walker & Morris, a New York City landmark since 1967
Inside A private club with a lounge, bars and a jazz club, a 47-room hotel, a spa and a 9,000-square-foot Great Hall
Reported cost $2,000 initiation, $2,500 to $3,900 a year depending on age, plus 8.875% sales tax
Best for Old-world glamour with a harbor view

For most of the 20th century, the Battery Maritime Building was where New Yorkers waited for a boat. Commuters from Brooklyn poured through its Great Hall, and an elevated train ran right into the building, according to Architectural Record. It was built in 1909 for one purpose: moving as many people through as fast as possible.

A century later, the Cipriani family turned it into the opposite. Casa Cipriani, which opened in 2021, is built to let as few people in as possible, and to make them want to stay all night.

It is a very New York story. The building that once welcomed everyone with a ferry token now asks for a membership card. Same address, different line.

What is Casa Cipriani?

Casa Cipriani is a private members club, hotel and event space in the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, at the southern tip of Manhattan. It was opened in 2021 by the Cipriani family, the Venetian restaurant dynasty, and it combines a members-only club with a 47-room hotel, a spa and a large event hall.

The restoration was led by the architecture firm Marvel, with interiors by the Office of Thierry W. Despont, according to Architectural Record. The team rebuilt a 130-foot skylight in the Great Hall from an old photograph, put back the original pergolas on the hotel terraces, and added a glass club floor on top. The building has been a city landmark since 1967 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The result looks like an ocean liner that decided never to leave the harbor. Which, if you have ever seen the view at sunset, is an understandable decision.

How much does Casa Cipriani membership cost?

Casa Cipriani does not publish its prices. A New York Post guide reported a $2,000 initiation fee and annual dues of $2,500 to $3,900, depending on the member’s age, according to The Pricer. The club’s bylaws add New York’s 8.875% sales tax to both the fee and the dues.

Other outlets have reported slightly different figures, and the club’s bylaws say the owners can change pricing at their discretion. Luxe Digital also notes that global memberships, which include Casa Cipriani Milano, cost more.

Compared with the rest of Manhattan, that is not the expensive end. The Aman Club charges $200,000 just to join. At Casa Cipriani, the price is not what keeps people out. The committee is.

What is inside Casa Cipriani?

Inside Casa Cipriani are five floors: a private club with a lounge, several bars and a jazz club; a 47-room hotel on the third and fourth floors; a wellness center that wraps around the mezzanine of the Great Hall; and the 9,000-square-foot Great Hall itself, which hosts weddings, galas and private events.

The food, as you would expect from the family behind Harry’s Bar in Venice, is classic Italian. The real draw, though, is the room. Members describe it less as a place to eat and more as a place to be seen eating, ideally on the terrace, ideally while the Statue of Liberty is in the background of somebody else’s evening.

That is the gentle joke at the heart of Casa Cipriani. It is a club for people who want privacy, built around one of the most photogenic views in New York. Everyone is trying very hard not to look like they are trying.

Why is Casa Cipriani so strict about photos?

Casa Cipriani is strict about photos because privacy is what members pay for. Like most private clubs, it discourages photography inside, and the rule has teeth. Members reportedly lost privileges after a photo of Taylor Swift and Matty Healy at the club leaked, according to Dan’s Papers, citing the New York Post.

The lesson for new members is simple. The view is for looking at, not posting. If you want to prove you were at Casa Cipriani, the only acceptable evidence is that you were invited back. Our story on the private club phone ban explains why the no-photos rule became a status symbol.

Can you lose your Casa Cipriani membership?

Yes. Membership at Casa Cipriani renews each year, and renewal is not guaranteed. Page Six reported that the club was declining to renew some memberships as it reshaped its crowd, with members receiving emails saying their membership was now inactive, according to Esquire Australia.

It sounds harsh, but it is the clearest window into how the club thinks. Casa Cipriani is not selling a membership. It is selling a mix of people, and it adjusts the mix the way a chef adjusts a sauce. Getting in is like getting into a good school. Staying in means you still have to show up and act like you belong. Our story on what gets members banned covers the rules most people learn too late.

How do you get into Casa Cipriani?

You apply through the club’s website and go through a membership committee review, and fees are due only after you are approved, according to the club’s bylaws as summarized by The Pricer. A reference from an existing member helps, as it does at most selective Manhattan clubs.

The committee is looking for the same thing every good host looks for: people who make the room better. Bring a member you actually know, be someone they would happily sit next to, and be patient. For the full process, see our hub on how to get into a private club in NYC.

Is Casa Cipriani worth it?

For a member who lives or works downtown, entertains often, and loves a long dinner with a view, Casa Cipriani is one of the better values in the Manhattan club world. The dues are modest by city standards, and the building alone is worth the trip.

But the best reason to join has nothing to do with the terrace. A ferry terminal was always a place where strangers crossed paths. The Ciprianis kept that part. Most members will tell you the real value of the club is the person they met at the bar who turned into a friend, a client or a business partner. Our story on the club where VCs close $100 million deals over caviar shows how often that happens.

For how Casa Cipriani compares with Zero Bond, the Aman Club and the rest of the field, see our ranking of the best private clubs in NYC, and for the bigger picture, our guide to the velvet rope wars.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Casa Cipriani in New York?
Casa Cipriani is in the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, at the southern tip of Manhattan next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The building, a 1909 ferry terminal, has been a New York City landmark since 1967 and overlooks New York Harbor.

Can non-members go to Casa Cipriani?
Non-members can stay at the 47-room hotel and attend private events in the Great Hall, such as weddings and galas. The members club, including its lounge, bars and jazz club, is generally reserved for members and their guests.

Who owns Casa Cipriani?
Casa Cipriani is owned by the Cipriani family, the Italian hospitality group behind Harry’s Bar in Venice and Cipriani restaurants around the world. The family also operates Casa Cipriani Milano, and global memberships include access to both clubs.

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