A Modern Third Space for Belonging & Culture

In an era of constant connectivity, exclusivity has taken on new meanings. Today’s members-only clubs offer more than fine dining or plush lounges. They promise community, curated experiences and a sense of belonging that feels both rare and deeply personal. In fact, for centuries, such clubs have served as quiet powerhouses of society: places where ideas are exchanged, alliances are formed and traditions endure. One such is The Quorum Club that attracts those who value legacy, loyalty and the best of cultural and culinary experiences. SRIKANT Peri, Chief Operating Officer, The Quorum Club tells BISHAN Kumar how the model works.

Can there be a third space somewhere between home and work that is exclusive yet tailored to refined needs? Yes. The Quorum Club is a modern lifestyle private members’ club where hospitality, culture, food, wellness and conversation intersect. Its community is intentionally diverse with entrepreneurs, professionals, creators and leaders at different life stages, brought together by shared curiosity rather than titles. Each location typically numbers a few thousand members, with a clear ceiling defined by space, service capacity and the experience the club aims to preserve.

Density matters. Too few members and the energy drops, too many and intimacy is lost. Membership is curated through referrals, interviews and intentbased profiling to maintain a healthy balance of social and professional engagement. As the club expands, the guiding principles remain local relevance, thoughtful curation and disciplined growth. “At The Quorum Club, we are not managing stays; we are stewarding relationships. Members return not for a room, but for recognition, relevance and rhythm,’ says Srikant.

 
Operating With Local Soul

The Quorum Club operates from a common platform across cities, sharing values, service philosophy and core pillars. Nonetheless, each location is deliberately shaped by its city. Gurugram is its flagship and set the foundation: social mix with high daily usage and structured energy. Mumbai, Hyderabad and other cities reflect different rhythms. Programming, operating hours, space activation and even service style are adapted to local lifestyles and cultural expectations. “What works in Gurugram cannot simply be replicated elsewhere,” Srikant notes.

Operationally, The Quorum Club standardises the essentials i.e. training, SOPs, technology and governance, while allowing flexibility in programming, food and community engagement. “We hire local leadership and empower them to interpret the club’s ethos in a way that feels authentic to their city. The aim is consistency in quality, not uniformity in experience,” Srikant adds. So, while hotels are built around transient guests and standardised excellence, a members’ club is built around memory, familiarity and belonging.

Culinary Philosophy

The Quorum Club treats food and beverage as a balance between global standards and local expression. “When we introduce new food and beverage concepts or signature beverage programmes, they are first developed and tested locally, then refined for operational discipline before being adapted elsewhere. Each concept is reinterpreted through the lens of the city it operates in,” Srikant elaborates.

A good example is the club’s cocktailled social formats and tasting evenings. The structure and service style remain consistent, but menus are built around local produce, seasonal ingredients and regional flavour profiles. This approach allows the experience to scale while remaining rooted and authentic.

All this is driven by Srikant’s experience in the hospitality sector. The shift to club dimension has shaped his leadership approach significantly. The focus has moved from hierarchy to presence, from procedures to people, and from perfection to consistency with warmth. “The fundamentals of hospitality remain the same but here club, culture and community become the true north,” he says.

The Q Collective

Partnerships are central to the club’s strategy and this is where Q Collective comes into play, whether with developers, hospitality groups or international clubs. “The right partner shares our commitment to quality, longterm thinking and cultural alignment. For us, partnerships must enhance member value, protect the integrity of the brand and create genuine operating leverage, not scale for its own sake,” Srikant says.

Global reciprocal access was one of the first major programmes and over the years has grown from single digits to 272. It’s not just a value addition for the members but a way for other global citizens to experience lifestyle hospitality during their visit to India.

As such, community engagement and cultural programming are central to the club’s identity. “We look beyond attendance numbers. The real signals of engagement are the frequency of visits, time spent in the club, repeat participation and how members move across spaces, food and programming. Qualitative feedback, conversations, referrals and organic advocacy is just as important,” Srikant says.

Future Directions

Over the next three to five years, The Quorum Club aims to evolve into a broader lifestyle platform, not merely a network of clubs. Expansion will be deliberate, focused on cities with strong cultural and professional ecosystems, while ensuring each new location feels locally grounded. “Two formats excite us in particular. District 150 represents our thinking around high-quality meetings, events and cultural infrastructure; hospitality-led spaces that bring work, ideas and community together in a contemporary setting,” Srikant informs. Across formats, the emphasis will be on better experiences, stronger community ties and thoughtful innovation.

Talent, Culture, Retention

 From a performance lens, The Quorum Club tracks how events influence return visits, food and beverage spend, renewals and new member referrals. Successful programming doesn’t just fill a room for an evening; it builds habit, strengthens belonging and over time shows up in retention and sustainable membership growth. “Consistency comes from clarity, not rigidity. We invest heavily in training, SOPs and leadership presence on the floor, but we also empower teams to respond as humans, not scripts. Members value recognition and responsiveness more than theatrical service,” Srikant shares

Hiring high-touch talent is challenging, particularly in an industry with high churn. What has worked best for The Quorum Club is hiring for attitude and curiosity, then training for skill. The club invests in culture, growth pathways and giving young leaders real ownership. When people feel seen and trusted they are more likely to stay, and that continuity is what members experience as warmth, a key differentiator alongside excellent food and meaningful member interactions.

Navigating Competition

In this third space, established groups such as The Leela, the Birla Group and Reliance are entering. Rather than seeing this as a threat, The Quorum Club views competition as validation of the category. “When large, respected groups enter the space, it confirms that lifestyle clubs are no longer niche, they are here to stay. We view this less as a threat and more as an opportunity to sharpen our own proposition,” he adds