The World’s Best Beach Clubs

By Felicity Arganne

From Magnum P.I. to Moët-flutes — a (brief) history

Beach clubs as we know them today are a relatively recent phenomenon. In fiction, Magnum P.I. introduced television viewers to a lush private enclave — the King Kamehameha Club — that served as a hang‑out for Thomas Magnum and his Vietnam buddies; the producers actually shot the 1980s scenes in Honolulu’s venerable Elks Club and other local venues. Real‑world beach clubs followed soon after. Florida restaurateur Jack Penrod began operating Penrod’s Beach Club in Fort Lauderdale and later Miami in the 1980s; in 1998 he merged it with Café Nikki to create Nikki Beach, blending French‑Riviera chic with Miami hedonism. The concept spread to Ibiza, Bali and beyond, bringing curated DJs, bottle‑service cabanas and day‑beds to sun‑seekers.

In Europe the trend collided with coastal laws. In France the coastline belongs to the maritime public domain, and the 1986 Littoral Law guarantees free pedestrian access; private operators can lease a beach but must leave at least 80 % of the shoreline unobstructed and cannot build permanent structures. Spain’s Ley de Costas divides the coast into a public domain and a mixed domain: the beach itself and the first line of surf belong to the state, while a 100‑metre protection zone and a further 400‑metre zone of influence may be occupied only under temporary concessions. Bars, pools and restaurants built behind that protection zone can be fenced off and operated exclusively — hence those high‑security pools you see beside the sand. You can’t own the beach, but you can own the chaise longues on a deck. The idea of a pool by the sea might sound absurd, but fresh water and chilled Champagne are essential when your hairdresser and Instagram feed demand perfection.

As competition escalated, clubs introduced Balinese beds with velvet cushions, private butlers, Wi‑Fi and even built‑in safes. Giant salt‑water pools let party‑goers splash without battling waves, while foam cannons and Champagne showers created viral scenes. Jack Penrod’s Nikki Beach remains the template: a white‑washed, boho‑chic aesthetic with live percussionists and midday fashion shows. Today you’ll find chain‑branded clubs (Nikki Beach, Purobeach, Blue Marlin) as well as independent spots courting aristocrats, super‑yacht owners and reality‑TV entourages. The beds, bottles and DJ line‑ups changed, but the formula remains simple: sun, status and selfies.

How we ranked the best

How does one define “the best” beach club? In true Riviera Ready style, I created a cheeky scoring formula mixing venue & amenities (30 %), location (20 %), clientele & vibe (20 %), cost & value (10 %) and exclusivity & perks (20 %). We looked at design (pools, day‑beds, cabanas, dining), service (massages, concierge), setting (turquoise bay or industrial port), crowd (glamour set or stag parties), price of beds/bottle service, membership rules, children policies and star sightings. Where possible we used public pricing and membership data; when clubs refused to divulge numbers, we relied on credible reports and aggregated commentary. Because beach‑clubs rarely publish their entire guest list, the gossip you’re about to read comes from first‑hand observations, travel editors and the occasional discreet waiter.

Marbella & Estepona: champagne wars on the Costa del Sol

This stretch of Andalusia is a magnet for Russian oligarchs, British reality stars and footballers’ wives — and for organized crime. Ocean Club Marbella sprawls across 9,000 m² with a salt‑water pool and Champagne‑spraying parties. Pre‑paid reservations are held until 4 p.m., guests must be “dressed to impress,” no hen‑party accessories or outside food is allowed, and tanning creams containing carotene are banned. Reviewers estimate around €250 (≈£216) per person for a day there, although the club keeps its official price list hidden behind VIP log‑ins. Nearby Dune Beach Club (from the same owners) is slightly more relaxed: single sun‑beds cost €40 (≈£35) including towels and waiter service, while big beds for up to three people cost €150 (≈£129) and come with a bottle of Miraval rosé.

Across town, Nikki Beach Marbella continues Penrod’s boho empire. It hosts lavish White Parties and “champagne World Tour” events, but still allows children during the day. Opium Beach Club draws a younger EDM crowd; in 2022 a gunman opened fire after a fight, injuring four and making international headlines. In 2018 hooded men tied up a security guard and torched Heaven Beach Club in Estepona, and in January 2025 the beach bar Azucar was burned down in Puerto Banús. Such incidents, though rare, underscore how lucrative these venues are for both legitimate entrepreneurs and the underworld.

Mijas & La Cala: chilled‑out alternatives

If Puerto Banús feels too blingy, head a few miles east towards Mijas Costa. Max Beach Mijas offers a stylish yet relaxed escape; a local guide describes it as “where elegance meets relaxation,” noting its contemporary design, pool and sun‑lounger area and direct beach access. The restaurant’s menu is upscale without the sticker shock of Marbella’s super‑clubs. Further along the coast in La Cala, Florida Mijas Beach provides a more affordable option with sunbeds on the sand and a casual bar serving local dishes and refreshing drinks. These venues attract families and locals as well as visitors; you’re unlikely to encounter Champagne‑spraying footballers, but you will get a sun lounger without re‑mortgaging your villa.

Barcelona & the Balearics: EDM playgrounds and chill‑out sanctuaries

Barcelona’s Go Beach Club offers transparent pricing: a Day Bed for two costs €100 (≈£86) including two drinks; Sofa Balinese beds for up to six cost €300 (≈£259) with €150 credit; the most decadent Balinese Garden bed seats eight and costs €650 (≈£561) with €300 to spend on food and drinks. Bastian Beach’s FAQ states that minors are permitted if accompanied, and the minimum‑spend for beds may be used towards food, drinks and shisha. For a more upscale vibe, Purobeach Barcelona sells day‑passes: sunbeds start at €85 (≈£73) including a welcome tray, towels and fruit; Balinese beds for two from €210 (≈£181); nomadic beds for four at €500 (≈£431) with champagne and snacks; and a Moët & Chandon cabana for eight at €1,000 (≈£863).

Ibiza remains the queen of the Balearics. Blue Marlin — the VIP magnet in Cala Jondal — charges €30 (≈£26) to hire a sun‑lounger plus a €50 (≈£43) minimum spend; big beds for up to four cost €100 (≈£86) hire with a €500 (≈£431) minimum spend, rising to €600 (≈£517) on Sundays. O Beach Ibiza (formerly Ocean Beach) sells packages from about €1,200 to €1,800 (≈£1,035–£1,553) for groups of five to ten, including a bottle and VIP service; the giant pool stage hosts aerial acrobats, “Hot Bed” brunches and foam parties, attracting influencers and hen parties. It’s an open secret that management sometimes comps beds and bottles for groups of photogenic women as a marketing ploy — simply dress up, smile and ask nicely at the front desk or know a promoter. While the vibe can be tacky, you might spot a Premier‑League footballer ordering magnums of rosé.

French Riviera: St‑Tropez & beyond

The Côte d’Azur is where beach clubs became fashion runways. Nikki Beach Saint‑Tropez charges €150 (≈£129) for a beach bed plus bottle service, offers pool access and enforces a “beach‑chic” dress code; the beach area is adults‑only. In the same bay, the legendary Club 55 — a humble shed turned celebrity canteen — still rents sunbeds for €40 (≈£35), umbrellas for €19 (≈£16) and huts for €59 (≈£51). Don’t even think of ordering lunch from your lounger; you must dress and dine at the rustic terrace, where Brigitte Bardot once tanned and where Leonardo DiCaprio occasionally pops in. The French laws requiring public access mean you can plonk your towel nearby for free, but there’s no waiter, no DJ and certainly no Moët.

Greece & the eastern Med: Mykonos and her sisters

On Mykonos, two clubs vie for the super‑yacht elite. Nammos pairs a turquoise bay with a price tag: cabanas can cost US$5,000 per day (≈£3,683), Champagne bottles stretch to US$140,000 (≈£103,138), and lunch for two runs around US$350 (≈£258). Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid recently partied there, as have Mariah Carey, Valentino Garavani and Lewis Hamilton. Scorpios, created in 2015 and now run by Soho House, offers a more spiritual take with Mediterranean cuisine, art installations and sunset rituals; it attracts the Hadid sisters and wellness‑minded creatives. On St Barths, the Caribbean outpost of Nikki Beach charges around €100 (≈£86) to rent a bed that seats three and requires bottle service starting from a few hundred euros. Shellona, the tanned neighbour, reserves its loungers for hotel guests until 1 p.m., after which the general public can use them.

Dubai: desert decadence meets maritime law

Dubai embraces the beach‑club concept with Middle‑Eastern opulence. At Nikki Beach Dubai, single sunbeds cost AED 150 (≈£30) on weekdays and AED 300 (≈£60) on weekends, including a soft drink and towel; beds near the pool that seat six require a minimum spend of AED 1,500 (≈£301). On weekends, front‑line beds cost AED 3,950 (≈£793) with a bottle of Dom Pérignon, while regular beds are AED 2,500 (≈£501) including a bottle of Champagne. Management enforces a “couples or mixed groups only” policy to deter bachelor parties. Zero Gravity offers more affordable fun: a day ticket is 100 AED (≈£20), sunbeds cost 200 AED (≈£40), and a private cabin is 1,000 AED (≈£201). With a glass‑fronted pool and daily brunches, it draws both Instagram models and Dubai’s after‑work crowd. Cove Beach, DRIFT Beach and White Beach at Atlantis round out the scene, each with their own “ladies’ day” packages and Shisha lounges. Remember: the U.A.E. has strict public‑decency laws, so leave the topless sunbathing for Mykonos.

Miami & the Americas: where it all began

Miami’s original Nikki Beach still charges a US$350 (≈£258) minimum spend for a daybed (up to four guests) and US$700 (≈£515) for a cabana (up to ten). There is no pool; the party happens on the sand under swaying palms. South Beach also hosts SLS South Beach’s Hyde Beach (known for celebrity‑hosted pool parties) and 1 Hotel’s Rooftop but those are more hotel pools than true beach clubs. In the Caribbean, many resorts include semi‑private “beach clubs” within all‑inclusive packages; at the more exclusive end, Nikki Beach St Barths charges around €100 (≈£86) per bed as noted earlier.

Los Angeles & Hawaii: private clubs for the one‑percent

California’s coastline is dotted with private membership clubs rather than day‑beds. Little Beach House Malibu (Soho House’s ocean‑front outpost) requires a separate Malibu Plus membership costing around US$1,000 (≈£737) for under‑27s and a connection to Malibu; existing Soho House members must apply and may be rejected. At the venerable Jonathan Club in Santa Monica, membership reportedly demands a US$50,000 initiation fee (≈£36,835), while Hollywood’s San Vicente Bungalows charges annual dues from US$4,200 (≈£3,094) plus an US$1,800 (≈£1,326) initiation fee — your fellow members include Oscar winners and media moguls. Unlike Mediterranean clubs, these venues ban photos and insist on collared shirts, and there are no rowdy Champagne showers.

Hawaii’s beach clubs are even more exclusive. The Mauna Kea Resort offers social and platinum memberships to homeowners, providing access to golf courses, tennis courts and the resort’s beach club. On the Big Island, Kohanaiki — a private residential community — charges a membership fee of around US$375,000 (≈£276,263) with annual dues of US$62,000 (≈£45,275). Amenities include an oceanfront beach club, restaurants, sports complex, bowling alley, movie theatre, spa and multiple pools. Golf Life Navigators notes that initiation fees for such clubs start at US$150,001+ (≈£110,506+). With membership only available to property owners and an on‑site helipad, don’t expect to waltz in off the sand.

Behind‑the‑scenes gossip & fashion highlights

Beach clubs aren’t just about sunbeds; they’re about spectacle and clever marketing. At Nikki Beach’s White Party, models in white bikinis and feather headpieces strut down the restaurant tables while drummers play “Love Generation.” At Mykonos’ Nammos, a plate of sushi can cost more than your flight, and you might see a reality star attempt to sabre a jeroboam of Dom Pérignon only to end up spraying half the crowd (true story). In Marbella, some clubs are rumoured to comp beds and bottles for groups of model‑esque women, hoping to attract deep‑pocketed men; conversely, solo men may be turned away unless they book a cabana. In Ibiza and Marbella the easiest way to score a complimentary bed is to assemble a group of glamorous friends, slide into a promoter’s DMs beforehand or simply approach the host desk with confidence — promoters know that a table full of photogenic women will draw paying VIPs. Many clubs institutionalise the practice via ladies’ days: for example The 305 West Beach in Dubai hosts a weekly girls’ day where, from 9 a.m., women can enjoy a sun bed with pool & beach access, five drinks and a dish for AED 275 (≈£55); restaurant seating with the same perks costs AED 250 (≈£50) and packages are first‑come‑first‑served, with cabanas available for an extra fee. Similar deals appear across Dubai and the Balearics, underscoring how important the female “Instagram effect” has become.

While some promotions are harmless, others come with strings attached. TripAdvisor reviews warn that certain Marbella clubs are essentially “pick‑up joints” where escorts ply their trade: one reviewer described Ocean Club Marbella as “full of prostitutes (Escort Girls)” who approach men, ask them to buy drinks and then offer themselves for evening entertainment; he noted that drinks were pricey and the club was “not suitable for families”tripadvisor.com. In other words, if you’re approached by a scantily dressed woman urging you to order Champagne, politely decline and move on.

Stag and hen parties have been both a blessing and curse: they fill VIP tables, but also create rowdy scenes that deter the “couture crowd.” Clubs like Purobeach and Scorpios explicitly ban fancy‑dress accessories. Celebrities often request secluded areas or arrive by boat; many clubs have private jetties for this reason. Staff whisper that some A‑listers tip five figures to have other guests moved away, while others (no names!) sneak in disguised under straw hats and pay the standard minimum spend. At Ibiza’s O Beach (Ocean Beach), co‑owner Wayne Lineker told journalists that UFC superstar Conor McGregor and YouTuber‑turned‑boxer KSI are among the club’s biggest spenders — McGregor arrives with a security entourage and creates “a parade,” while KSI once splashed out on hundreds of bottles of Champagne. Lineker also recalled singer Ed Sheeran dropping by for an impromptu performance, proving that anything can happen when the rosé is flowing. In Dubai, you might dine next to a sheikh or a tech billionaire; just don’t photograph them or you may find yourself escorted out. Organised‑crime figures occasionally appear, particularly in Marbella and Tulum, where recent shootings and arson attacks were linked to rival gangs. They’re usually easy to spot: surrounded by bodyguards and a small battalion of “girlfriends,” rarely leaving their cabana and communicating via earpiece. Unless you’re auditioning for a gangster film, give them a wide berth and enjoy your rosé elsewhere.

The fashion is just as important. Expect lots of Jacquemus straw hats, Balmain bikinis, and off‑white linen for men. In Saint‑Tropez, Chanel hosts pop‑ups at beach clubs; in Ibiza, Dior once presented a capsule collection at El Silencio. Bring your biggest sunglasses and your smallest swimsuit, and remember: sun cream is your most essential accessory.

Felicity’s final word

Beach clubs epitomise the paradox of modern luxury travel: they offer curated decadence in spaces that, legally, belong to everyone. Today’s beds are bigger, the Champagne more expensive, and the Instagram stakes higher than ever. While some clubs feel like playgrounds for influencers, others remain bastions of discreet glamour where you might brush shoulders with royalty or a Hollywood legend. My advice? Choose your scene wisely. If you crave wellness vibes and sunset rituals, head for Scorpios. For Champagne‑soaked hedonism, it’s Ocean Club or Nammos. Budget‑conscious sun‑seekers should snag a hut at Club 55 or a €40 (≈£35) bed at Dune. Wherever you go, wear something fabulous, tip your waiter generously, and remember that the gossip is almost as important as the tan.