Elon Musk belongs to an exclusive Hollywood club that forbids members from taking pictures. Here's everything we know about the San Vicente Bungalows.

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Grace KayNov 23, 2022, 20:29 IST
Elon Musk belongs to an exclusive Hollywood club that forbids members from taking pictures. Here's everything we know about the San Vicente Bungalows.

Musk at a 2022 Halloween party.Taylor Hill/Getty Images

  • Elon Musk is a member of the ultra-exclusive Hollywood club the San Vicente Bungalows.
  • Members are not allowed to take pictures at the club and face penalties for being on their phones.
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Elon Musk is a member of the San Vicente Bungalows, an exclusive Hollywood club.

Elon Musk is a member of the San Vicente Bungalows, an exclusive Hollywood club.
Elon Musk and filmmaker Bryn Mooser attend the CAA pre-Oscar party at the San Vicente Bungalows in March.Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for CAA

The billionaire sold his last house in California earlier this year, but has remained a member of the exclusive Los Angeles-based club.

Now when he's in LA, he couch surfs, often staying at the Beverly Hills mansion of Michael Kives — a former agent turned venture capitalist.

Sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Insider

Musk has several Hollywood connections, from Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel to Kanye West.

Musk has several Hollywood connections, from Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel to Kanye West.
George Lucas, Kanye West, and Elon Musk attend the Time 100 Gala in 2015.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TIME

"He was a curiosity and a bauble when he first moved, because there were no tech kingpins in L.A.," Ashlee Vance, the author of the 2015 biography "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future," told The New York Times earlier this year.

Musk appears to be one of few tech CEOs to claim a membership at the San Vicente Bungalows.

Sources: Insider, The New York Times.

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The ultra-exclusive club was founded in 2019 as a way for Hollywood's elite to escape the public.

The ultra-exclusive club was founded in 2019 as a way for Hollywood's elite to escape the public.
San Vicente Bungalows.Courtesy of Adam Amengual/San Vicente Bungalows

"Privacy is the new luxury," hotelier and San Vicente Bungalow founder Jeffrey Klein told The New York Times, adding that his experience in Hollywood has shown him that celebrities need a "safe zone."

"My ultimate fantasy is if Jennifer Aniston wanted to have a date with Brad Pitt," Klein told GQ in 2019. "Can you imagine? They could come here, and nobody would be able to say anything, do anything, take a photo. Maybe it already happened... in my dreams."

Source: The New York Times, GQ

At the club, members are not allowed to take photos.

At the club, members are not allowed to take photos.
The club as seen at an HBO Emmys reception in September.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO/HBO MAX

Members can face penalties for being on their phones, and guests are required to place opaque stickers over their phone cameras when visiting the club.

"Posting images of the club on social media or discussing anything that members and their guests witness during their visit is strictly forbidden," the club's website reads.

A spokesperson for SVB did not respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication.

Sources: San Vicente Bungalows

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SVB is also a popular venue for industry events — photos of which offer a rare glimpse into the private club.

SVB is also a popular venue for industry events — photos of which offer a rare glimpse into the private club.
Sydney Sweeney attends an HBO Emmys party at the club.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO/HBO MAX

The exclusive club counts many of Hollywood's biggest names, from Bob Iger to Taylor Swift, among its members

To gain membership, applicants have to have at least one current SVB member vouch for them, and even then membership isn't guaranteed.

Source: Vogue

The club only has space for about 3,000 members.

The club only has space for about 3,000 members.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Maggie Gyllenhaal attend a screening for Netflix's "The Lost Daughter" at SVB.Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Netflix

The application consists of three major questions: What would your autobiography be called? What is your favorite restaurant and why? What would your unique contribution to SVB be?

Membership at the club costs about $4,200 per year — or $1,800 per year for members under the age of 35. Guests under the age of 18 are not permitted to enter the club outside of brunch hours on the weekend.

Sources: San Vicente Bungalows, The Hollywood Reporter, GQ

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Klein, who bought the Sunset Tower Hotel for $18 million in 2004, said he wanted something different for SVB.

Klein, who bought the Sunset Tower Hotel for $18 million in 2004, said he wanted something different for SVB.
San Vicente Bungalows.Courtesy of Adam Amengual/San Vicente Bungalows

"I like dumps, and I like places with ghosts," Klein told The New York Times in 2019.

The cluster of buildings that make up the San Vicente Bungalows was originally used as housing for railway workers in the late 19th century.

Sources: Los Angeles Business Journal, The New York Times

The club has a lavish dining room where members can host dinner parties and events.

The club has a lavish dining room where members can host dinner parties and events.
A view of the club during a screening of "Midnight Mass" last year.Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Netflix

The club has full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, but meals are only available to members and guests.

"Only members can make lunch and dinner reservations," the site reads. "Guests must be accompanied by a member at all times while visiting the property."

Source: San Vicente Bungalows

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The venue also has a large amount of outdoor space for guests to enjoy the California weather.

The venue also has a large amount of outdoor space for guests to enjoy the California weather.
A general view of SVB at a private lunch for Conde Nast Traveler in 2015.Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Conde Nast Traveler

Musk is said to often enjoy spending time in an area at the club called the "smoking garden."

"Everything here feels like a still life painting," Eddie Redmayne told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. "It's an oasis mixed with bustle, a good mix" of people.

Source: San Vicente Bungalows, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter

The venue houses a large screening room.

The venue houses a large screening room.
Jonah Hill, Pharrell Williams, Quincy Jones, and Nicole Avant attend a screening of "The Black Godfather" in January 2020.Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)

Netflix and HBO have held intimate screenings and panels with A-listers in the screening room, which offers snacks and drinks.

Source: San Vicente Bungalows

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Ultimately, Klein says he created SVB to be a type of "oasis."

Ultimately, Klein says he created SVB to be a type of "oasis."
John Mayer and Dave Chappelle attend the "Sob Rock" listening party in July 2021.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Rodemode Inc

"I wanted this be a place where a street artist can sit next to Spielberg," Klein told The New York Times when he founded it.

Source: The New York Times

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