New York City is extremely well-known for having many extravagant and exclusive clubs. The Princeton Club of New York, one of the city's oldest, was founded in December of 1899.

Although Princeton is located in New Jersey, just a stone's throw across the river, New York City was the perfect place to open up an establishment catering to the faculty and alumni of the prestigious Princeton University. When it first opened the Princeton club had four separate homes. Today, the club is situated in a single building, located at 15 W. 43rd Street in Manhattan.

As with many of the early elitist alumni clubs in the area, only men-white men-were allowed membership. However, Princeton's private club would eventually loosen their standards and accept women as members in the 1970s. Minorities were soon to follow.

Also in the 1970s, the Columbia Club, for the alumni of New York's Columbia University, closed its door and merged with the Princeton Club. In 2000, alumni of New York University (NYU) were also allowed to join. Today, The Princeton Club also accepts membership from Rice University, George Washington, and Fordham University alumni.

Among the many features of The Princeton Club are the guest rooms. From floors five through nine, 52 beautifully designed rooms are available for overnight accommodation. The beds in the rooms range from singles to queen and king-sized beds, all the way up to two deluxe suites. Until recently, the building kept its original architecture and style.

However, after recent renovations, the rooms are now ultra modern, featuring flat-panel televisions, WiFi internet access, and phones with voicemail and dataport. All rooms have room service and turndown service available. Guests also have access to the business center and fitness center.

The Princeton Club's main dining hall is the Tiger Bar and Grill. This is another aspect of the club that has left strict tradition in the past and moved into the modern realm. The cuisine is Americana, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is open and airy, with a large marble table/bar in the center and various window booths along the perimeter. The back-lit walls and HD TVs throughout the restaurant give it an appearance of a classy modern sports bar.

The Members' Lounge offers a great way to escape from the regular head-to-heel action of the city. The lounge is wide open, with hardwood flooring and classic chairs. This room has kept much of its tradition, and guests are greeted by name and offered fresh coffee, tea, a newspaper, and other services. There's also a conversation room within the lounge, and other areas to play chess or backgammon, as well as writing desks.

The Princeton Club's library is enormous, featuring thousands of books, computers, and much more. There are also lectures held in the library frequently for Princeton faculty members. Rounding out the Club's features is the fitness center. The gym has all the modern equipment you'd find in any reputable establishment, as well as squash courts and separate rooms for yoga and pilates.