Travel

The Most Elegant And Stylish Members’ Clubs In London

Home House, Marylebone

London is a thriving hotspot for private members’ clubs – from the grand and the classic to the new and innovative. Here, NATASHA BIRD delves into some of the city’s most exclusive spaces

Lifestyle
The Hound Bar and enclosed terrace at George in London’s Mayfair is an elegant spot to dwell for an evening

THE BEST FOR PRESTIGE AND HERITAGE

It is unsurprising that many of London’s most private and magnificent members’ clubs are nestled behind the discreet doors of Georgian townhouses that line Mayfair’s streets.

George

From the legendary Birley Club portfolio (which includes Mark’s Club and Harry’s Bar), the tasteful but playful George is one of Mayfair’s most prestigious private members’ clubs. Renowned for its discretion, exceptional service and influential membership, it is a favorite among business leaders, cultural figures and high-profile shoulder-rubbers. It boasts an impressive David Hockney collection, a large private terrace and the self-proclaimed title of London’s most dog-friendly club (it takes its name after founder Mark Birley’s beloved Dachshund).

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The Twenty Two

Part hotel, part members’ club and certainly on the maximalist side (both in size and interiors), The Twenty Two resides in an Edwardian manor on the storied Grovesnor Square as a luxurious boutique club for “the creative and the curious”. It’s a deliberate departure from the formality of traditional neighborhood member spaces. Interiors by Natalia Miyar blend Parisian chic with English eccentricity, so the social areas tend to draw a younger, more fashion-adjacent crowd than some of its Mayfair counterparts. The atmosphere is delightfully buzzy and unbuttoned and there are lots of lovely intimate bar spaces to withdraw to.

Home House boasts a variety of opulent spaces, as well as a charming courtyard garden

Home House

In Marylebone, Home House is a safe haven, dating back to the 18th century, where splendor and whimsy meet across the restaurants, bars and lounges, a courtyard garden, opulent bedrooms, and the gym and health spa. Accessed via a series of discreet entrances around Portman Square, for those looking for a cozy lunch that spills into early-evening cocktails, this is it. Tucked inside House 21 at Home House, Kamaña is the members’ club’s vibrant Latin American dining concept, inspired by the Andean philosophy of sumaq kawsay – or “the good life”. Its cocktails are also central to the experience, with pisco, mezcal and tequila-led serves crafted with flare. Elsewhere, its sister club, Home House Studio, offers the perfect London locale for modern professionals, with private pods and collaborative spaces, a compelling events program and boutique hotel rooms.

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Soho Mews House

On a cobbled courtyard, Soho Mews House is a relatively recent opening from the Soho House group. It was engineered to be one of its most intimate venues, and notionally invite-only, for its most valuable members. With three stories, featuring atmospheric lounge spaces with live music, a fine-dining restaurant and a cocktail bar, it’s a great little not-so-well-kept secret. Without the invite-only membership, there are still ways to cross the threshold. Members are allowed to sign in guests, as is the case at other Soho House venues, and Mews House puts on a series of talks and cultural offerings, which are slightly more appointment-access.

The stunning Six Senses Spa at The Whiteley was designed to evoke an old-fashioned London underground station

THE BEST FOR WELLNESS

In a city obsessed with productivity, a new breed of members’ club is making restoration and relaxation the height of ambition, giving patrons the chance to slip out of the rat race and indulge in a bit of zen.

Six Senses at The Whiteley

Six Senses should already conjure a certain vision, as the group’s spa hotels are a well-respected global phenomenon. This, however, is the first opening from the wellness-focused hotel brand in London. Beyond being home to guest rooms, suites and residences, the Six Senses Spa is of course a huge talking point, designed to evoke an old-fashioned London underground station – albeit much more serene, with an indoor pool beneath arched ceilings, the Alchemy Bar, and a vaulted relaxation room. But it is also home to the first Six Senses Place, a new kind of social and wellness club for residents and members, encompassing lounges, co-working spaces, a restaurant and treatment rooms. It also features an ambitious program of talks, workshops and cultural events – so you can lean into academia and then indulge in a post-talk hammam ritual to wind down afterwards.

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Surrenne at The Emory

From the Maybourne group – who own London’s iconic Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley – Surrenne is a sublime and innovative luxury spa and health club at The Emory in Belgravia. Four expansive and beautifully crafted storys reveal tranquil treatment rooms, the exclusive Tracy Anderson Studio, a skylight-illuminated pool (lit by candles at night) and a menu of treatments, classes and consultations pioneered by visionary wellness experts.

Join Surrenne at The Emory for a sublime pool, treatment rooms and wellness spaces
Beyond cultural exchange, The Arts Club members have access to a world-class wellness clinic

The Arts Club

Art, of course, is this club’s defining offering. Alongside the permanent collection, The Arts Club stages a rolling program of exhibitions, studio visits and conversations with leading figures. Charles Dickens was once a patron, so members join a storied lineage of culture vultures. However, beyond creative exploration, this incredible institution is now also focusing on expert wellness. It is the only place in the UK to have partnered with Lanserhof, a world-class health and wellness clinic that combines a holistic ethos with innovative medical and technological developments and outstanding treatments. Members have access to a sophisticated program of preventative health and longevity services, including diagnostic testing, physiotherapy, osteopathy and other personalized medical consultations.

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THE BEST FOR FAMILIES

While members’ clubs have traditionally been a grown-up affair, a fresh cohort is inviting young members into the fold – and catering to the wishes of all ages.

Jaego’s and Jesse’s Houses

Little Houses Group has two properties in West London already – Jaego’s House and Jesse’s House – and they are set to welcome a new sibling in January of next year: Orly’s House in South London. With an ethos of bringing together play, fitness, work and social life for the whole family, the houses are pleasingly designed for both older and younger guests – featuring playgrounds, studios, gyms, restaurants, lounges and co-working spaces. Childcare is offered, along with weekly sessions that include reformer Pilates, yoga, barre, baby ballet, football and science club.

Cloud Twelve

In Notting Hill, Cloud Twelve is a sleek lifestyle club that combines a luxurious day spa (complete with extensive treatment menu), salon and holistic wellness clinic, with a supervised kids’ club, forest-themed soft play, children’s café, and a program of events and creative classes – such as art, movement, cognitive development, wellness, mindfulness and sustainability.

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Cloud Twelve is a family favorite, with a children’s café and a host of creative activities
Harry’s Bar is the place for old-world Italian dining in the heart of London

THE BEST FOR A CHIC BUT LOW-KEY DINNER

For those in the know, some of London’s best dining rooms aren’t stand-alone restaurants at all. Tucked inside the capital’s private members’ clubs, these addresses combine accomplished kitchens with an elegant dinner-among-friends atmosphere.

Harry’s Bar

Founded by Mark Birley in 1979, Harry’s Bar remains one of Mayfair’s most well-frequented addresses. Inspired by the legendary Venetian institution of the same name, it is known for its warm Anglo-Italian atmosphere, Fortuny fabrics, impeccable service and enduringly excellent Italian cuisine. It’s slightly more casual than some of its rivals, but patrons like it for exactly that reason. It’s where to come for a long, languid lunch or dinner, with a bit of old-world charm.

Oswald’s

Robin Birley’s Albemarle Street club is a fabulous, quite tiny institution. Members don’t come here for its wellness facilities or co-working spaces, but for its rather incredible wine cellars. Opened in 2018 and named after Birley’s grandfather, portrait painter Sir Oswald Birley, the club combines grand country-house interiors, very exceptional wine – such as wines from the Harlan Estate, or the Domaine François Raveneau Petit Chablis, one of Burgundy’s most sought-after producers – which members can enjoy for a fraction of the price you might expect. Plus, there is a really accomplished Mediterranean dining scene. Come for the Cabernet, stay for a cigar on the terrace beneath a soaring cupola and remember, there’s a strict no-photography policy.

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5 Hertford Street

Known simply as 5H to its devoted membership, Shepherd Market club has become one of London’s best-known social hubs. Behind its distinctive red façade lies a labyrinth of dining rooms, bars and private corners. Impeccable service, remarkable discretion and a membership spanning business, politics and fashion have cemented its cult status.

Escape to Babington House for a relaxed weekend in Somerset’s beautiful countryside

THE BEST OF THE COUNTRYSIDE

Members’ clubs are not solely for city dwellers – beautiful, bucolic estates are the settings of some of the most refined and exclusive country piles and many Londoners head out to their favorites for the weekend.

Babington House

Down in Somerset, Babington House is a stalwart of the country-hotel scene, a charming and sophisticated estate under the extensive Soho House umbrella, with a particularly beautiful spa. Members can meander lazily around 18 acres of countryside, pop in for a treatment at the Cowshed spa, have a dip in the famous pool, or play a relaxed game of doubles on the tennis courts with friends. It feels more like a tranquil country-house weekend, rather than a traditional club.

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Estelle Manor

The resplendent Estelle Manor – sister to Mayfair’s Maison Estelle – is a historic hotel and private members’ club set in 3,000 acres of parkland and gardens in Oxfordshire. Highlights include the French Riviera-inspired South Terrace, where scalloped, striped parasols flank the centerpiece swimming pool; opulently designed bedrooms, bars and several restaurants; and the Roman-inspired Eynsham Baths spa, offering a heavenly thermal journey. While non-members are able to book into the hotel, members are able to access the estate all year round (including the spa, kids’ club and a members-only workspace), as well as exclusive rates, discounts and a program of events and parties.

Hotel, spa, restaurants, kids’ club and workspaces – Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire is worth leaving London for