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The Glossary’s definitive guide to the best private members’ clubs in London

Here’s our edit of the finest clubs worth signing up for in the capital

The Glossary’s definitive guide to the best private members’ clubs in London

London has long been hailed as the heartland for private members’ clubs, ever since the first gentlemen’s clubs opened in St James and Pall Mall in the 17th century. Thankfully, things have moved on since those days and stuffy, single-sex establishments have been replaced with buzzy hot spots that cater to every whim, from impact-making social clubs and historic music venues to opulent private lounges and hedonistic nightclubs. Here we’ve rounded up the finest members’ clubs in town.

The Conduit

18 Best Private Members’ Clubs In London: A Definitive GuidePin

Founded on the belief that bringing together a collaborative community can accelerate solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, anyone is invited to apply for membership at The Conduit – as long as they’re passionate about positive social change. With ambassadors including writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch, journalist Razia Iqbal and June Sarpong OBE on their books, they’re already off to a flying start. These admirable values feed into everything, from the Russell Sage Studio decor to the cuisine: the club’s kitchen was one of the first to adopt a zero single-use plastic policy and the menu at both the public-facing restaurant and the members’ rooftop restaurant and terrace is 75% vegetarian.

Across the six floors, areas have been designated for members to meet and engage in networking; there’s also a bookshop and a podcast studio. The focus is on both a face-to face and digital programme of events, which has seen industry leaders and Nobel Prize winners such as Christiane Amanpour and Al Gore give exclusive talks. But it’s not all work and no play. Wine pairing evenings and culinary tastings are on the agenda, as well as regular yoga sessions and comedy nights, and they recently opened a new roof terrace in partnership with Ruinart, which is set to be the toast of the town this summer. 

Membership is £1,800 per annum

6 Langley Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JA
theconduit.com

180 The Strand

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It may be Brutalist from the outside, but behind the doors of 180 The Strand, the aesthetic is anything but. This is comfortable luxe at its best. Not surprising when you learn that Nick Jones and his Soho House team have taken over all nine floors, transforming the former office block into a dynamic cultural hub. The main members’ space is a vision of lacquered paint, shag-pile rugs and a leather bar, an homage to the building’s 1970s heritage, and as with all the Houses, art is front and foremost throughout. Head of Collections Kate Bryan has worked her magic again, with more than 150 striking artworks on display. 

Soho House knows how to do a chic rooftop pool and this one is no exception. Tiled in dark blue-glazed lava stone, it’s the perfect spot for catching up with friends over a Negroni and admiring the views over the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. The poolside restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and stainless steel bar, offers an all-day menu and late-night snacks, while the outdoor terrace and DJ booth add to the party potential of this urban bolthole for creative souls. 

Local house membership costs £1,100 annually; Every house membership costs £2,500 annually

180 Strand, Westminster, London WC2R 1EA
180thestrand.com

The Twenty Two

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Since Navid Mirtorabi – former owner of Blakes in South Kensington – and Jamie Reuben (of the billionaire Reuben dynasty) threw open the doors of their Mayfair members’ club-hotel-restaurant in the Spring of 2022, it’s been the talk of the town. Behind the handsome Edwardian facade, designer Natalia Miyar has created a space that’s a playful, elegant take on 18th century classical French design. Think black-and-white tiles, sumptuous fabrics, jewel box colours, gilded accents, chandeliers…. This place is opulent, decadent, indulgent, yes, but in a measured way. The vibe is more discreet chic than over-the-top lavish. 

The members’ club stretches across the ground and lower ground floors, with four exclusive spaces for patrons and hotel guests only. There’s the panelled Living Room with its outdoor terrace overlooking leafy Grosvenor Square; the powder blue Dining Room where Alan Christie’s menu is a Mediterranean twist on British fare; the indoor-outdoor Vault Bar; and discotheque The Music Room, a maximalist’s dream of leopard print carpet, deep red walls and mirrored tables where the glitterati come to let their hair down. The whole operation is overseen by Managing Director Darius Namdar (you’ll know him from The Wolseley, Chiltern Firehouse, Mark’s Club)  – so expect super sleek service throughout.

From £750 per annum, no joining fee

22 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London W1K 6LF
the22.london

Annabel’s

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As any recent visitor to Berkeley Square will know, Annabel’s is almost impossible to miss – throughout the year its instantly recognisable façade undergoes a number of extravagant transformations, decked out with an enormous Christmas tree during the festive season or adorned with lush foliage and exotic birds for the Chelsea Flower Show. The club’s interiors are just as gloriously over-the-top, a riot of clashing prints and colours dreamed up by the maximalist maestro Martin Brudnizki

Annabel’s is steeped in history. First opened in 1963 by Mark Birley as a basement nightclub for the great and good of London, anyone who’s anyone has enjoyed a cocktail or two here – it’s even said to be the only nightclub the Queen has ever visited. After being bought by Richard Caring, the club reopened in a magnificent Georgian mansion two doors down from its original spot in 2018, and today members have access to four floors featuring bars, terraces, a cigar salon and a spa, as well as six restaurants to choose from, including their latest opening, The Japanese, where you can feast on sushi and sashimi paired with the world’s finest sakes. This is hedonistic Mayfair glamour at its very best. 

Membership is £3,250 per annum 

46 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 5AT
annabels.co.uk

Pavilion Club

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Think of Knightsbridge and you’re likely to conjure up images of grand department stores and even grander hotels. But refined members’ clubs? Less so. That all changed last year, though, with the arrival of Pavilion. A clever combination of private office spaces and beautifully designed lounges and bars (the group also runs refined business clubs in Kensington and the City), there’s a lot to like here, from the roof terrace overlooking Hyde Park to the menu spearheaded by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge.

The interiors are no less impressive. Designed by Russell Sage Studio, the team behind the Royal Suite at The Goring, they’re opulent without being showy – a mix of velvet tasselled stools, ruby red meeting rooms and chinoiserie wallpaper. There are also plenty of original touches that hark back to the building’s history, with mosaic floor tiling and traces of copper and brass ironmongery mingling with leafy planters and rattan furniture to create a space that perfectly marries modern style with art deco accents. If this is the future of business, it’s looking bright. 

Membership from £150 per month

64 Knightsbridge, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JF
pavilion.club

Arboretum

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There aren’t many private members’ clubs that boast an indoor forest, but Arboretum is the exception. Billed as an escape into an ecological oasis, its green interiors grow quietly behind Covent Garden’s bustling streets to produce a creative ecosystem for members. Here, it’s all about bringing together like-minded, environmentally-conscious Londoners looking for a calm and tranquil sanctuary for both working and wellbeing. 

As well as podcast and vlog facilities, Arboretum offers work space solutions, ranging from open desks to owned offices which can be purchased alongside membership, making it perfect for agile entrepreneurs and freelancers. Meanwhile, a boutique gym provides members with a place to recharge and reenergise, while events range from wellness offerings to networking opportunities, with soothing sound baths held one night, inspirational panel discussions the next.

Membership is £450 per annum 

2A Charing Cross Road, Covent Garden, London WC2H OHF
arboretumlondon.com

Sessions Arts Club

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It took six years of meticulous restoration, but Sessions Arts Club was more than worth the wait. Housed on the fourth floor of 18th century former courthouse Old Sessions House, in the heart of Clerkenwell, the unique space has been transformed into an elegant restaurant-meets-wine bar-meets-gallery, all overseen by Swedish brothers Ted and Oliver Grebelius of Satila Studios, known for their urban-chic warehouse projects.

Interiors are stripped back – think distressed walls, stucco collonading, scrubbed wooden floorboards and original fireplaces – with mismatched furniture sourced from markets and salvage yards. The airy gallery and performance space is the perfect setting for the club’s progressive line-up of exhibitions, workshops and events, while Florence Knight, formerly head chef of Polpetto in Soho, brings her pared-back, seasonal style to the Art Club’s kitchen. While the club maintains its air of exclusivity with an invite-only area, there’s no paid membership required – meaning everyone can get involved. 

POA

The Old Sessions House, 24 Clerkenwell Green, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0NA
sessionsartsclub.com

Home House

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This Marylebone club is like something out of a Bridgerton-inspired dream, spread across three impressive Georgian townhouses and resplendent with 18th-century opulence. That’s not to say it doesn’t have plenty of modern touches too, though, with Russell Sage adding a 21st-century stamp to the interiors that marries perfectly with the gilded ceilings and twinkling chandeliers. The club boasts two restaurants, five bars, an intimate garden, a boutique gym and a health spa, as well as 23 bedrooms and several spaces for throwing raucous parties.

In fact, their evening soirées are so legendary they actually formed the basis of their newest offshoot, House 21, which has a more youthful, livelier feel and is utterly devoted to hedonism, having been inspired by the notorious Countess of Home’s wildly lavish parties. This is where you’ll find London’s brightest young things drinking cocktails and dining on plates of seared tuna and octopus carpaccio, before settling in for a night of drag bingo or dancing on the tabletops as a DJ spins the decks into the small hours.  

Membership is £2,250 per annum 

20 Portman Square, Marylebone, London W1H 6LW
homehouse.co.uk

Kindred

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Set in a Grade II-listed building in the heart of Hammersmith, Kindred offers an array of cultural activities and inspirational talks in its airy co-working spaces and all-day café-cum-bar. Each one is designed to help you amplify your work, create meaningful connections and build a functional social network. Events are eclectic, with a strong emphasis on live music, whether that’s showcasing emerging R&B acts, putting on a jazz night or hosting weekly al fresco concerts on their outdoor terrace. No wonder, then, that members here are described as “passionate, curious and forward-thinking”. 

Much of this culture comes from the club’s founder, Anna Anderson, whose background in social work made her realise the importance of organisations that hold people at the centre – hence Kindred’s emphasis on fostering authentic human connection. Most of this connecting takes place at the club’s popular restaurant, Cellar, which is helmed by acclaimed chef Andrew Clarke (former chef-director at Brunswick House). Here the focus is on seasonal produce, with an emphasis on local suppliers like Kiss The Hippo coffee and Two Tribes Brewery craft beer – all the better for fostering that tight-knit sense of community. 

Membership is £700 per annum 

Bradmore House, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9BW
wearekindred.com

The AllBright Mayfair

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Founded by former Hearst CEO Anna Jones and serial entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow OBE, AllBright was formed as a community created for women by women, and their Mayfair club is the embodiment of that ethos. Situated in an elegant five-storey townhouse, the interiors have been styled by London tastemaker Suzy Hoodless, who’s transformed the space using a colour palette of soft greens, pinks and clean white walls to exhibit the female-focused art collection, chosen by resident curator Beth Greenacre. On the first floor, members can dine at the 80-cover restaurant on a menu made up of moreish sharing plates and zingy salads, while the second floor plays host to their L’Oréal-led hair salon, where you can pop in for pre-meeting blow dries. 

But the focus here remains firmly on providing spaces for women to work in, so upstairs you’ll find huge communal oak tables in the dedicated co-working space, as well as a programme of inspirational events from leading industry experts, ranging from female CEOs and founders to top chefs and authors. The highlight of the club has to be the fourth floor’s magnificent roof terrace which offers views across the Mayfair skyline – the perfect place to sip rosé in the sunshine or throw a summer soirée.

Membership is £1,650 per annum 

24-26 Maddox Street, Mayfair, W1S 1PP
allbrightcollective.com

5 Hertford Street

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Hidden away behind an unmarked door in Shepherd’s Market sits one of London’s most exclusive members’ clubs. Founded by Robin Birley – son of Mark Birley, of Annabel’s fame – in 2012, it boasts an illustrious clientele – this is said to be where Harry and Meghan enjoyed one of their first dates, and Kate Moss, Mick Jagger and Daphne Guinness have all been known to frequent the legendary parties at the downstairs nightclub, Loulou’s, which was named after Birley’s late cousin, the fashion designer and Yves Saint Laurent muse Loulou de la Falaise.

With opulent Parisian-style interiors designed by Rifat Ozbek, known for his love of mismatching prints and textures, the vibe here is like a bohemian country estate, with comfortable Chesterfield armchairs to lounge on, roaring fireplaces and photos of family members lining the walls. There’s a cigar shop and a restaurant where you can bring your dog along for lunch, as well of plenty of moodily-lit corners to get lost in. Once described as “like sitting in a fairy story”, there’s certainly something magical about this place. 

Membership is £1,800 per annum 

2-5 Hertford Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7RB
5hertfordsreet.com

House of St Barnabas

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This is a members’ club with a difference – as well as bringing together like-minded people, it was also created as a social enterprise built on a mission to break the cycle of homelessness. Located in an historic Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse on Soho Square, the iconic building has been providing help and shelter for the homeless of London for over 150 years and continues to do so today through its innovative Employment Academy, which runs eight to 12-week programmes for people with lived experiences of homelessness.

With inclusivity and community baked into the club’s core, the focus here is on changing society while having fun along the way, with founder members including actor Peter Capaldi, DJ and record company founder Gilles Peterson and musician Jarvis Cocker embodying those values. The same ethos filters down to their cultural events – for every ticket sold for their recent Festival Embassy, one was offered to someone who would not be able to afford it themselves. Works by artists such as Tracey Emin and David Shrigley line the walls, while summers are spent in the club’s enchanting walled garden, the largest private one in Soho. 

Membership is £825 per annum 

1 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 4NQ
hosb.org.uk

The Curtain Club

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The space formerly known as The Curtain hotel had a major revamp to open as the Mondrian Shoreditch in 2021, marking the slick brand’s much-anticipated return to London. Interiors are witty and imaginative across the 120 rooms, the reception, lobby, double-height ground-floor bar, all-day cafe and cocktail bar Christina’s Shoreditch, and BiBo, Michelin-starred Dani García’s tapas restaurant. Those in the know, however, will want to take the lift straight up to The Curtain Members’ Club.

Though it’s kept its moniker, the club has undergone a sparkling refresh. Not least in the revamped Rose Bar and Lounge, where a rose gold ceiling and pillars glimmer alongside jewel-hued velvet furnishings and wood panelled walls, giving the space an Art Deco feel. It’s on this floor you’ll find the gym, where 24-hour access for members comes as standard.

Higher still you’ll find Seventies LA-inspired rooftop bar and restaurant Laurel’s on the Roof – for frozen spicy Margaritas and a chilled-out Balearic soundtrack, it’s hard to beat. Especially when you throw a swimming pool into the mix.

Membership is £1,000 per annum 

45 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PT
sbe.com

The Arts Club

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This Dover Street institution take the world of arts and culture as its focus, with its members drawn from creative industries around the world. It’s not hard to see why they love it here – there’s a permanent art collection featuring works by both established and emerging artists that would rival most London galleries, and their eclectic roster of events covers topics ranging from the future of fashion and NFTs in the music industry to energy-healing sessions and relationship astrology. 

There’s a Mediterranean-inspired brasserie as well as a chef’s counter serving up Japanese cuisine, and a late-night cocktail bar, Leo’s, where you can catch live music every Friday and Saturday. But one of the biggest draws is the exceptional Lanserhof wellness clinic, known to be one of the best in London. Spread across six floors, members have access to its state-of-the-art fitness offering – which incorporates a high-tech gym, studio classes and personal training sessions – as well as treatments like cryotherapy, healing massages and regenerative facials. 

Membership is £2,500 per annum (excluding membership to the Lanserhof)

40 Dover Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4NP
theartsclub.co.uk

Oswald’s

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Not much is known about this super-secretive Mayfair club, which is from the same team behind 5 Hertford Street – they don’t even have a proper website. But that’s precisely why its members love it so much. Robin Birley’s hot spot is a favourite with celebrities – like Dame Joan Collins, who’s a regular here with her husband, Percy – and politicians alike, with Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Nadhim Zahawi all spotted here in recent months. 

Named after Birley’s grandfather and originally billed as a club for wine connoisseurs, guests can cellar their own wine here or buy in-house before enjoying a bottle on the small rear terrace. But the main draw is that you can enjoy your wine in peace without anyone gawking at you – and with members rumoured to include David Beckham, the Earl of Snowdon and George Osborne, that’s worth its weight in gold. 

POA

25 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4HU
oswaldsclub.com

House of Koko

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After undergoing a head-to-toe, £70million refurb, legendary Camden concert venue Koko flung open its doors again to much fanfare in spring 2022. The three-year wait was more than worth it, for as well as restoring the beautiful 19th-century building to its former glory, the revamp gave rise to a slick new members’ club, House of Koko, where members have access to four storeys of private spaces, which – unsurprisingly – all have a music-led focus. 

There are two restaurants headed up by chef Andreas Engberg, a cocktail bar and a speakeasy, as well as a roof terrace where members are treated to late-night acoustic performances. There are also several spots that celebrate the venue’s storied musical history, including a recording studio, a piano room and secret vinyl listening rooms. There’s even a hidden jazz club, Ellen’s, where you can catch impromptu performances from top musicians.

Membership is £1,500 per annum 

74 Crowndale Road, Camden, London NW1 1TP
thehouseofkoko.com

Mark’s Club

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Part of the Birley Club group that counts Annabel’s among its number, Mark’s Club was originally opened in 1972 as an alternative to the St James’s gentleman’s clubs – so you can expect that same refined, old school feel with none of the stuffiness. Unlike some of the hipper new offerings on the London clubland scene, Mark’s revels in its timelessness, which acts as a comforting antidote to the hectic hustle and bustle of life in the capital. 

There’s a relaxed, homey vibe here, and guests are likely to be greeted by one of the club’s three resident dogs, Panda, Tonka and Mark IV, who can often be found lounging by the fireplace. The food is excellent, with the kitchen headed up by Michelin-starred chef Nicolas Laridan, who was previously head chef of Le Gavroche, and the club’s annual guest chef series is legendary, having drawn names like Margot Henderson, Elizabeth Haigh and Nieves Barragan in the past. But mainly, its members love it for its otherworldly charm and its unfailingly discrete staff. 

POA

46 Charles Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5EJ
marksclub.co.uk

South Kensington Club

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One of the first members’ clubs to be centred around fitness and wellbeing, the lucky members here get private access to one of the finest spas in all of London. Its most famous spot is its communal banya, a traditional bathhouse that incorporates saunas, steam rooms and ice-water plunge pools for a truly invigorating experience. There’s also a Turkish hammam, an impressive list of treatments and a tea library where members can unwind and destress after a massage or facial, as well as a gorgeous skylit gym and multiple studios where daily fitness classes include reformer pilates, boxing, dance, HIIT, strength & conditioning, yoga and meditation. 

Members are drawn here for the history as much as the amenities – The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ronnie Wood once owned the building as a space where he could exhibit his art collection, while the bathhouse can be found in the former home and studio of the artist Francis Bacon. The Club Lounge is designed as a space for socialising and co-working, while the Voyage Room plays host to the club’s ever-changing roster of events, which features panel discussions, lectures and workshops on a range of subjects spanning health and wellbeing, biohacking, entrepreneurship, travel and more. The hidden gem is the large south facing roof terrace, perfect for breakfast and lunch. 

Membership is £3,930 per annum 

38-42 Harrington Road, South Kensington, London SW7 3ND
southkensingtonclub.com

Mortimer House

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With its prime central London location – slap bang in the middle of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Goodge Street – and its sleek open-plan workspaces and offices, it’s no surprise this members’ club has become a firm favourite with the capital’s creative freelancers. Spread across a six-story Art Deco building, there’s as big an emphasis on wellbeing as there is on work, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art gym, a casual living room with bar, a cosy library and even a meditation room on the top floor.

The vibe here is buzzy, whether you’re having a power breakfast at the ground floor Mortimer House Kitchen, where the cooking combines Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours, or sipping post-work cocktails on the roof terrace, which offers sweeping views over the city. Meanwhile, the programming on offer is ats diverse as its membership base, offering everything from book clubs and wellness weekends to psychology workshops and classes for boosting productivity. 

Membership is £80 per month

37-41 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3JH
mortimerhouse.com

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