Interiors: Get a sneak peek at the furnishings behind London’s new private members’ clubs
London is abuzz with a raft of new private members’ clubs.
From The Devonshire Club through to Nick Jones’s grandiose venture on Poultry, The Ned, they all offer something unique, many now with hotel rooms attached.
One way of differentiating themselves is through their interior design. Modern members’ clubs are informal, comfortable and on-trend. We pick three of the most stylish.
Ten Trinity Square Private Club
The lowdown: A painstaking renovation of the 1922 Sir Edwin Cooper HQ for the Port of London Authority, this club has river views, includes two restaurants, the Chateau Latour wine library, cigar lounge, bar and billiards room, use of the Four Seasons hotel’s fitness suite and spa.
USP: Fine-dining and quaffing are the order of the day. One of the club’s two restaurants has an exclusive menu by three Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic, and the Chateau Latour room, the first outside of the Medoc, offers rare wines by the glass.
Design: The second-floor original hand-carved walnut panelling and high-ceiling plasterwork has been restored, with traditional fireplaces, furniture, lamps and statuettes accompanied by softly upholstered chairs, contemporary ottomans and cushions. Of course, claret is a favourite hue.
Who’s behind it: A partnership between Reignwood Investments of China, Four Seasons Hotels and Chateau Latour – hence the club’s east-meets-west ethos of forging business and cultural links.
Membership: Founding members include the president of Four Seasons, J Allen Smith, and opera bigwig Placido Domingo. “Outstanding individuals” (that is, notable business leaders) will talk the talk within a relaxed, elegant, discrete setting.
Joining: Fees on request. Opens in May. Email [email protected]
10 Trinity Square, EC3; club.tentrinitysquare.com
The Curtain
The lowdown: Private members’ club with gym/spa, rooftop pool and brasserie, restaurant, late-night bar, live music venue, events programme and co-working space; event hire spaces; 120 rooms and suites; Red Rooster restaurant and taqueria.
USP: LP is The Curtain’s members-only soundproofed live performance room for secret gigs, DJ sets, acoustic performances and spoken-word events. State of the art sound and lighting has been a key element. Red Rooster will also have live music, including gospel on Sundays.
Design: A new-build with warehouse appeal, they say the aim is to create a NY-LDN fusion feel in a hip east-end hangout. Currently still a hive of hard-hat activity, it will have a Mediterranean feel to parts of the basement members’ club rooms, a Moroccan-inspired year-round heated rooftop pool with a plant-filled brasserie called Lido, and sliding glass roof. Bedrooms have exposed brick walls and art photography by Mick Rock.
Who’s behind it: New York hotelier Michael Achenbaum of Gansevoort Meatpacking and Park Ave, NYC.
Membership: Culturally savvy, “strong creatives”, 60/40 women to men. A club with a sense of community.
Joining: Fees to be announced. Applications start in mid-April.
45 Curtain Road, EC2; thecurtain.com
South Kensington Club
The lowdown: Behind the Georgian façade, SKC opens up into a relaxed country-club-in-the-city, complete with bar, all-day Mediterranean restaurant, spa, bathhouse, tea library, yoga and fitness studios, juice bar and terrace. The Voyager Club is led by adventurer Christina Franco, who organises talks and expeditions.
USP: Members can also book a banya treatment in the bathhouse. Being flogged with eucalyptus in intense heat is not for the faint hearted, but will leave you feeling intensely relaxed.
Design: A modern take on a travellers’ club: rattan chairs, contemporary thick woven rugs, stained glass, natural light, potted palms, bookshelves, flickering fireplaces, maps, globes and a magnificently hewn log table.
Who’s behind it: Opened in 2015 by the Anglo-Italian property developer and co-founder of Quintessentially Luca De Bono, SKC taps into the city’s spirit of youth, energy and enquiring minds.
Membership: Modern-day Marco Polos – average age 33; ratio 60/40 women to men. Expect lots of talk about smoothies (the women) and dating (the men).
Joining: £365 per month, plus £1,000 joining. Under-30s, overseas and partnerships available. Enquire at [email protected]
38-42 Harrington Road, SW7; southkensingtonclub.com