The 10 Best Private Members' Social Clubs in London in 2027
By Kory White · Updated Oct 2026 · 4 min read
Direct answer
Soho House 40 Greek Street is the best private members’ club in London, with The Ned at #2 and 5 Hertford Street (£3,500 a year) at #3. We ranked on spaces, crowd and history, then on fees each club publishes.
Annual membership: Not published (Local House and Every House plans)Founded: 1995, by restaurateur Nick Jones on Greek Street, above his restaurant Café BohèmeNetwork: 42 club locations worldwide as of March 2024Members: Focus on the media, arts and fashion industries
Soho House started in 1995 on Greek Street, above Café Bohème, and has grown to 42 club locations worldwide as of March 2024. Its members come mainly from media, arts and fashion. Fees run on Local House and Every House plans.
Go ifCreative people who want the original house and a worldwide network
Skip ifYou want a City finance crowd or a rooftop pool
Why #1 over #2: It is the original club and opens a worldwide network; The Ned is one building in the City.
2
The Ned London
Answrs VerdictThe City’s grand bank-vault club.
Annual membership: Not publishedBuilding: Former Midland Bank headquarters by Edwin Lutyens, opened as The Ned in 2017Club spaces: Rooftop with 360° views of the City, heated pool, and The Vault late-night bar in the old bank vaultGym: 620 square metres with studios and complimentary classesSoho House link: Restored as a partnership between Soho House and the Sydell Hotels GroupMember perks: Member rates in Soho House public restaurants, from 4pm Sunday and all day Monday to Wednesday
The Ned fills Edwin Lutyens’s former Midland Bank headquarters, opened as The Ned in 2017. Ned’s Club has a rooftop with 360° City views and a heated pool, The Vault bar in the old bank vault, and a 620 square metre gym.
Go ifCity professionals who want a pool, gym and rooftop in one club
Skip ifYou want a small, quiet clubhouse
Why #2 over #3: Its pool, gym and rooftop give far more space than 5 Hertford Street’s Mayfair townhouse.
3
5 Hertford Street
Photo: No Swan So Fine / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictLondon’s most secretive club.
Annual membership: £3,500Location: Mayfair, on the corner of Shepherd MarketOwner: Robin Birley; interiors by Rifat OzbekExtras: Its own cigar shop and a downstairs nightclub, Loulou’s
5 Hertford Street, owned by Robin Birley on the corner of Shepherd Market, costs £3,500 a year. It has its own cigar shop and a downstairs nightclub, Loulou’s.
Go ifMayfair’s most private dinners and late nights
Skip ifYou want to post about your club online
Why #3 over #4: Its £3,500 a year buys a more private room than Annabel’s bigger scene.
4
Annabel's
Photo: JRennocks / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Annual membership: £3,250 plus a £1,750 joining fee (2022)Opened: 1963, by Mark Birley; moved to 46 Berkeley Square in 2018Size: Over 26,000 square feet with four restaurants and seven barsHours: Open from 7 am for breakfast and closes some 21 hours later
Annabel’s opened in 1963 and moved to 46 Berkeley Square in 2018, with four restaurants and seven bars in over 26,000 square feet. Membership was £3,250 a year plus a £1,750 joining fee in 2022.
Go ifGlamour, dancing and a famous facade
Skip ifYou want a low-key creative crowd
Why #4 over #5: Its four restaurants and seven bars beat The Arts Club for nightlife.
5
The Arts Club
Photo: Megalit / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe Dickens-founded Mayfair club.
Annual membership: £3,200 plus a £1,600 assessment fee (33 and over)Founded: 1863, by Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope and Lord Leighton among othersClubhouse: 18th-century townhouse at 40 Dover Street, MayfairUnder 33: £1,500 a year plus a £500 assessment fee
The Arts Club was founded in 1863 by Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope and Lord Leighton among others, at 40 Dover Street. Full membership is £3,200 a year plus a £1,600 assessment fee; under-33s pay £1,500 plus £500.
Go ifArt lovers who want history plus a modern Mayfair scene
Skip ifYou want a cheap first club
Why #5 over #6: Its 1863 history and Mayfair address edge Home House for prestige.
6
Home House
Photo: No Swan So Fine / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictMarylebone’s hedonist townhouse.
Annual membership: From £2,250 (Full Access); £1,440 (Limited Access)Building: Grade I listed Georgian townhouse at 20 Portman Square; a members’ club since 1998Facilities: 23 bedrooms, two restaurants, five bars, a basement nightclub, a courtyard garden, gym and spa
Home House sits in a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse at 20 Portman Square, a club since 1998, with 23 bedrooms, five bars and a basement nightclub. Full Access starts from £2,250 a year.
Go ifParties and stays in a grand Georgian house
Skip ifYou want a quiet, rules-heavy club
Why #6 over #7: Its from-£2,250 Full Access includes bedrooms and a spa the Groucho can’t match.
7
The Groucho Club
Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictSoho’s media institution.
Annual membership: £1,500 (London, 36 and over); £880 (35 and under)Founded: 1985, on Dean Street in SohoFacilities: Two restaurants, a snooker room, an enclosed terrace and 17 bedroomsJoining: Proposed by two existing members; creative media and arts applicants favoured
The Groucho Club opened in 1985 on Dean Street in Soho and has two restaurants, a snooker room and 17 bedrooms. London members 36 and over pay £1,500 a year; 35 and under pay £880.
Go ifMedia and arts people in Soho
Skip ifYou work in finance and want a business club
Why #7 over #8: Its 17 bedrooms and Soho address beat The Conduit for a social night out.
8
The Conduit
Answrs VerdictThe impact club.
Annual membership: £1,500; £1,250 for not-for-profit membersLocation: Members’ club in Covent Garden, central LondonEvents: Over 150 impact events a yearClubhouse: Four floors designed for connection, creativity and collaboration
The Conduit is a purpose-driven members’ club in Covent Garden with four floors and over 150 impact events a year. Membership is £1,500 a year, or £1,250 for not-for-profit members.
Go ifPurpose-driven founders, investors and changemakers
Skip ifYou want nightlife or a pool
Why #8 over #9: Its 150+ events a year give more programming than Chelsea Arts Club.
9
Chelsea Arts Club
Photo: QuentinUK at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe artists’ club.
Annual membership: £950 (Town, 2026-27)Joining fee: £475 for Ordinary Members over 32; £950 for Associate Members over 32Founded: 1890, at the instigation of James Abbott McNeill Whistler; opened to women artists in 1966Members: Over 4,000 at 143 Old Church Street, Chelsea, with a gardenWaiting time: About 12 to 18 months for Ordinary candidates
Chelsea Arts Club was founded in 1890 at Whistler’s instigation and has over 4,000 members at 143 Old Church Street. Town membership is £950 a year for 2026-27.
Go ifWorking artists and a garden clubhouse
Skip ifYou can’t wait: Ordinary candidates wait about 12 to 18 months
Why #9 over #10: Its £950 Town rate and garden clubhouse welcome women too, unlike the gentlemen-only East India Club.
10
East India Club
Answrs VerdictThe St James’s classic.
Annual membership: Not published (varies by category and age)Founded: 1849, at 16 St James’s SquareRooms: 67 bedrooms, a gym, sauna and billiard roomUnder 25: J7 membership: one-off £700 (2024) up to the December after your 25th birthdayWho can join: Gentlemen 18 or older
The East India Club, founded in 1849 at 16 St James’s Square, has 67 bedrooms and is open to gentlemen 18 or older. Under-25s can join on the J7 rate, a one-off £700 (2024).
Go ifA traditional St James’s gentlemen’s club
Skip ifYou are a woman, or want a mixed modern club
How we ranked these
We ranked each club on what members get (spaces, crowd, history and access), then on the fees it publishes on its own site or Wikipedia reports. Soho House and The Ned come first because they are the two clubs most people compare. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
The Ned vs Soho House: which is better?
Soho House 40 Greek Street is the original creative club, with 42 club locations worldwide as of March 2024. The Ned is a City club in the former Midland Bank, with a rooftop pool, gym and The Vault bar. The Ned was restored as a partnership between Soho House and Sydell Hotels.
How much does Soho House London cost?
Soho House sells Local House and Every House plans; its fees page does not list one fixed London price, so we mark it Not published.
How much does The Ned membership cost?
The Ned does not publish its Ned’s Club fee; you apply through its membership page.
What is the most expensive members’ club in London on this list?
5 Hertford Street, at £3,500 a year, ahead of Annabel’s at £3,250 plus a £1,750 joining fee (2022).
Published annual membership (GBP, top full-access rate) at a glance
Chelsea Arts Club950 £
The Groucho Club1,500 £
The Conduit1,500 £
Home House2,250 £
The Arts Club3,200 £
Annabel's3,250 £
5 Hertford Street3,500 £
Published annual membership (GBP, top full-access rate), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
