There's Life Beyond Soho House — How London's New Private Members' Clubs Are Re-Imagining What Luxury Looks Like, By Risking It All for Out-of-the-Box Design
Turns out, a coherent, distinctive look isn't always synonymous with long-term success, especially when high-street copycats start undermining its exclusivity
A handful of seasons into Sex and the City, PR powerhouse, Samantha Jones — the boldest, most irreverent, and fearless of Carrie Bradshaw's friends — pretends to be someone else after finding a lost credit card in the toilet of Soho House in New York. Enduring an impossibly hot summer day, she is determined to do anything to get herself and her gang into its rooftop pool, and of course, a simple "I'm sorry, the waiting list is far too long," isn't enough.
It was the early 2000s and, with Soho House at its prime, Samantha knew there was only one place the in crowd would be at. But with over a hundred private members' clubs to pick from in London right now, we have reasons to think her choice would no longer fall on Soho House. Don't get us wrong: there is nothing we don't like about the Soho House look. If anything, the opposite is true: the portfolio's laidback cool reinterpreting of mid-century modern furniture, underpinned by vibrant textures and sinuously comforting silhouettes mixed with locally sourced artworks and vintage collectibles, has made its addresses instantly recognizable, strangely familiar, and covetable.
The downside of the Soho House effect, though, is that it transformed its members' club model from an exclusive destination that had people fighting over it into an at least visually replicable brand, as many high-street furniture manufacturers' latest collections, that certainly pay tribute to the brand's interior offshoot Soho Home, attest.
Article continues belowOur argument, then, is that, when it comes to design-driven lifestyle hubs, the key to long-standing success doesn't lie in sticking to a single aesthetic people identify the place with, but rather to location-specific, community-driven narratives that exalt a variety of styles, and the ones below have done.
Aethos London Shoreditch — For the Industrial-Cool Kid
Taking over the former Nobu Hotel site on Willow Street, Aethos London Shoreditch only launched last autumn, but the hotel and members' club has already become a favorite for all design enthusiasts.
10-50 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH
Inaugurated last October, Aethos London Shoreditch, a new boutique hotel and members' club in the British capital, is a perfect example of an address that foregrounds its roots via design. The work of Barcelona-based Astet Studio, this vibrant hangout for 360-degree tastemakers and tastelovers — culture-addicted travelers, creatives, and wellness-curious socialites — draws from the area's industrial past to envelope guests in a deeply tactile, resonant atmosphere.
Housed within what was once the Nobu Hotel, Aethos London Shoreditch weaves raw materials like terracotta, brushed metals, and layered wood into artisanry-rich environments that nod to the skillfulness of today's and yesterday's craftsmen, and boasts bespoke, sleek as well as raw lighting, surfaces, and artworks produced in partnership with local makers. Because, as we said in the past, hotels and private members' clubs are rapidly becoming the new creative hubs.
The 1980s-style glass brick wall in the Willow Room at Aethos London Shoreditch adds a vintage touch to one of its most beautiful club spaces.
At first glance, this East London address may seem to have a lot in common with Soho House. But its focus on cultural exchange and long-lasting connections over an elite-aimed model makes it inherently more appealing for Londoners and globetrotters searching for a place to call home, one to unwind at, work, and get inspired from. It's a vision Aethos London has embraced to the point of calling itself the "anti-club", though, of course, the perks still come with a price tag.
The Aethos London Shoreditch gift shop, selling Aethos merchandise along with printed matter, clothing, and curated collectibles, captures the year-long allure of the resortcore trend.
What makes Aethos London Shoreditch stand out against competitors like Soho House, though, is that, while keeping its Shoreditch-inspired storytelling at its heart, it doesn't let it define it. Astet Studio's interiors for the club, whose earthy palette travels us back to the electrifying 1980s, feel simultaneously warm and inviting, like the practice's own Barcelona, and stunningly executed, as you would expect of the finest design brands.
Counterbalancing the spaceship-like, multifaceted shell of the building and its brutalist, exposed cement walls, they oscillate between sharp edges and softness. The same is true of its wellness, dining, entertaining, and work-dedicated amenities, which combine to deliver equal measures of repose, excitement, and opportunities to sharpen your interests and make new acquaintances. Plus, when everything fails to calm you down when spending the night, you can rely on the woods_ Copenhagen in-suite bathroom kits to do the trick.
Learn more about Aethos London.
Christabel's — For the Bon Vivant Craving Some 70s Decadence
First launched during the 2020 lockdown, art installation-turned-members' club Christabel's has had quite an itinerant life so far. Its new base in Fitzrovia, inaugurated in November 2025, wants to reignite London's nightlife.
Some like their members' club to be in tune with the look and feel of the contemporary era, others want it to be a gateway to some other place and time, and it doesn't take long to realize what the founder of Fitzrovia's Christabel's, Christabel Milbanke, had in mind for this lavishly decorated hangout. A place for live music and performance lovers, hosting gigs as well as DJ and burlesque sets, Christabel's is imbued with the kind of atmosphere that can take you out of the present moment and convince you that, yes, you belong somewhere else.
Inside, it's a masterclass in 1970s interior trends done right: a color-drenched, vivid palette of burned oranges, reds, and browns manifests across velvety fabrics, lacquered wood-paneled walls, coffered ceilings, and reflective accents; block surfaces are mixed in with and revived by textural, marbled stone details and unexpected fringes; and eccentric textile patterns, antique, candelabra-style brass sconces, and Murano glass chandeliers coexist within the same pulsating, timeless environment.
Compared to the quintessentially contemporary, although mid-century-infused, Soho House look, Christabel's is intentionally nostalgic, and proud to be. And it's this escapism — the idea that you can book yourself in, dress up, and leave everything else behind for a couple of hours — that, right now, makes the club especially appealing. Behind this hedonistic cove is celebrity-approved nightlife group Chinawhite, which, together with Milbanke, ensures the entertainment continues long into the night. Non-members can take their slice of fun home by pre-booking minimal-spend VIP tables, and cocktails are created by Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter, Keira Chaplin.
Learn more about Christabel's.
Lighthouse Social — For the Alternative, Creative-Minded West Londoner
Judging solely by its water-view, loosely yacht-style interiors, you'd never know where this new London private members' club is at: the top of Fulham Football Club's Riverside Stand.
A newcomer to London's lifestyle scene, Lighthouse Social opened its doors to the public last spring in a rather unusual location for a club of this kind, the top three floors of the Fulham Football Club's Riverside Stand, and is aimed at West Londoners looking for a place to indulge in premium culinary and cultural offerings while soaking in the boldness of its Dion et Arles-designed spaces and tick off their daily tasks by the Thames — a tip to achieve that hard-to-get work-life balance.
The kids-friendly areas at Lighthouse Social might officially be my favorite part of the club.
Brought to life by a truly wild, eclectic mix of patterned fabrics, checkered floors (and ceilings?!), and colorful paintings, Lighthouse Social nails looking as out-of-the-box as it feels refined. It houses a handful of F&B locations, including the iconic Bridge Bar, dotted with the most spectacular velvet and tubular steel stools and mushroom table lamps, and anchored by textural marquetry. Blessed with undisturbed water views, these exude unexpected Riviera charm, with custom joinery, Venetian plaster walls, sheeny finishes, and occasional vintage touches integrated throughout to evoke South of France-style romance.
There's an intimate screening room, a workspace and library, and, believe it or not, even a dedicated childcare wing inspired by the natural world, allowing both parents and kids to make the most of the facilities included in the membership. And trust me, it's one of the best-designed, most playful aspects of Lighthouse Social.
I personally love the way in which wall-wide, framed, eye-catching artworks and equally striking patterns and textiles meet at this London address, with influences coming anywhere from the French Riviera to West Africa and Asia.
Overall, the club breaks with the one-size-fits-all approach to interiors that characterizes many of its competitors by making room for surprise to unfold past every corner. There are hundreds of one-off art pieces gathered on site, and just as many crazy motifs and details to get captivated by. Come on a crisp sunny day, and the countless mirrored walls will give you the impression of sipping a cocktail under France's cerulean blue sky.
Learn more about Lighthouse Social.
Has the researched-relaxed feel of private members' clubs inspired you to redecorate your home before? Well, judging by these new entries, it's really time to let go of labels and give in to the bold, the unique, and the odd. Dive into our latest travel trends report to learn how a similar mindset is reshaking tourism.
