(Bloomberg) -- Private members clubs are a hot topic these days. In New York City, the openings have been fast and furious and include Major Food Group’s Club ZZ, the Centurion Club and Aman New York. In Miami, members clubs are also proliferating as guests pack the Club ZZ flagship, the Baia Beach Club and the brand-new Club at the Moore in the Design District, where the top tier membership price is $125,000.

In the UK, private members clubs are nothing new. They’ve been around for three centuries, originating in St. James’s near Buckingham Palace as places for wealthy men to be social. (The area, on Pall Mall, still has the nickname “Clubland.”) In recent years, such clubs have stayed in the conversation, as their no-photos policy makes them favored haunts for celebrities. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose Soho House as a venue for early dates; Taylor Swift uses the Groucho Club as a hangout when she’s in the UK; and Victoria Beckham selected Oswald’s as the venue for her recent 50th birthday party.

But not all the recent members club news has been good, and there are serious changes afoot in Clubland. One of London’s grande dame clubs—the Garrick, founded in 1831—has faced an internal war over whether to allow women to become members rather than just guests. While it is moving closer to admitting them—and celebrity members such as Sting and Stephen Fry have said they’d quit if women weren’t admitted— rules at the club haven’t yet officially changed. (The Garrick members’ vote is scheduled for May 7.) 

On the other end of the new-to-traditional spectrum, club behemoth Soho House is facing challenges from its rapid expansion (it now has more than 40 locations worldwide). Members are complaining about seriously overcrowded spaces after membership went up by 20% in just one year, and investors are asking when the group will be profitable after losing $57 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. 

Traditional London clubs have invariably followed a formula: They have a bar, some sort of lounge and a classic French or British restaurant. Some have gyms, some have squash courts, and some have grand swimming pools like the Royal Automobile Club—yet others are happy to lean into a more leisurely lifestyle and offer none of them. Since many of the clubs were built in the Georgian era, the décor often follows similar themes: Ceilings tend to be high, walls are papered with heavy damask or are wood-paneled, and oil paintings of august former members prevail. Often, grand sweeping staircases lead to ballrooms or Beauty and the Beast-style libraries. Plenty have bedrooms. 

Despite their grand surroundings, London clubs continue to act as both a home-away-from-home and a “third space” that’s neither work nor domicile, where community can be forged. To maintain a feeling of privacy, plenty of clubs require a recommendation from a current member to join — like Annabel's, below — while others are open to anyone, like the open-doors Dally club.  They sound similar to a restaurant or hotel, but the membership structure makes them different: There is no waiter hurrying you along, no defined end point to your stay. Arrive for breakfast and leave after dinner. Or, if you’ve had too many glasses of port, stay overnight. 

That sense of community prevails even as the nature of clubs in London is evolving to include innovative dining spots, work options and family-friendly space.  Here are our picks of some of the best options around town, from classic places to newer, under-the-radar spots. Each offers something singular, whether it be a notable restaurant or a stellar art collection—or the place may simply excel in creating a convivial atmosphere that you’ll want to enjoy from morning until late at night. 

The Walbrook Club, City of London

The first surprise at the Walbrook is its blink-and-you’ll-miss-it location: an elegant and restrained town house penned in by towering City offices. The next one is that, despite its heritage building, the club has only been open since 2000. 

The intimate place, once the offices for the Palumbo property developing family, has interiors designed by Mark Birley, the founder of legendary clubs like Annabel’s, Harry’s Bar and Mark’s, and a homey environment anchored by a cozy bar, dining room and two private rooms. There are impressive events for members, including breakfasts and lunches with people like Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey. 

The Walbrook has a work-hard-play-hard ethos, with club shooting days, games evenings and events such as whisky tastings. The “Friday Sunday lunch,” is a club tradition, with a full roast and plenty of cocktails served at the end of the workweek. “Most places are fun or serious—with one at the expense of the other,” says Philip Palumbo, who runs the club. “We do both.” Price: Over 35s £1,200 ($1,500) annual fee, £500 entrance fee; 30-35s, £750 annual fee; £250 entrance fee; under 30s, £650 annual fee, £150 entrance fee 

The Dally, Islington

This brand-new club’s founders, Claire Ilardi-Crow and Caroline Baldwin, conceived of the Dally while waiting to pick their daughters up from school. “We started talking about if you’re in a new phase of life or you just moved, how do you go about making friends?” says Ilardi-Crow. She and Baldwin then decided to launch a members club for their north London Islington neighborhood as a space for people to meet and mingle. Ilardi-Crow says she hoped the Dally could welcome a wide range of people, which is reflected in its more modest monthly price. And unlike many clubs, there’s no dress code. 

Housed in a three-floor Victorian town house, the Dally provides a relaxed “living room” on the ground floor, a cocktail bar and modern European restaurant on the first floor, and another bar on the top floor. Unlike most clubs, dogs and children are welcome (on the ground floor) during the day.Price: £630 annual fee, or £66 a month; £250 entrance fee

Annabel’s, Mayfair

One of the first nightclubs in London and one of the most iconic members clubs ever, Annabel’s has been a favorite nighttime haunt since the 1960s, hosting the likes of Frank Sinatra and Harry Styles through the decades. Its famed interiors mix color with traditional wallpapers and furniture, giving the impression that you’ve been invited to the country house of an eccentric aristocrat. And there is a dress code: no creased linen, denim shorts or hot pants, T-shirts without a jacket, caps, flip-flops or overly revealing clothes.

Annabel’s is now part of the Birley Group, which also includes the George, Harry’s Bar and Mark’s Club (see below), owned by hospitality entrepreneur Richard Caring. Next month sees the opening of the Bolivar restaurant, with a design by Caring, and a South American menu highlighting Argentinian steaks. Price: £3,750 annual fee, £1,850 joining fee; under 35s, £2,250 a year, £600 joining fee

The Arts Club, Mayfair

On a quiet street just off Piccadilly, the Arts Club has been around since 1863, welcoming members like Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Today its made up of the arts industry crowd and “ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” says Samantha Ram, director of marketing and communications. 

Members can work in the space until 5 p.m., when “we elegantly give [out] glasses of Champagne to members and ask them to close their laptops,” says Ram. There are two dining options: the Brasserie, which serves Mediterranean cuisine, and the Kyubi, specializing in Japanese fare. Members also get special rates at the nearby Lanserhof clinic, which has a gym and heath facilities that offer cardio testing and sleep screening.

The club has an impressive modern art collection, unique among members clubs, including regularly changing works. Next month’s exhibition will showcase Native American artists. Price: £2,800 annual fee, £2,000 entrance fee; under 33s, £1,500 a year, £1,000 entrance fee 

The Institute of Directors, St James’s 

Although primarily a business lobby group, the IoD’s London headquarters is located in a Grade I-listed John Nash building on Pall Mall. The institute took over the building in the 1970s from the United Service Club, and to this day, it’s still decorated with military friezes and portraits.

While most clubs bill themselves as a “home away from home,” the business-minded IoD is more of an “office away from home,” says Hugo Legh, head of marketing and communications. “People can absolutely bring laptops and work there,” he adds. “It’s a social space but mainly a workspace.” Its business offering extends to a “virtual office” service, allowing members to use its address and phone number for work correspondence and as a meeting place. A schedule of business-minded events, too, includes masterclasses on sustainability and financial strategy.

The modern British restaurant, the Brasserie, and the casual Cafe Duke in the old officers’ toilets are open to members, as is the Champagne bar in the vaulted basement. Price: From £216 annually 

The Upstairs, Brixton 

The Upstairs became a members club almost by accident. Originally an Edwardian department store, the building was taken over by the architecture firm Squire & Partners in 2018. Because there was plenty of office space, the owners decided to turn the top floor, which boasts an impressive glass dome roof and terrace, into a club.

With a seasonal British restaurant, bar, private dining rooms and a large terrace for summer dining, the club is geared toward socializing— especially with its no-laptop policy. It has a distinctly grown-up feel; membership is open only to those over the age of 25.Price: £320 annual fee or £29 a month 

Mark’s Club, Mayfair

Opened by Birley in the 1970s as a slightly more casual alternative in Mayfair  to St. James’s members clubs, Mark’s Club is like the older brother of Annabel’s. Decorated in the distinctive Birley style, in the winter its members are greeted with roaring fires, and in summer they can eat out on the terrace (but they can’t wear jeans after 6 p.m. or sportswear or leggings at any time of day). It’s one of the more exclusive spots in London with a limited number of members, which has attracted names such as David Beckham and David Cameron in recent years. 

In June it will reopen after a six-month, Caring-designed renovation, with the downstairs as an open-plan venue, and more outdoor space. Price: Available on application

Quo Vadis, Soho

The legendary Soho restaurant Quo Vadis opened in 1926 in a building where Karl Marx wrote part of Das Kapital. It now hosts a private club upstairs, and the space feels more fun these days, with its two bars and a restaurant for members. Three private dining rooms host Quo Vadis & Friends, a monthly series of guest chefs. Upcoming residencies include the team behind the acclaimed Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala, as well as Ravinder Bhogal, chef and author of vegetarian cookbook Comfort & Joy. 

The private restaurant focuses on seasonal and local British food with a menu managed by chef-proprietor Jeremy Lee. The club describes its members as “an eclectic and epicurean crowd, attracted to the good things in life.” Quo Vadis provides a welcome respite from the hectic Soho streets below and bestows insider status at one of London’s institution restaurants.Price: £600 annual fee or £55 a month; under 30s, £330 annual fee or £30 a month; members outside the M25, £485 annual fee or £44 a month

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.