The best private members’ clubs in Mayfair

Forget stuffy gentlemen’s clubs. Today’s private members’ establishments are the place to see and be seen – and Mayfair is home to some of the capital’s best

Private members’ clubs have come a long way since the gentlemen’s gaffs of old, evolving into eclectic playgrounds that court creatives, entrepreneurs and London’s high society. From Annabel’s to the AllBright, Mayfair has long been home to some of the capital’s most illustrious members’ clubs, each of which offers far more than your average hotel, bar or restaurant – whether you’re looking for glamour, philanthropy, truffles at 3am or a daily dog walker. It’s up to you, however, to find a proposer and seconder to get you in…

67 Pall Mall

Former hedge fund manager Grant Ashton launched this haven for wine lovers in St James’s in December 2015 (yes, we’ve still included it in Mayfair’s selection of private members’ clubs – it’s that good). After 30 years in the City, he and his friends had amassed a hefty collection of vintages that were waiting to be drunk. So he started a place where they could be enjoyed with minimal mark-up and the concept was so successful that sister sites have now opened in Singapore, Verbier and Beaune. Choose from an instantly updated wine list on an iPad, take tips from 15 in-house sommeliers, store wine on the premises and make the most of super connections – one lucky member even experienced a money-can’t-buy private tour with winemaker Laura Catena around her Argentinian vineyard.

Owner: Grant Ashton

Why: Choose from 2,500 bottles, of which 500 come by the glass (from £7.50) thanks to a Coravin that siphons wine through the cork

Price: £1,500 joining fee, £2,000 per annum. Professional and under-35s memberships also available.

Best for: Oenophiles

Alumni: Hugh Johnson, Sam Neill and Olivier Krug

Dress code: Men: jacket and shirt; ladies: stylish

Fun fact: The most expensive glass costs a whopping £667

67 Pall Mall, St. James‘s, SWIY, 67pallmall.com 

Luxury London article: The best private member’s clubs in Mayfair