South Kensington Club
London’s latest members-only club provides members with a unique, one-of-a-kind experience inspired by adventure and a multicultural perspective. Drawing on ancient rituals found all over the world that promote health, fitness, and the spirit of discovery, the South Kensington Club (known as The Club) is an opportunity to inspire, be inspired, as well as to connect and unwind in complete and utter privacy.
Officially opened just a few months ago on June 1, The Club sets itself apart from a long history of London members-only establishments by making wellness its primary focus. Led by Luca Del Bono, the idea for the club was borne in New York while visiting a Turkish Bath House. Telling T Magazine of his plan, Del Bono said that the South Kensington Club was a “members club with a gym, a bathhouse and a saltwater Watsu pool.” In fact, part of The Club’s manifesto says just that: “We believe in ‘mens sana in corpore sano’ – a healthy mind in a healthy body – and that wellness should be a central focus of daily life.”
Russian banyas, Turkish hammams, personal training, holistic healing, yoga, and Pilates are all available to members, as is a café with a juice bar, gluten-free and vegetarian offerings, and coffee. A Club Sitting Room and the Club restaurant are also available on the property for guests to enjoy.
Del Bono says that anyone can apply for membership, though two prerequisites apply: The first, he promises, is that membership will always stay 51 percent British; the second, he says, is that applicants “be nice”. Information about dues and fees can be found on The Club’s website.
