Luciana Bellini and her four-year-old trial NEXUS in South Kensington, a swanky space for all ages with some starry names behind it
Given the number of private members’ clubs operating in London — about sixty — you could be forgiven for thinking we’ve reached saturation point. There are gentlemen’s clubs that opened in the 1600s — including White’s, the oldest in the world — and clubs that cater just to women. There are those for creatives, where suits and ties are banned, and ones where you’ll be turned away if you’re not wearing the right jacket and shoes. But, somewhat surprisingly, there don’t seem to be any that cater properly for families, places where members of the younger and older generations can coexist in peaceful harmony. Or at least there weren’t until the arrival of NEXUS Club London, which is billed as the capital’s first global private members’ club for families.
NEXUS was established over ten years ago at Albany, a 600-acre luxury resort community in the Bahamas with a world-class golf course, mega-yacht marina, boutique hotel and private residences. It was founded by an interesting collection of people that includes Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake, the South African golfer Ernie Els and the international private investment organisation Tavistock Group — whose founder Joe Lewis also owned Tottenham Hotspur Football Club until 2022. In 2020 the group opened NEXUS New York in Lower Manhattan, bringing together wellness and fitness, dining, meeting rooms and children’s areas.
NEXUS is based in South Kensington in an auspicious Georgian property- JULIAN ABRAMS
The London club is their first property in Europe, and when I ask the club’s managing director, Alexia Hargrave, why the owners decided to open here, she says it was the next logical step. “Our roots are in our Albany community in the Bahamas and we have a large contingent of members there from the UK. London is a natural complement to the NEXUS ecosystem. We’re following our members and where they spend their time.”
NEXUS London opened at the beginning of January, and when I visit with my husband and our four-year-old daughter on a frosty Saturday morning we’re one of the first families to put it through its paces. It’s housed in a handsome building in southwest London that some will recognise as the former South Kensington Club, which closed in 2023 (others will know it as the Harrington Club, the louche party spot founded by Ronnie Wood). The first impression is one of airy lightness as you walk into the triple-height foyer — the interiors have been transformed by Squire & Partners, which has blended contemporary décor with the building’s original Georgian features.
There’s none of the eclectic mismatched wallpapers or maximalist interiors you’ll find at Annabel’s or 5 Hertford Street; instead, NEXUS is all about white walls and clean lines with tasteful black and white photographs on the walls. It doesn’t immediately scream “bring your kids”, but then that’s part of the charm. There are several great kids’ clubs in London, such as Cloud Twelve in Notting Hill and Purple Dragon in Chelsea, but while they might have breakaway spaces for parents, they are all firmly geared towards children. “NEXUS is designed to delight all members of the family,” Alexia says, “and designed for the most discerning families in the world.”
The Club Lounge- JULIAN ABRAMS
The Den, aimed at younger children- JULIAN ABRAMS
Our tour of the club, which is spread across four floors and 13,000 square feet, starts at the Den, a gorgeously decorated space aimed at younger children. It’s decked out in shades of pastel green and features the sort of aesthetically pleasing toys you would find in a Pinterest nursery, and I’d gladly spend time there myself. But more importantly, my daughter is immediately entranced and happy to be left with the staff, who are all DBS checked and fully qualified to work with children. On the weekends a team of them are on hand to run activities for the kids in the Den and the café space on the ground floor, where my daughter is shown how to make edible modelling clay and necklaces strung with Hula Hoops and Cheerios. You don’t have to book in advance — it’s all operated on a drop-in basis — and you can leave your kids with them for as long as you like, although you need to stay in the club while doing so (it’s worth noting there are no staff in the Den from Monday to Friday, so children can’t be left unsupervised in there during the week).
For slightly older children and teenagers there’s the Games Room, which is equipped with the latest e-gaming stations, VR headsets and Formula 1 racing simulators as well as five high-performance computers designed for gaming. On weekends there are also qualified e-gaming coaches to help children up-skill and learn how to use the games. Meanwhile, kids and adults can enjoy the sports simulators room, where you can try your hand at up to 14 different sports including golf, football and rugby. There’s a dedicated coach on hand to help you perfect your golf swing — my husband was delighted to spend an hour in there — while kids can sign up for one of the junior golf clinics.
The sports simulators room, with 14 different sports on offer- JULIAN ABRAMS
The gym is equipped with a range of cardio and strength and conditioning equipment- JULIAN ABRAMS
With my child and husband taken care of, I’m whisked up to the light-filled gym on the top floor for a personal training session with the in-house personal trainer Dalton Wong, who has trained Jennifer Lawrence, Olivia Colman and Gwendoline Christie. The gym is available for members at any time and is equipped with a range of pristine cardio and strength and conditioning equipment, including rowing machines, treadmills and bikes (the only thing missing is a pool). Just off the gym there’s also a private studio set where members can sign up for one-on-one yoga and reformer Pilates sessions. As well as having access to Wong and his team, members can book in to be assessed by the in-house doctors Dr Amit Sra and Dr Hina Sra, who specialise in aesthetics and gynaecology.
Members can sign up for a full health MOT with Amit, who will run blood tests and assess your overall health and wellbeing. These results will then feed in to the training programme Wong creates — if your cholesterol is high, he’ll tailor your workout accordingly. If your hormones are out of whack, that will be factored in too. As for any niggling aches and pains, those are taken care of by the in-house osteopath, Amina, who I can confirm has magic hands. During our session I mention to Wong that I’ve been struggling with back pain; he immediately books me in with Amina and after an hour of soft tissue work, I can already feel the difference.
The treatment room she works out of also offers acupuncture, hypnotherapy, reflexology, massages and facials, the last of which are all carried out using IHAC products, an all-natural, Ayurvedic range created by Amit and Hina. I am treated to one of their Recharge facials — which uses saffron and other natural herbs to rejuvenate the skin — and at the end Amit pops in. I’d mentioned that my sinuses were blocked and he wants me to try a special nasal oil he had created that combines cloves, cumin and mahanarayan oil. It feels like a firecracker has gone off in my nose, but within a few hours my sinuses are completely clear.
The Harrington Bar, an adults-only space- JULIAN ABRAMS
The Terrace, overlooking Harrington Road- JULIAN ABRAMS
After my session with Wong, I track down my daughter and husband and we sit down for lunch at the club’s café. It’s one of several dining spots that include the Club Room, a sleek lounge where members carry out meetings during the week and watch sport on the weekend, the Terrace, an al fresco spot on the second floor overlooking Harrington Road for when the sun shines, and the Harrington Bar, a glamorous adult-only and phone-free space (there are also monthly evening mixers with live music and DJs). For private meetings members can book the Queensberry Room, a dedicated space just off the Club Room that seats 12 (and can also be used as a venue for special dinners or celebrations). During the week the café doubles as a work space where members can tap away on laptops or pop into the designated phone room for calls.
The café, which also serves as a work space during the week- JULIAN ABRAMS
The café’s menu features classics like Caesar salads, burgers and club sandwiches, as well as more upmarket options like Beluga Imperial caviar. The kids’ menu features everything from plain penne pasta and chicken tenders to organic salmon.
On the table next to us sits a chic Spanish family from Barcelona (NEXUS members are a multicultural bunch), while behind us is a large table of young children, parents and grandparents. Sure, you might be subjected to the odd toddler tantrum while you’re eating, but that only means you don’t have to feel embarrassed when your own kid inevitably has one. After half a day at the club, we already feel right at home.
Founding Global Membership is priced at £8,600 incl. VAT per year. This family membership includes you, your partner and all of your children up until the age of 40 years old. All NEXUS members receive an annual credit of $5,000 to stay at Albany. For more information visit nexusclublondon.com
