The most far-reaching of all the clubs on this list, in the 25 plus years since the original Soho House opened on Greek Street in 1995, outposts have opened from Malibu to Mumbai. Founder Nick Jones first opened the club as a space for the creative crowd who frequented his restaurant Cafe Boheme to hang out. Babington House, a country retreat in Somerset, soon followed (along with the first Cowshed spa), before things started taking off in the early 2000s. Now, in London alone, there are eight houses, with a ninth (Little House Balham) slated to open in 2022. Then there’s Farmhouse, Brighton Beach House, and Babington House in Somerset, and farther afield houses opened in Rome, Berlin, Mykonos, Nashville, Toronto, Hong Kong and beyond.
Members can waltz into these global spaces, eat at the restaurants, sleepover in the bedrooms (Soho House-style interior design has become a brand in and of itself) and hang out in the spaces. There are also events aimed at the creative community who make up the members.
How to access Soho House without becoming a member
As well as standard membership, Soho House offers Soho Friends and Soho Works memberships. Soho Friends gives access to bedrooms, studios, and events, but not houses unless you’re sleeping over in one of the bedrooms. There are studio spaces at a number of the Soho Houses such as 180 The Strand and White City, as well as in dedicated studios such as in Brixton. Bonus: Soho Friends membership costs just £100 a year, and Soho Friends can add Soho Works onto their membership, which gives them the option to book a desk or office space for remote working (most regular Soho House spaces restrict laptop use).
Price: Members can opt-in to local house membership (which includes unlimited access to your elected ‘local’ Soho House) or every house membership (as it sounds, includes unlimited access to all Soho Houses). Local house membership costs £1,100 annually (under-27s pay from £550). Every house membership costs £2,500 annually (under-27s pay from £1,150 annually). Soho Friends membership costs £100 annually and Soho Works membership costs £400 monthly.
Membership requirements: Aspiring members need nominations from two existing Soho House members to proceed with an application. Only prospective members who are deemed to be part of the creative industries will be accepted – although the admittance committee doesn’t have strict criteria of ‘creativity’ that need to be met.
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