Club Launches, Celebrity Encounters and Hedonistic Parties

Top Club
For the first time, my Club of the Week prize is going to be shared. Well, sort of. The Kingly Club Soho said hello to its new sister The Kingly Club St Martins Lane last night, and I hotfooted it to the party for a grand tour. Spread over three floors, the highlight is undoubtedly the restaurant in the basement, named Kyashii. I sampled some of the pan-Asian fare and have to say so far so good, I’ll be heading back soon to try it out properly! There’s also a ground floor bar and a mezzanine VIP level. I had just as good a night at the Kingly Club Soho earlier in the week too, attending a live music night put on by Ascension. If you’re a cocktail fiend (and I certainly am!) go for The Guv’nor, a mix of Grey Goose, elderflower, strawberries and (wait for it)… lager! Delicious!

Top Bar
I’m a big fan of hotel bars, there’s something that feels sophisticated and relaxed about them and the service is unvaryingly great. The Firmdale Group of hotels in particular have some great bars at their hotels, my favourites include the Haymarket Pool Bar. The best of the bunch though is undoubtedly the Oscar Bar at the Charlotte Street Hotel, which spills straight out onto the street when the weather warms up. The great news is they’ve just got the pear, lemon and orange flavoured Grey Goose vodkas in stock. You can’t drink this in any other bar in London, and after trying a few too many of the spicy pear ones this week, I was pleased to be in a hotel as I needed a bit of a lie down!
My Top 5 This Week
I haven’t had time to sit still this week I’ve been to so many bars and clubs, but these were the ones that stood out for me:
1. British Luxury Club
I spent a really late night (well, I mean early morning, really) here this week, and no matter how many times I go or how drunk I am on arrival, the Swarovski crystal bar never fails to stun me. Still a well-kept secret, you should move mountains to get yourself on this guestlist!
2. The Light Bar
I told you I love hotel bars, and the Light Bar is a long-time favourite, though you need a thick skin to ignore the clipboard girl (attitude as big as Jordan’s boobs). I always order the Lemon Meringue Champagne cocktail – who needs dessert?
3. Mahiki
Mingle with the trustafarians in this tropical paradise and dance yourself silly to the downright tacky tunes! The question is, can you afford the infamous £100 Treasure Chest cocktail?
4. Vendome
I love this intimate Knightsbridge hotspot, it’s full of horsey girl and City boys who’ve ventured West, but the fabulous decor and cheapish (£7-£8) cocktails make it worth the trip. I dropped in for cupcakes and Cosmos to celebrate the long-awaited release of Sex and the City.
5. Janets Bar
I’m certain most of you will have never heard of this place, and I’m reluctant to share my knowledge of it, but it always cheers me up when I need to laugh at myself. Expect two live music performances every night coupled with Disneyland chic decor and an owner (called Janet, who’d have guessed?) who makes it her business to play Cupid to her guests. Try it, you might like it!
Comments
by 30/05/2008 @ 14:37
i walked past the new kingly club the other day and it still looked like a building site so it's good to see they've sorted themselves out!
ps - no pirate suit this week?
by 30/05/2008 @ 20:47
No pirate costumes this week I'm afraid, just the big old hat to cover up my uneven hair!!
And the new Kingly has really come together, it looks great. There's a great feel of continuity with the original Kingly, and more of those huge fishtanks than ever!
by 30/05/2008 @ 22:00
i like the kingly but its not cheap! the guv'nor cocktail sounds like 1 for the blokes
by 02/06/2008 @ 01:13
u meet everyone dont u! mica paris rocks dude
by 02/06/2008 @ 15:50
is the kingly club in st martins lane better than the one in soho? the british luxury club sounds amazing, i'm going to have to do some serious blagging to get in there probably!
by 02/06/2008 @ 16:25
I wouldn't say the Kingly SML is better than Soho - they're just two different kettles of fish. SML is more about the amazing Japanese food at the restaurant Kyashii or chilled out cocktails, whereas Soho has a different buzz and some really interesting nights from DJ nights to live music etc. Both are worth trying!
And yes, the British Luxury Club takes a bit of blagging - but it's worth it!! Visually stunning.
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