Lavish and OTT, Crazy Bear Members Club sticks two fingers up at the economic downturn and celebrates – glorifies even – opulence. It may not be politically correct but damn is it hot.

The Venue
Crazy Bear Members Club is stunning and epitomises the Crazy Bear brand that includes a restaurant, bar and a couple of hotels in addition to this club. It’s all about kitsch styling, in-your-face glamour and intricate decorative flourish. The members' club is large and comprises of a bar, lounge area, dining room and sushi bar. And it’s so styled it’s almost too much – almost.

The seating is leather throughout – be it black, red or white – and it covers the space, offering plenty of spots for members to rest their weary Jimmy Choo covered feet. Mirrored surfaces are everywhere – even the tables are mirrored – and where they’re not, the surfaces are so black, and so shiny, that they act as mirrors. Even the mix of black and patterned floors are shiny and over the top. And there’s no reprieve with every single surface covered in jewels, opulent patterned wallpaper and leather padding. It’s like the chairs, walls, floors and ceilings all merge into one giant decorative feature. And yes, the lighting is also crazy with chandeliers and crystals everywhere you look. Moving from one space to the next, the only thing that changes is the colour, escape is futile. But then, why would you want to?

The Atmosphere
This is a members' club. Strictly members. Don’t roll up in your best glad rags hoping to blag it as the door staff have heard it all before. If you’re not a member but happen to know one then it’s your lucky day as they can invite in guests. And so, the moneyed come out to play here. Businessmen and the rich mix over cocktails and sushi. As a members' club they work hard to keep you happy and the service is seamless. Entertainment is also high on the agenda with a pianist every weekday and daily tastings of different spirits. They even have meeting rooms for those looking to impress clients. And it’s not as expensive as some members' clubs with membership priced at £500, which you can pay in monthly instalments.

The Food
For a members' club, the food is good quality at reasonable prices, and is subsidised by the membership fees. Sushi is the cuisine of choice here and their chef has over twenty years experience as a sushi master and all of their fish is either line caught or sourced from sustainably managed waters. To give you an example, three pieces of fresh salmon sashimi is just £6 – the price you’d pay at places like Yo Sushi on the high street.

The Drink
Cocktails, cocktails and more cocktails. They don’t come cheap with nothing priced under £12, but then you’ll pay more for the same at London’s top hotel bars for drinks of a similar quality. The martini list alone comprises of 14 options including unusual choices like lychee or blue rose. And the martinis are incredibly well mixed with excellent clarity and a punch of alcohol served in the style you want. They even have 10 – count ‘em – champagne cocktails. The Vanilla Champagne cocktail is highly recommended, made up of Cariel and Stolichnaya vanilla vodka, sugar cane syrup and champagne for a delicately sweet drink with an almost strange creaminess when mixed with the fizz. Interesting. But not as interesting as the wonderfully sickly sweet Nutty Russian with vodka, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, vanilla sugar and double cream. Yes it is as sickening as it sounds, but it's still damn good.

The Last Word
Is it appropriate for a club to make so much of its wealth when much of the world is suffering from the aftershock of a major global recession? Perhaps not. But sometimes it’s nice to forget all that and just have some overindulgent fun.

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