Groucho Marx famously quipped that he didn’t want to be a member of any club that would have him, but we dare say even he would have changed his mind following the recent spruce up of the Groucho Club.
Since the private members’ bolthole opened in 1985 in London’s Soho quarter, it has grown rather haphazardly across three period townhouses. Architect Michaelis Boyd’s challenge was to work with the Groucho’s creative director Alice Anthony and director of art Nicky Carter to harmonise the disparate rooms with a unified theme that provides members and guests with an intuitive flow through the building.
Executing that brief dragged on for 24 months (the foyer still remains undone) but the results are pleasing, to say the least. Where possible, original features have been restored, including an antique stained glass window and timber panelling in the main staircase and bar areas. The first floor Soho Bar now features lacquered walls and timber floors salvaged from the BBC’s old Bush House, a vivid homage to the Groucho’s arts and media members. Walls have been relined with linen to soften acoustics, while new lights, customised furniture and reupholstered antiques add a subtle eclectic charge that Mr Marx would have approved.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
45 Dean Street
London W1D 4QB
-
Click to buy: how will we buy watches in 2026?Time was when a watch was bought only in a shop - the trying on was all part of the 'white glove' sales experience. But can the watch industry really put off the digital world any longer?
-
Don't miss these art exhibitions to see in JanuaryStart the year with an inspiring dose of culture - here are the best things to see in January
-
Unmissable fashion exhibitions to add to your calendar in 2026From a trip back to the 1990s at Tate Britain to retrospectives on Schiaparelli, Madame Grès and Vivienne Westwood, 2026 looks set to continue the renaissance of the fashion exhibition
-
The most stylish hotel debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of this year’s defining hotel openings. Design-led stays to shape your next escape
-
Neo-Gothic grandeur and decadent martinis await at Hawksmoor St PancrasThe dining room at the St Pancras London hotel has proved to be a revolving door for big-name chefs; now, it's Hawksmoor’s time to shine
-
Form... and flavour? The best design-led restaurant debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of the restaurant interiors that shaped how we ate, gathered and lingered this year
-
At last: a London hotel that’s great for groups and extended staysThe July London Victoria, a new aparthotel concept just steps away from one of the city's busiest rail stations, is perfect for weekends and long-term visits alike
-
French bistro restaurant Maset channels the ease of the Mediterranean in LondonThis Marylebone restaurant is shaped by the coastal flavours, materials and rhythms of southern France
-
Sir Devonshire Square is a new kind of hotel for the City of LondonA Dutch hospitality group makes its London debut with a design-forward hotel offering a lighter, more playful take on the City’s usual formality
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
-
Montcalm Mayfair opens a new chapter for a once-overlooked London hotelA thoughtful reinvention brings craftsmanship, character and an unexpected sense of warmth to a London hotel that was never previously on the radar
