In town

The Arts Club

Arts club, since 1863
Mayfair19 min by car

About

The Arts Club was founded in 1863 for people with a tie to the arts, literature or the sciences; Dickens, Whistler and Rodin were members. Today it fills a Dover Street townhouse with a brasserie, a Japanese restaurant, a members' lounge, a cigar room and Leo's, a late bar with live music, plus a hotel upstairs and an art collection that changes.

Lanserhof at The Arts Club is the health side and the reason to look here: the only Lanserhof in the UK, a private clinic before it is a gym. Doctors, MRI, cardiology and orthopaedics; performance testing that sets the training; IV infusions, cryotherapy and the LIFE fasting programmes of seven to twenty-one days. Members of the clinic have their own lounge with a light menu. It neighbours the club and is joined separately.

What sets it apart
  • The oldest here by more than a century, and the most formal about who gets in: two members, or the membership office to help with introductions
  • Lanserhof: medicine first, then training; a doctor's assessment sets the programme
  • The widest health menu on this list: MRI, cardiology, IV infusions, cryotherapy, fasting
  • A real cultural programme: exhibitions, talks, live music
  • A smart dress code, enforced
  • Abroad: The Arts Club Dubai as an add-on, and reciprocal clubs around the world

Photos

Getting in

Route
An enquiry to the membership office; by all accounts it then takes letters from a proposer and a seconder who are members, on your tie to the arts, literature or the sciences
Decided by
The committee; count on several months
Fees
A year
£3,200, from the age of 33
Joining fee
£1,600, called the member assessment fee
Under 33
£1,500 a year and £500 to join
Partner
£1,400 a year at the same address, nothing to join
Lanserhof
A separate membership, requested by email; reported from £334 a month on top

The house

Inside
Brasserie, Kyubi (Japanese), the Ofelia members' lounge, Oscuro (cigars), Leo's (late bar, live music), a garden, hotel rooms on the top two floors
Lanserhof
At 18 Dover Street, joined separately: a fitness suite, studio classes and personal training, with priority booking and lower rates in the clinic for its members
Medicine
MRI, cardiology and orthopaedics; IV vitamin infusions, nutrition, acupuncture
Performance
Testing and functional assessments for diagnosis, injury prevention and recovery; the training is built on them
Therapies
Cryotherapy, massage, regenerative facials and skincare
Programmes
LIFE fasting: an integrated programme of 7, 14 or 21 days
Dress
Smart, for members and guests
Hours
7.30am to 1am
Abroad
The Arts Club Dubai, as an add-on, and reciprocal clubs

Address

The Arts Club
40 Dover Street, London W1S 4NP
From home
  • 19 minTaxi · 7.4 kmWithout traffic; on a weekday evening rather 29 to 39.
  • 37 minTube and busBus 46 to Swiss Cottage, Jubilee line to Green Park, 13 minutes on foot
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