The past few years has seen a trend for luxury family members clubs…and I am here for it. It’s soft play but clean and aesthetic; a restaurant but the food is good quality and tasty (there’s a wine list!); there’s baby food but there’s also barista style coffee… The staff know you and your child and you feel safe and welcome. It’s a place that you want to visit again and again.
I’ve been a member of multiple luxury family clubs over the years and honestly they are quite a saving grace for parents especially those on maternity / paternity leave. And I thought I’d share with you the best private members clubs for families and children in London.
Purple Dragon – Chelsea
BEST FOR: Child heaven
I absolutely must start with Purple Dragon which is both the OG in London and the OG for me. We joined Purple Dragon when Oscar was nearly 2 and we still have membership now… adding in membership for Noah too.
Started by Scottish business woman Sharai Meyers, it was her dream to create somewhere that children and adults could hang out together without compromising for either. The club first established in Battersea 2008 before moving to the current Chelsea location in 2011.
Purple Dragon is absolutely dedicated to kids there’s a huge imagination room with the signature hanging basket chair and toys and books are rotated frequently according to the current theme of the month. There’s a cooking room, an arts and crafts room, music room and soft play. Each area is run by a ‘play buddy’ to support the parents and the children in the activities. There’s also an 15 metre indoor pool where Oscar has enjoyed swimming lessons for years. Classes are run throughout these spaces and they change frequently with different adventures to suit different ages. They also hold special parties and events to coincide with seasons such as Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s and Easter.
There’s a restaurant and the food is genuinely good and the safe, free flow nature of the club means the adults can relax and enjoy their meal while the children play. Adjacent to the restaurant is an adults lounge where the parents can relax with a hot coffee and socialise. There’s no work space, gym or creche because the concept of Purple Dragon is about family time together.
As of May 2025, Purple Dragon became part of Nexus Club – see below.
Membership Types: There are different tiers of member depending on how many children. We are Premier members meaning we have complete access at all times but there is also the option to go for the Early Bird Membership or Night Bird Membership depending on what time of day you’re likely to use it. Finally there’s the Out of Towner which allows 34 visits per year. Pricing is dependant on the tier you choose.
PROS – This is kids heaven with nearly the whole of the club dedicated to children’s play and activities. There are 100s of activities and even after four years of membership Oscar is not bored.
CONS – Over the years more screens have been added to the club, personally I’d prefer a screen-free space. There’s no outdoor space. It’s very expensive!
Jesse’s House – Parsons Green
BEST FOR: Me time and family time.
Jesse’s House has to be hands down the most aesthetic family private members I’ve ever seen. There’s something so luxurious about going to a child-centred place that’s also pleasing to the eye! I was lucky enough to have a three month membership here over summer.
There’s a Mediterranean theme with marble table tops, different textures and tiles, neutral colours, Scandi-style sofas (sage greens, terracottas, pastel accents) large playful artworks. It’s appealing to an adult’s eye but engaging for children and also comfortable and practical.
The club includes a variety of indoor and outdoor areas two soft plays – one for smaller children and one for older children, a playground and MUGA pitch, a den with toys, a cinema room, an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. There’s a kids club and creche and multiple adults only spaces such as The Study for working and a gym and pilates studio. The beauty of Jesse’s House is you can work or get some time for yourself in the gym whilst having the flexibility of the kids club and creche.
There’s lots of classes and events taking place throughout the week plus there’s a holiday camp run by Sharky and George.
The food at Lucy’s restaurant is great and there’s lots of highchairs (for all different ages), books, colouring, even a soft play so parents can enjoy their meal while the kids play safely.
Membership Types – There are two types of membership; general access give you full club access with credits towards classes and the creche. All-inclusive membership gives unlimited access to classes and creche and both give extra perks such as discounts on birthday parties, swimming lessons and access to holiday club. All the classes and clubs can be easily booked through a web portal. Pricing depends on the number of adults and children on the membership, you can also add another ‘named’ adult such as a nanny or grandparent.
PROS – Jesse’s House offers the best of both worlds. Stress-free time together with your kids plus safe and flexible childcare giving you plenty of ‘me-time’. I love the fact this club includes outdoor space and minimal screens.
CONS – I think the layout should provide an easier flow through to go from activity to activity. I think the closing time is too early making it difficult for the after school crowd.
I’ve written a longer review here.
Jaego’s House – Kensal Rise
Though Jaego’s House is the older sibling to Jesse’s (both are part of the Little Houses group founded by Charlie Gardiner), I’m mentioning it second as I’ve personally not had membership, I’ve only visited for parties and events. But like Jesse’s, Jaego’s House is highly aesthetic and provides the perfect place for kids to play and parents to relax or work.
There’s a Jungle Gym and Soft play, cinema, playground, studios, creche and kids club plus for adults a Study, gym and fitness and yoga and spin studio. There’s also a Riverside Restaurant.
Membership Types – As Jesse’s above. Monthly memberships start from £85 per adult and £45 per child.
PROS – As with Jesse’s House there is the best of both worlds in terms of child-friendly and parent pleasing spaces.
CONS – Again I’m not a fan of the layout. There are lots of stairs meaning less free-flow.
Cloud 12 – Notting Hill
BEST FOR: Wellness fans
We were members of Cloud 12 a few years ago but it was just a little too far away to continue our membership there. Founded in 2018 by herbalist and naturopath Jenya Di Pierro (previously a fund manager) who was inspired by Japanese spa culture. The club combines a kids club with a wellness facility including a soft play, kids club, creche and family-friendly Vegetarian restaurant alongside a hair salon spa and wellness clinic. The idea being that you can either enjoy the children’s area together or you can leave your tots in safe hands of the staff whilst pampering yourself.
The members-only Kids Club is themed around a magical forest with a giant lady bird and has different play areas and sensory zones, there are dance, music and art classes led by qualified child development experts. I would say the play areas are better suited to younger children – seven years old probably being the limit.
Upstairs the facilities (which can be used by non-members) offers a vast area of treatments; there’s a Himalayan salt room, thermal suite and Hammam. while the Wellness Clinic offers Chinese medicine treatments and osteopathy, acupuncture and reflexology
Membership – Bronze, Silver and Gold membership offer different levels access
PROS – The only family club with a spa and wellness club attached.
CONS – The children’s area is comparatively small compared to Little Houses clubs and Purple Dragon but that does make it more conducive to smaller children.
Nexus Club – Kensington
BEST FOR: Teens and Tweens
We became members of Nexus Club by default when it merged with Purple Dragon and we were excited to use the facilities. Billed as ‘the first global membership for families’, membership gives access to NEXUS Luxury Collection’s luxury resort communities and private clubs in New York and London.
First established as a luxury resort in Albany by a group of people including Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake, the group went on to open in New York and now in London in South Kensington. The London Club is super swish and built across four floors with a restaurant, gaming room with golf simulators, gym, treatment rooms, bar and outdoor terrace. We popped there for Sunday lunch recently and food was good but as we were with children under 8 we were only allowed in the restaurant.
Older children can enjoy the gaming room and the recently opened Outpost. The only club of it’s kind for tweens and teens, The Outpost includes pool, table tennis, darts, a iWall and podcast studio. There are club nights and teens will have access to the gym. With the idea being that younger children can use sister club, Purple Dragon down the road.
PROS – The space is beautifully designed and feels luxurious.
CONS – This is for older children, there’s not much at Nexus club for younger children but parents can enjoy child-free spaces.
Soho House – various destinations
Soho House is probably the best know private members club in the world. But do you know that children can get membership too? We have child membership for Oscar which means he has access to the swimming pool in the various Soho Houses and to the Teeny Barn at Soho Farmhouse.
Membership – The different local houses are priced differently depending on the facilities.
The JJ Club
The JJ Club doesn’t have a physical space yet but while the team are working on their flagship club, members can enjoy a digital membership. I was gifted membership to the JJ Club, a community founded by Molly Aldridge with inspiration from her sons Jake and Joshua.
The digital membership offer brilliant discounts on some of my favourite brands, events and a little black book of trusted professionals.
PIN IT!
