For virtually decades, the posh clubs of London have remained closed off to the public and especially to travelers —virtual sanctuaries of exclusion. Our Very Proper Man in London who belongs to several fine clubs has opened the doors to me a few times – I am always in awe – the clubs are posh and marvelous people watching haunts.
A unique culture which is changing with the recent opening of the sexy and stunning The Twenty Two. My walk though stopped me in my tracks at every corner – the owner, Iranian investor and former owner of Blakes, Navid Mirtorabi and the Newcastle United co-owner Jamie Reuben have created an exclusive nest in which VIP’s and travelers can mingle. It’s a petite 31-room hotel and a private members club in Mayfair.
Location: The massive limestone townhouse fits in on a perfectly manicured park square that was once the home of the U.S. Embassy and Oscar Wilde. In the 1920’s the Bentley Boys took adjacent flats where their day-long parties became something of social legend. So common was the sight of their large, green sports cars parked outside their flats, for many years the location was described as “Bentley Corner”. It seems perfectly natural The Twenty Two has reintroduced the glamour of Bentley Corner.
Stunning residential homes rest amid the tree lined block, it’s posh, dignified, and luxuriously Edwardian. Grosvenor Square has always enticed the powerful and wealthy, it is the centerpiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from the surname “Grosvenor”.
The new hotel and club are a splendid gem combining Edwardian grandeur with double height ceilings, wide baseboards, deep thick carpets and walls upholstered in silk, thick layers of velvet drapes cloak the windows. Triple pane glass assures absolute quiet. It’s lushly plush!
For hotel guests this inclusion to a private club provides a traveler with all the amenities of a posh club without membership fees, and if one is tied up all day with meetings, head back to The Twenty Two the utmost in convenience of dining, tipples and if inclined, join in events in the Music Room or dance in the Vault Bar. The perfect marriage of hotel and private Club. Staff is implementing great programming around the brand pillars of wellness, art and film to ensure a constant dialogue among the members and a global community.
The dining emphasizes contemporary British and Mediterranean food and features local suppliers. Open daily from 7am-11pm, The Restaurant at The Twenty Two offers an all-day menu of British classics with a Mediterranean twist, overseen by Executive Chef Alan Christie. Christie has developed a seasonal menu, with dishes including chargrilled grass-fed ribeye, and local Devonshire crab salad.
A plethora of room types provide choices for every type of traveler. All are decorated in luxurious finishes, I would be happy in any of these yummy rooms – many of the rooms and suites have very high windows which provide an abundance of daylight even on a gloomy London day.
The Twenty Two has opened to Rave Reviews!
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