Let’s be honest, as soon as we leave our teen years, we start to panic and wonder how long it will be before it’s dressing gowns, pipes and slippers all the way. Try these London club picks now, before it’s too late:
1) sketch, Mayfair ££££
[GQ]Is this the coolest place in London? So cool they don’t even bother with capitals. The egg toilets are possibly the best things we’ve ever seen (and the only toilets where it might be considered acceptable to start taking photos).
2) Koko, Camden ££££
[London Town]Formerly the Camden Palace Theatre, Koko has inherited a unique layout from its predecessor. One of London’s mainstays for live music, Koko is a great club venue, with lively, eclectic dance nights featuring frequently and an awesome terrace that looks out over Camden.
3) Bodo’s Schloss, Kensington ££££
[Locappy]Cooler than an eskimo’s freezer, Bodo’s Schloss is an Austrian chalet-themed club in Chelsea. Channelling the flamboyance and decadence of alpine après ski through West London, it’s a night for London’s flush party animals. From Thursdays to Saturdays, they throw open the doors to their old-fashioned barn disco, or ‘Disko’, as they call it.
4) Mahiki, Mayfair ££££
[Style & Then Some]A tropical paradise of a club, Mahiki is famous for its exotic Tiki decor and its opulent cocktails, served in anything from a treasure chest to a mini pirate ship. Celebs are often photographed looking fresh-faced on entry to the club, and not-so-fresh-faced on their way out.
5) XOYO, Shoreditch ££££
[Cool Places]If, like us, you’ve spent much of your time thinking the name is pronounced ‘zoy-oh’, rather than X-O-Y-O, you’re probably not cool enough for this uber-trendy Shoreditch club. Expect beats and darkness, lots of darkness.
6) Infernos, Clapham ££££
[Design My Night]Try this one before you die. Or, at the same time, if some of our experiences in Clapham are anything to go by. Nothing if not eventful, Infernos is our South London legend in the list of nightspots to try before you die.
The last choice on the list. Because it has a swimming pool. Who knows what’s floating around in it, but you haven’t lived until you’ve been swimming in a nightclub in London. Which means it automatically qualifies for venues you simply have to visit before you die (maybe leave the armbands and goggles at home though).