With what’s been happening over the past 18 months, having to work/play/drink/eat/party from home is probably the last thing on anyone’s mind. Luxury private members’ club Home House is out to change that. Located at numbers 19, 20, and 21 Portman Square, Home House creates an exclusive escape for its members within three Georgian townhouses.
Its history can be traced back to 1773 when George III’s architect was commissioned by the Countess of Home, Elizabeth, to create the ideal pavilion for entertaining. The result was an environment that has all the comforts of a modern 21st century home combined with the opulence of an 18th century palace with elegant bedrooms and suites, restaurants, bars, a courtyard, a private party room, a gym, and a spa, all tied together by state-of-the art design.
We were invited to visit Home House for the launch of House 21, the newest addition to the hedonistic playground. The talented team at Russell Sage Studios was brought in to design a larger than life hideaway that can be enjoyed from ‘daytime to playtime’.
We’re guided through the main entrance and led to The House Lounge. From the moment we enter, our eyes are drawn to the décor – a chandelier hangs from the high, etched ceiling, portraits adorn the walls, and the mismatched furniture bring bursts of colour from every corner.
The small plates menu pays homage to the many international guests that have visited the house throughout the years and the Countess of Home’s own treks around the world. Our dishes are served on a tiered stand and we feast on maple-cured salmon bites, truffle mac and cheese, wagyu and brisket slides, burrata with figs and roasted pumpkin in a citrus dressing, and the House’s special giant chocolate chip cookie with salted caramel and popping candy for dessert.
The cocktail menu is varied, with drinks expertly concocted by the resident bartenders, with each bar serving their own signature drinks. The lights dim, strobe lights come on, and a DJ starts to play a set halfway through our meal. We make our way to the House Bar for a drink as the crowds shuttle from room to room.
It’s clear that people come to Home House to meet like-minded individuals. We notice there are barely any couples, guests and members are either flying solo, in single-sex friend groups, or are meeting others for the first time and joining forces as the night goes on. We chat to some members who tell us about the House’s famous parties where mischief makers and socialites come together to enjoy the eccentric atmosphere.
We spend our evening getting lost in the maze that is Home House, down spiral staircases, through fire-lit open courtyards, in and out of an antique lift, past the live music in the drawing rooms, and weaving through the crowds as we hopped from one lavish room to the next. If you’re after a night of debauchery, lose yourself in this eclectic refuge and the misfits you meet will make you feel right at home.
Factbox
Address: 20 Portman Square, London W1H 6LW, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7670 2000
Website: homehouse.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/homehouselondon
