The London nightclub scene can be a bit of a minefield. In fact, scrap that – if you’ve never experienced London nightlife before, then it’s very very difficult to know where to start. I live just outside of London (and further afield, down South for University) but often venture into the capital for events, parties and birthdays. And even so, it still scares me. I’ve witnessed tables being bought for £10,000 (and no, they don’t then own the table for life like you’d expect, just the night), bottles of god-knows-how-much vodka being slugged and having to get the right girl to boy ratio in order to gain access to a club. Sometimes you won’t have the correct attire, sometimes night’s are 21 and overs and sometimes you have to arrive at a certain time in order to attain a place on a specific guest list. As I said previously, it’s a minefield. But an exciting one.
My little secret (aside from having lots of London insiders who know their way around) is Lux Guest List, who provide a list of clubs for each day of the week, alongside the dress code, type of music, location (nearest tube), even what type of celebrities you might spot there. Simply pop your name on the guest-list and you’ll most likely gain free entry and maybe even a few complimentary drinks and a seat on one of their dedicated tables.
I was lucky enough, on my most recent trip back home, to take myself and my friends from University to a night out with Lux Guest List, at the famous Cafe De Paris. Although we’d originally set our hearts and our booking, on the Kensington Roof Gardens, they unfortunately were closed for a private booking, and didn’t think to tell us until the day itself, we were delighted to have been offered a table and a few drinks at the Leicester Square based nightclub, as I have been there previously and had an amazing time.
Making several appearances on Made In Chelsea, among other television shows, Cafe De Paris is the ultimate glamorous club, and a world famous destination for cabaret and french burlesque, which is reflective of the interior decor. Red velvet curtains drape the main ‘VIP’ balcony, where you might spot anyone from Sam Faiers to Jessica Lowndes. The cocktails are expensive, staying true to London prices (in the £12-£15 region) however the atmosphere as the night gets going is more than worth it.
The clientele are a real mix, dependent on the night of the week you visit. I have been during the week and the crowd is much younger, however on the Saturday we visited, there were only a few what you’d determine as ‘young’ people, with most people being in their 30’s and 40’s. This doesn’t matter to me, as I feel I can have a great night no matter the age range, however I was a little taken aback by a rather drunk, older woman who started a full blown argument over the ‘ownership’ of our table.
Despite the little hiccups, we had a fantastic night – hosted gracefully by Lux Guest List. They definitely take the hassle out of organizing a night out in the big smoke, especially with all of the codes, rules and lists that can leave you feeling far more stressed than a night out of letting your hair down was intended to.
