Scene Check: Forget Me Not Fridays at the Valmont Club, Chelsea

the valmont private members club chelsea forget me not fridays blonde and brunette girl in dancefloor london nightlife photos

“As an online luxury lifestyle resource, we are naturally typically biased in favour of quality over quantity, so when we heard that there was small underground private members club in up-market Chelsea that was redefining London nightlife, we simply had to drop by for ‘Scene Check’ and see what all the fuss was about…..”

As an Earls Court resident myself, I cannot exactly say that I hadn’t heard of the Valmont Club, but I guess for sometime (and certainly too long), it had remained little more than just one those private member clubs that I knew was relatively near, but until the opportunity presented itself I had never actively looked for it. Anyway, as it later turns out, I had obliviously been walking past it for almost a year to my local gym in Chelsea. The thing is, that during the late afternoon period when I walked past it, there was no sign or any obvious indication of the club’s whereabouts. The only giveaway in fact, is not until the evening when the doormen and red ropes come out to mark the guest-list queue.

the valmont private members club chelsea forget me not fridays two blonde girls in dancefloor london nightlife photos

Well, here we are at the entrance where we are hastily quizzed by the doorman as to whether we are on the list, of which our reply seems to quickly put us in his good books, as he then warmly greets us and ushers us down the steep outdoor steps towards the cavernous black reception area. Here two courteous yet controlled brunettes check our names off the list before taking our coats and then directing us towards the main room. We arrive around 10:30pm, early by club standards, yet already the place is a hive of activity, with a private room (aka ‘Electric Salon’) still hosting guests and the main room hosting an assortment of characters mingling amongst themselves amidst sipping cocktails and some nippling at light buffet and mezze platters.

the valmont private members club chelsea forget me not fridays standing couple london nightlife photosThe interior design work in the club really is second to none, with elegantly sleek monochrome fitted leather furnishings and sumptuous warmly lit golden padded walls. All fixtures and fittings look meticulously positioned within millimetre perfect symmetry including the unusual (but fitting) addition of porcelain black greyhounds and a white horse that valiantly sits poised between the table reservations area and the private room.

Also of note were the sheer number of staff working on the night, which at first seemed almost overkill, but when the venue filled up ensured that this place ran like clockwork, seemingly providing instantaneous table service to those with reservations, and enough bar staff so that no one was left waiting for long. I would describe the security as firm but fair and certainly did an excellent job of maintaining a trouble-free environment.

Drinks-wise this place had absolutely everything in stock and serves up some of the best cocktails you will find anywhere and almost surprisingly not that ridiculously priced either. However, for the connoisseurs their were all the usual top shelf bottles, ranging from giant bottles of (RED) Belvedere vodka to all manner of vintage champagnes, XO cognacs and anything in between.

“Where this club really excels is in attracting the right people, its certainly not your average run of the mill, targeting more the well-heeled professionals and there upwards, but more of note it how successfully it manages to pull this off without the typical pretentiousness that is often a by-product of the City-boy egos and gold-digger clientele of many of the club’s contemporaries.”

the valmont private members club chelsea forget me not fridays arab couple london nightlife photos

It has to be said that the Valmont Club atmosphere was absolutely electric from 11pm until close, simply buzzing with one of the liveliest crowds you’re likely to find anywhere in London. The venue saw everyone masterly catered for, from large parties requiring anything from numerous tables to their own room, to the more discerning with sound-deadened lavish private booths with their own independent volume control and private table service as standard. Regardless of how busy the place got, everyone was thoroughly looked after by the well-organised staff and there honesty wasn’t anything I could find at fault, even the air-conditioning kept the temperature consistent throughout the night and the music was the perfect volume, loud where it needed to be and toned down in the seated areas.

“All in all this simply has to win our accolade for liveliest crowd and best-managed private club in London hands down and I simply can’t wait to get back down there again…. Roll-on the next weekend please!”

By Sam Bryan-Merrett

 

To see more pictures of the venue click here!

All enquiries to be directed to Carlos Santos at the contact details below

The Valmont Club
266a Fulham Road, London. SW10 9EL
t: (0207) 352 6200
m: (07915) 327963
BB Pin: 2863735A
e: carlos@thevalmontclub.com
w: www.thevalmontclub.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/valmontclub
Twitter: www.twitter.com/valmontclubuk

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