12 Hay Hill - Mayfair, Mayfair

For a long while it was either business or pleasure. The two experiences were mutually exclusive. However, in our time we've seen them converge: whether it's a journey to another country, a dining experience or even hitting the club - some of the most important deals are solidified when you're enjoying yourself. The apotheosis of this is the business members' club. Venues like Kensington Pavilion and The Clubhouse offered an arena where its members could enjoy fruits de mer alongside the fruits of their labour. And now, with 12 Hay Hill, we're witnessing the furthest evolution of business members' clubs to date. 

Situated at the eponymous address just off of Berkeley Square, 12 Hay Hill is redefining the parameters of the work space. Take food and beverage, for instance. Not content to offer the same old fare peddled in other members' clubs across the city and further afield, the ownership has enlisted chef Shaun Rankin to man the kitchens, whose sparkling career has seen him featured as one of the original Great British Chefs, running his own pop-up restaurant at the Dorchester, and earning and maintaining a Michelin star at his restaurant Ormer in Jersey. Not only is his cooking available in the Dining Room, it can be enjoyed across all sectors of the club, whether it's in the refreshing environs of the Roof Terrace or in the more casual Bar & Bistro. 

Whilst the food & beverage may aid and abet shakings of the hands and waggings of the tongue, there are plenty of other sites where members can get down to brass tacks. In total, 12 Hay Hill offers eleven meeting rooms and four boardrooms, all with state-of-the-art amenities. In the upstairs quarters of the building, there's a Business Lounge that's ideally suited for work, as well as the aforementioned Garden Terrace which looks out over Berkeley Square (opening Summer 2016) and even a secluded Private Terrace. Members who need to clear their minds with a quick jog on the treadmill are able to do so in the Exercise Room, which comes complete with shower facilities. 

During a Wednesday night visit we were struck by the energetic energy coming from the downstairs bar area, which was thronged with a well-heeled crowd that looked at home in Mayfair. After a few bracing preprandials we popped up to the quieter Dining Room to sample some of Rankin's work - we can attest it was one of the best meals we've ever experienced in a members' club. There was an excellent array of wines by the glass to pad out our choices, particularly a Dry Creek Valley Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma Valley. 

Rankin displays a dab hand when it comes to seafood - Oysters Rockefeller were an accomplished 80s throwback and lobster ravioli was of the finest delicacy. Other favourites included a homey cassoulet studded with hearty gobs of mutton, Toulouse sausage and duck confit. A thick slice of grilled yellowfin tuna was given an umami-rich Japanese preparation, with thick ropes of buckwheat soba noodles, bok choi, spring onions and an elegant dashi. A plump tranche of ribeye, on the other hand, ticked all the boxes of good steak with light char and a ruby red centre. 

12 Hay Hill is funny in a way, as it's both an enclave within Mayfair and a reflection of it. As a destination to network, enjoy the finer things in life and accomplish hard work, it's almost beyond compare. 

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