1 Warwick and Mortimer House are setting a new precedent for work-life balance. We’re all increasingly conscious of balancing our working lives with periods of rest. Feeling off balance can often be a logistical issue, particularly in a vast city like London, where travelling between appointments, meetings, and plans with friends can be exhausting.
Navigating between home, the workplace, or a co-working space, attending meetings across town, and visiting wellness spaces after work, as well as whatever on-trend restaurant or latest cocktail bar our friends are gathering at, can feel like a complex mission. So, it’s no surprise that businesses have caught on to this struggle and are trying to make balancing the different facets of our daily lives easier, with multi-purpose venues on the rise.
We have coffee shops that double as Reformer studios, cafes that transform into late-night music venues, and hot new restaurants that also offer swish meeting rooms. Perhaps the most intriguing is the rise of the all-singing, all-dancing co-working space, which not only provides fitness classes and relaxing workspaces but also features some of the city’s most exciting dining and drinking spots on-site.
Maslow’s is spearheading this particular trend in London, with two spaces in Soho and Fitzrovia — 1 Warwick and Mortimer House — and a third is reportedly in the works. The concept at 1 Warwick and Mortimer House is inspired by ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’, blending professional ambition and personal fulfilment to encourage balance. In a nutshell, the theory proposes that humans have five ‘tiers’ of needs: the basic needs of food and shelter, safety needs such as job security, emotional needs of love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualisation — the ability to reach our potential.
Maslow’s theory suggests that we must first satisfy our lower-level needs before addressing our higher needs, such as self-respect and achieving long-term goals and ambitions. This might sound like a lofty theory for a London members’ club. However, there’s no denying that striking a balance between work and play, as well as between rest and exertion, could be the key to overall improved productivity. In a society where burnout is constantly knocking at the door of frazzled workers, any venue that champions both wellness and hard work is a positive step forward.
For busy freelancers like me, Maslow’s offers an enticing principle in theory, but can a one-stop shop for work, rest, and play work in practice? I spent a day at 1 Warwick to experience the chicest and most fulfilling way to work in London.
A day at 1 Warwick, Soho
1 Warwick is in the heart of Soho, on the corner of Warwick Street and Brewer Street, set over six floors within a Neo-Baroque mansion that feels homely and grand all at once. The members’ club is spread across several floors, featuring a gym and fitness studio in the basement, as well as a rooftop hideaway and cocktail bar, Yasmin. Next door, you’ll find the acclaimed Nessa, serving delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner and one of the most coveted dining spots in Soho in its own right.
My itinerary for the day included a fitness session, two blocks for quiet work, a quick phone meeting in one of 1 Warwick’s private booths, and some time for wellness, all rounded off with cocktails at Yasmin, overlooking London’s rooftops.
The gym at 1 Warwick is small but well-formed, in a basement setting that feels relaxing and polished. There’s also a program of events featuring yoga and Pilates classes, as well as a dedicated space for boxing. Members can pop down for a session themselves or utilise the roster of personal trainers. The gym has a boutique feel and was quiet for my 8 am session; I get the impression it’s usually a tranquil space.
8 am – gym session
Exercise is known to boost productivity and is a no-brainer way to start the day off positively, offering an endorphin boost to kick-start a work block feeling positive. Having the option for a quick workout on site before starting the working day was a significant time-saver — I was in the gym by 8 am and sat at my (hot) desk by 9 am after a luxurious shower with Warwick’s botanical toiletries. As you would imagine in a members’ club, fluffy towels are also provided.
9 am – coffee and co-working
While the day might have started out feeling relaxed and luxurious, the demands of the working week soon called, and I settled into the first-floor lounge, where I enjoyed a frothy cappuccino while attending to emails. Aside from one other person, the area was quiet and felt cosy, with plush sofas as well as tables to work at. This is a much more casual option for a workspace, with a more structured working area (and quiet zone) upstairs.
There’s an attractive bar with a retro feel in the middle of the space, which I imagine would be an attractive place for after-work cocktails once the evening sets in.
12.30 – facial with Ksenija at Mortimer House
With hectic work schedules and busy London life, my skincare routine has been left on the back burner, so I jumped at the chance to trial a lymphatic drainage facial at Mortimer House nearby in Fitzrovia. It’s a ten-minute walk between the two Houses.
Facials take place in a serene room located on one of the middle floors of Mortimer House, which also has a wellness focus, with a bright and airy yoga studio situated at the top of the building. As I relaxed into the facial, carried out by the talented Ksenija of The Moments Studio, I mused over how this had to be the most restorative way to spend a lunch break.
2 pm – lunch at Nessa
After a stroll back to 1 Warwick, it was time to enjoy some lunch at Nessa, a buzzy bistro-style restaurant perfect for long lunches or intimate dinners. Highlights on the menu included the delicious heritage tomato and watermelon salad, as well as seasonal delights such as the pumpkin and cheese puree ravioli or the beer-brined chicken with a dill mustard sauce.
I enjoyed a leisurely lunch hour, safe in the knowledge that my desk was just moments away for an afternoon work session, but this atmospheric dining spot would work equally well as a place to end the day with dinner and cocktails.
3 pm – afternoon co-working session
For a change of scenery, I headed to the Pied-À-Terre space, which is designed for quiet, focused work. I’m a morning person, and that’s when I work best — once the afternoon hits, I find it all too easy to become distracted, so it helps to have a quiet area where I can fully focus for the remaining few hours of the day, which always seem to go too quickly in my experience.
5.30 pm – cocktails at Yasmin
Some may choose to unwind at the end of the day with a yoga class, but for me, it had to be sampling a Pisco Sour at Yasmin, one of Soho’s newest haunts. I was able to invite a friend up to join me here to soak in the London views. Yasmin is truly a hidden sanctuary, tucked away at the top of 1 Warwick, offering a tranquil atmosphere in the heart of the city.
In addition to delicious cocktails, the venue offers a selection of Middle Eastern dishes designed for sharing. Mid-week, the atmosphere was buzzing, the terrace packed with friends enjoying sharing plates and couples enjoying an intimate dinner or a few cocktails in the warmth of the late summer sun.
Not every day can be as glamorous as this one; freelance life often involves long slogs at the kitchen table with only the cat for company and not a spicy margarita in sight. But it was a pleasure to indulge in what must be the perfect workday and experience all this luxury members’ club has to offer. If you’re exploring members’ club options in London and want to balance productivity with wellness and enjoyment, Maslow’s should be top of your list.
Need to know
Membership: No specific requirements to join. Membership applications can be made online at 1warwick.com.
Price: From £300 per month
Address: 1 Warwick Street, Soho, London W1B 5LR
Find out more: 1warwick.com
