A Wellness Morning at Brighton Beach House (Soho House) Featuring Rox Studios and Beach

Box Spa By Amy Stanborough

For a lifestyle of luxury where you can work and play all in the same space, members clubs seem to be sprouting all over the country. Soho House is the ultimate home which allows you to indulge in good food, relax on the terrace, or even try out one of their fitness classes in new partnership with Rox Studios. Why not host your teams meeting in the comfort of a lounge that you can also party in by evening at a Soho House event?

Brighton Beach House opened its doors at the end of March 2022, coming up to a year's birthday for the third Soho House outside of London. Located on Madeira Drive, Brighton offers the treat of pier views from the dining areas, and simulates vacation as you can watch the waves from the banana pool. That is not something you can find from London clubs. In 2022, DJ sets and cocktails made up the launch party which started at 12pm and headed deep into the night. A year later, Brighton Beach House has some new exciting opportunities for members making it the perfect time to sign up to this lifestyle.

Our wellness morning began at 9am. I walked to Brighton Beach House, and once I found my way into the discrete entry, I instantly felt comfortable. The large wooden doors, the coffee table books and the plush sofas, staff willing to take your jacket to the cloakroom and look after you all total the privilege of using 5* hotel facilities for the day. It is an elevated place to call home.

It all began with a yoga class in the bar area of the ground floor of the house. We were in Rock Room, a curved glass space with six double doors lead out onto the terrace with modular lowlevel seating areas. The timber clad bar has three inset arches taking reference from art deco finishes and form. Mats were spread out on the floor of this impressive room and we took off our shoes, preparing to find our inner zen.

The lovely Maddy from Rox Life led the class. This new partnership between Soho House and Rox allows a collaboration with the local community whilst delivering additional value for members with a diverse programme of fitness and wellbeing classes and events. There are 17 classes in total available at Brighton Beach House, also including strength and HIIT if something more intense is preferable.

Flowing between downward dog to warrior pose was far much more amicable with the addition of sea views. We were moving with the waves under Maddy’s command. Soho House members can sign up for the classes for free via the Soho House app, just one of the incredible perks of memberships here.

Once yoga had stretched ourselves into a calm and sleepy state, it was time to refuel our energy with some brunch. Alex led us up the stairs to the first floor with a respectable gallery of art on the curved wall around the staircase. The ambitious art collection across the House, overseen by Kate Bryan Global Director of Art, is formed of two permanent collections: The Brighton Beacon Collection guest curated by Queer art specialist Gemma Rolls-Bentley and the Local Collection comprised of artists born, based or trained in Brighton and its surroundings. The Beacon Collection comprises work from an international line up of LGBT+ artists and is a love letter to Brighton as a historical beacon city for the queer community.

Brunch was served in the West Pavilion parallel to the main club space in East Pavilion. The two areas are divided by a terrace. We dined in Club Cecconi and were presented with a vibrant banquet of breakfast favourites, a spread of pastries and fruit which would not have looked out of place on BBC’s The Traitors. The room has a mixture of lounge style seating and dining. On a usual Soho House evening, Club Cecconi’s will serve authentic Italian dishes using the finest ingredients, fresh hand-made pasta, and a regularly rotating menu along with favourites including spaghetti lobster, chicken Milanese, rigatoni bolognaise and tuna tartare.

However, our wellness morning menu consisted of overnight oats, caramelised grapefruit, croissants and pain au raisins, avocado benedict and eggs florentine. The creamiest coffees were served as well as loose leaf tea and fresh juices.

While we were dining on our glamorous buffet breakfast, Nathan introduced us to some gorgeous new skincare products from Soho Skin and Cowshed. Curated by Soho House, Soho Skin was formulated as a solution to the constantly travelling, always working lifestyle of House members. The range is gender-less and is grounded in efficacy and efficiency making sure the products are extremely approachable and simple to use. The core formulation at the heart of the line is the Soho Skin Concentrate –uniquely designed to restore energy, regenerate skin structure, and protect the microbiome.

Two of the products out of the eleven in the new collection that Nathan highlighted included the 24/7 treatment and the renewal serum. Both products are formulated to brighten and smoothen the skin to keep even the busiest members glowing. Soho Skin is currently available in Soho House bedrooms around the world as they engage with members for further feedback. The collection will be available to purchase by Soho House members online at sohoskin.com and select retail sites in June, followed by a global public launch this October.

Cowshed is a spa located at Babington House in Somerset, but you will also find their skincare products in bathrooms at Soho Houses. Each of the fragrances, or ‘Moods’, are named for the benefits their ingredients provide and how they make you feel. Their expert formulation, use of natural wild-crafted ingredients and therapeutic values have made Cowshed products, spas and therapies famous worldwide for their originality, character and uncompromising quality.

Once our food had settled, we walked from Brighton Beach House to Beach Box Spa, ten minutes along the beach. An experience in wood fired saunas for ultimate relaxing treatments was nothing quite like I had ever tried before. The first thing that strikes is that warm, cosy smell of campfire in the centre of the site. Surrounding the firepit are three saunas made from converted horse trailers, plus a cold plunge pool and freshwater showers.

Stripping down to a bikini in the chilly February air felt bizarre but extremely liberating as we were about to indulge in rounds of hot and cold stimulation. Faye ushered us in the hot boxes and made us comfortable on the wooden benches. She wafted the warm air around the sauna with fans and dripped water on our skin which transformed into steam. Our bodies climaxed to ultimate heat, before the door was let open and cold air replenished us. Then the cycle began again. Faye also used birch trees to circulate the heat and to press the warm nature into our body. Hugging the leaves was a source of comfort; their texture a sensory pleasure for the skin.

Feeling brave, I sunk my body into the plunge pool and let adrenaline take over my body. Warming up was not the hard part as even a winter in Brighton is of course warmer than the most freezing water. To restrain the buzz of cold shock over my body and stabilise myself back to relaxation, I poured myself a berry tea from the urn and hydrated with cucumber water. Alongside the ambience of spa sounds and the recurring smell of smoke drifting off the burning wood, I felt not just at peace with myself, but with nature too. Perhaps it was the sharp pebbles underneath my soles, or the splash of salt getting on my tongue when I also had the courage to ease myself into the sea, but I felt so grounded.

I went home with campfire in my hair (I honestly would wear that smell as perfume if I could) and my feet had regained their feeling after being numbed by ebbs. The Beach Box Spa is something I would recommend to anyone in Brighton. Members of Soho House however have the advantage of getting a complimentary monthly member’s event (also booked via the SH.APP) which includes a two-hour session with 90 minutes sauna time. On all other days, members can visit the sauna themselves and bring one guest along free of charge to any paid session. Prices start at £12.50 (usually £25). A range of natural spa treatments and guided sauna rituals are available at an additional cost.

Overall, the morning was honestly an experience I will remember forever. The wellness event motivated me to look after my skin and my body more, prioritising self care. While this was a key message for the day, at Soho House, you have incredible staff there to look after you too. Memberships can be explored at www.sohohouse.com/ membership and you have the choice of access to your local Soho House (Brighton Beach House) or a membership which allows access to all houses. Today, there are members and Houses around the world, initially founded by Nick Jones in 1995, as well as restaurants, spas, workspaces, and cinemas. Find out more at www.sohohouse.com/ houses/brighton-beach-house.

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