A holistic sanctuary dedicated to women’s wellbeing is the outstanding Grace Belgravia founded by its CEO, Kate Percival. The women only members club in London’s West Halkin Street combines a 360-degree approach to wellness and is quite literally the place for tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, with even its interiors taking advantage of natural sunlight but concealing any sign of the city’s distraction. How did Grace Belgravia emanate into an all in one oasis for women? Percival illustrates: “I began studying for a Master’s Degree in Luxury Brands and Services, and my thesis was on The Convergence of Medicine and the Global Spa Industry, for which I won the University Thesis Prize. This provided the basis of the business plan of Grace – a space that is a sanctuary for women, a place that supports them in health and wellbeing as well as in mind and soul. And most importantly giving women that most important “me time”. Grace very much reflects the values of Arianna Huffington’s Third Metric, a piece which states that we must champion wellbeing, wisdom, wonder and giving in order to balance the quest for wealth and power.”
“Philosophy? Our philosophy is about preventative medicine and ageing well and is at the heart of everything that we create and do at Grace. In short, Health and Wellbeing from the Inside Out.”
Where ageing well and beautifully might be a priority for some women, Grace Belgravia seeks to provide an environment that addresses and champions these subjects with great significance – “Our 360 degree approach to wellness means we have created a very special place to be safe, to be nurtured and empowered. We have created a haven with the best of the best under one roof from medical services to spa treatments, healthy eating to the best in fitness and an eclectic events program to complete the mind, body, soul circle.” “Whilst the core of our practice remains strictly ‘evidence-based’, we believe that there are clear benefits in bringing together an integrated approach to healthcare to reflect the complex needs of our bodies. In this way symptoms can be managed and disease treated at the same time as preventing problems in the future. Our internationally recognized experts focus on health and wellbeing from the inside out.”
But the question begs – do workingwomen, especially those with children, even have the ample time to head down and unwind in a members club? And the answer – according to Percival – is, “Absolutely! We are able to help them find a balance in their multi-tasking lives amongst likeminded empathetic women – Grace Belgravia is a sanctuary dedicated to empowering all kinds of women. We say that it does not matter how rich you are, how many children you have, how powerful your job, when you come through the doors you can leave your ego behind and be amongst a powerful sonority of women searching for balance and peace. “ And how relevant that word, Sorority, is – sure it’s a members club for women but it is almost as if there are no boundaries in this slice of an oasis – regardless of what job you hold, whether you have children or not and wherever you come from, Grace Belgravia houses itself to welcome that woman seeking total transformation, and, well, bliss.
Each member at Grace Belgravia values the club’s services based on their individual needs “as each women is individual and the Club has been designed to offer a very personal, bespoke service. So for some, the medical clinic is the most important part, others are our deliciously healthy food and for others it is the exceptional quality of our treatments in the spa. Another example is The Grace Gym, which is an intrinsic part of Grace Belgravia’s 360- degree approach to wellbeing – an approach uniquely attuned to the female body. We have over 90 complimentary classes a week ranging from reformer Pilates, Barre, Target Spin and Dance classes – as well as our ever popular PT packages with a team who provide inspiring, enjoyable and uniquely personal training.”
Membership options vary according to the women’s lifestyle “from Full Membership with Concierge, to Out of Town Membership & Social Membership. Grace is the thinking woman’s club, and because of the personalized nature of our membership options we have a genuine variety in our members. We have a Mother and Daughter membership, as it’s important to foster that relationship throughout your life, and we also have an Out of Town membership for women who may be only be based in London for a part of the year. Over 80% of our members are actively working, and all I would say are involved in some form of business from running major companies, professional services, many are entrepreneurs, others involved in philanthropy and the arts. Some may be taking a break from a career to have children, but we have a diverse and eclectic group of women who seem to feel comfortable sharing the Club with each other.”
We, at The Sybarite, do commend the establishment that Percival has built and uniquely integrated – an environment not often found elsewhere. Asked what the future holds for Grace Belgravia – “ We have always been interested in rolling out the brand to key cities where there is a high density of high net worth women and this remains the strategy now that Grace Belgravia is well and truly established”
