[title]
We all love a house party and, when it’s done right, it can be even better than heading out to the club. However, if the house belongs to you, the tidy up the next day on a hangover can be the stuff of nightmares. So, what if you could host a glamorous house party but without the mess, stress and someone waking up the next day in your bath? Enter Darling House.
Photograph: Hanson Letherby
A two-storey residence in the heart of Waterloo, Darling House offers a unique cocktail bar experience headed up by theatrical set designers Darling & Edge. The venue’s six decadently decorated rooms are filled with oddities and artworks, creating a delightfully curious drinking playground.
Sip some bubbles with your friends on a stunning four-poster bed in the master bedroom, get boozy in an enchanting library filled with butterflies, or have a tipple while sitting in the bathtub because, well, why not?
Photograph: Hanson Letherby
If your cup is empty, head to the little cupboard on the landing where you’ll find a mixologist serving up creative cocktails all night. If you’re upstairs, give the brass doorbell a ring and a magnum of prosecco will appear from a hidden cupboard in the wall.
Photograph: Hanson Letherby
From Thursday to Saturday every week, you can book and attend the house party just like you would any other cocktail bar, but if you’re looking for more of a private party you can hire out the space for a hedonistic bash with added frills – from burlesque in the bedroom to a magic show in the library. So you can definitely forget the dishes in the morning – but it sounds like Darling House will be a party you won’t forget in a hurry.
Darling House is at 131 Waterloo Rd. Open Thu-Sat, 5pm-midnight.
Find more atmospheric spots for a drink in our list of London’s best cocktail bars.
Get more boozy news delivered straight to your inbox when you sign up to Time Out.