Back in 1988, when The Bulldog Club was born, the choice of accommodation in London was either at an extremely expensive hotel or - at the other end of the scale - a pretty dreadful bed and breakfast where it was all too easy to imagine the landlady answering the door in rollers whilst pulling hard on the first of many cigarettes of the day. One could of course simply stay at one’s own Private Club…

Our founder realised that there was a way of providing that quintessentially British Private Club experience to those of us whose membership of White's hasn't quite come through yet, by calling on some of her closest friends.

She encouraged those with beautiful homes and a little spare space to welcome guests from around the world; giving them an opportunity to meet interesting people from far flung destinations.

During the 1990’s the famous re-insurance market, Lloyds of London, went through turbulent times with many investors losing their and their families' life savings.  In these difficult times some looked to The Bulldog Club, or “The Lloyds Club” as it became affectionately known, to help balance the books at the end of each month.

That was a long time ago and even if the actual hosts have changed, the delightful manner and welcoming attitude to guests that so typified them has not.

And choosing homes stylish enough to become part of the Club has always been key to its longevity and success – the second owner of the Club certainly has an eye for style – moving on to become the executive fashion editor at Vogue.

In 2005 Emma Crane-Robinson took over the running of the Club. For years she’d worked in the more exclusive end of the travel world but believed that there must be a way of offering all that style and service without it necessarily costing the earth. About to begin from scratch she heard of The Bulldog Club and persuaded the then owner (keen to spend more time with her grandchildren and on the golf course) to take her place.

So everything has changed and yet nothing has changed – wonderful homes, welcoming hosts and affordable prices is, and has always been, the central ethos of those few individuals privileged enough to be at the helm of the Bulldog Club.