Loulou’s opens at The Bauer in Venice

The London night club pops-up for the opening of the Biennale

The atmosphere and clientele at Robin Birley’s Mayfair private members’ club 5 Hertford Street is decidedly creative, and members have strong links to the art world, either as collectors, curators, or artists – so news that its glamorously wild subterranean nightclub, Loulou’s, is decamping to Venice for the opening of the Biennale (from May 1 to 10), will be welcome news for many art world glitterati. The club is popping up in the Bauer Hotel, as part of a collaboration with the B-Bar, and tables for four can be booked from £2,000.

Team Loulou, some of whom have been with the Birley family for over 40 years, will be flying over to Venice clad in specially designed uniforms for the occasion. There will be nightly live music performances and classic cocktails styled on the city, including The Merchant of Venice (€16), a vodka, green apple, Cointreau and lemonade concoction, and Rialto (€15), of gin, grenadine and prosecco.

“The Bauer has long been keen to embrace new things from all over the world,” says Francesca Bortolotto, owner of The Bauer.  “I have known Robin Birley for about 10 years, and he has invented something quite special at Loulou’s, so we wanted to collaborate together.”

“The idea was to take the wildness of Loulou’s and add a Venetian twist,” says Garrett Moore, founder of Immersive Cult, the London production company stage-managing the pop-up.  “We asked ourselves what would happen if the beautiful statues, patterns and colours of Loulou’s hijacked the columns and pillars of Venice – most importantly, it had to feel glamorous.”

For more glamorous tips on how to have fun in Venice, see our guide to a long weekend in the city and also designer Patricia Urquiola’s favourite spots.