This Is London

Typically great music but last Friday we were there, a horrendous experience.
Last Friday my girlfriend and I went to This Is London as the music and the atmosphere have been very good in the past. This time, however, in spite of paying $40 for both of at the door (even though we got there way before 11PM) we quickly found out that the second floor with better music was closed to guests entering through This is London's doors (Turns out on Fridays, we should have been entering through Red Square entrance). In any event, we ask the bouncer in the club guarding the stairs to the second floor how we can get to the second floor. He says, "Wait 45 minutes, when it gets busy, I'll let you in". We weigh our options: (i) wait for 45 min, dance onthe first floor - mediocre music and get up to the second floor shortly; or (ii) go get a refund and go around through the other exit. The gullible idiots we are, we dance for 45 min at the bar. When we come back to the bouncer and ask him if we can go to the second floor, the guy goes, "$10 for you and $10 for the girl". My jaw fell to the ground. You pay comparatively high cover, find yourself in a more or less upscale club and then you turn around and get treated as if you were trying to get into a club in communist Cuba. F-king ridiculous. Never going there again. Oh, by the way, the bouncer's name is Stefan.

This is London is a night club located in the heart of the club district in downtown Toronto. However, this establishment has a few neat twists that sets is apart from every other club on Richmond Street.

Upon entering the club by walking down a red carpet, you find yourself on the second floor of the club which has a bar and numerous different booths for people who choose to pay extra for seating and bottle service. Some booths are a little more private and off to the side by the wall with leather couches. Others are in the centre of the floor which are more in the public zone. There are also various individual couches around this floor of the club for people to sit in.

If one ventures downstairs, there is another bar as well as a giant dance floor. The type of music various based on the day but in general, r&b, top 40, and rock is the music of choice. They also tend to throw in a little old school now and again. On the same floor is a heated outdoor patio for people who choose to smoke.

The third floor is occupied by the men's and women's bathrooms. From experience in the women's bathroom only I can tell you that this is one of the greatest additions to a club that I have ever seen. You enter into a vast space with numerous white couches and several full length mirrors. The bathroom has its own DJ as well as a make-up and hair stylist who can touch you up at no cost. For those of us whose hair and make up tend to get ruined throughout the night, this is a great asset.

The cover is $20 and the minimum age is 21.

I also attended this club on New Year's which I would recommend to anyone who needs a great place to venture out next year because each guest gets a free bottle of champagne and this year, the theme of the club was This is Rio which included Brazilians dancers and drummers which pumped up the crowd.

Overall, This is London has an elite crowd and a mature theme that club goers will appreciate