Purple Dragon Chelsea: Ultimate Chic Retreat for City Families

Welcome to my crib.

Ok, so it’s not exactly my crib — more like the play space I own in my fantasies.

Purple Dragon, an exclusive family members’ club in Chelsea (founded by Sharai Meyers, former muse to Roland Meuret), is the kind of joint that makes you want to kick off your shoes and move right in.

At the entrance, you’ll find a wall covered with clocks for time zones as exotic as New York, Narnia and Neverland. Clearly, this is where the magic happens.

On our recent welcome back to the club, there were kids running around barefoot and it had a definite lived in, loved up vibe.

But the style is more hipster than hippie. The decor is ultra sleek and modern with geeky design elements ranging from Marvel comics wallpaper (in the playroom) to a gaming area with interactive wall.

On launch night last September, a group of dads were gathered suspiciously in one of the end rooms that turned out to feature a pro golf simulator.

Of course, my boys are all about the air hockey and Mario Kart Wii.

Mama’s favourite zone is the library, a distinctly grown up lounge with books and iPads for browsing.

It’s almost hard to imagine that only several feet away, through the open dining area, kids are tearing it up in the Imaginarium play room with giant Scalextric track, towering 3D dinosaur, mock volcano, adult-sized swing seat, exquisite play house and more toy vehicles than you can count.

Purple Dragon has enough entertainment to make your head spin but crucially nothing that makes it ache.

The soft play area’s so inviting, with tunnels, mirrors, trampoline and slides, that I wanted to crawl in myself. A far cry from centres where the abundance of stale socks, snotty noses and dirty floors just makes your skin crawl.

Delicious smells come wafting out of the kids’ kitchen where there’s a range of baking and cookery classes to sample. Or you can express yourself in the multimedia arts and crafts room next door. The babes especially loved jamming on guitars and drum machine in the music studio.

You can even book a PD Play Buddy to hang with your little ones and seclude yourself in an escape pod for a mani-pedi or massage. Or for the ultimate mummy luxury – an afternoon nap!

And did I mention the custom-built pool complete with optional water volcano and storm generator? Swimmers can try anything from scuba to water polo to life saving. The changing room’s right out of a vintage postcard.

All this fun works up a serious appetite – luckily the house chef serves up healthy treats for bellies of any size. We enjoyed melt-in-your-mouth burgers, chicken goujons and a yummy butternut squash soup for dinner. They host Supper Clubs for young diners and their family Sunday roast sounds worth a repeat visit.

Can you tell how much I’m feeling this place? It’s a shame it’s way outside my neighbourhood — and budget. Maybe I could persuade Babe Daddy we need an Out of Towner’s membership.

Or maybe if I click my heels together…

Purple Dragon Chelsea is a members’ club for parents and kids ages 0 to 12. Membership options range from Life/Premier with unrestricted access, Early Bird for pre-school children and Out of Towner for up to 32 visits a year. For details on packages and waiting list call +44 207 801 8688 or email chelsea@purpledragonplay.com

Purple Dragon Chelsea is at Grosvenor Waterside, SW1 (Sloane Square tube). Take a look inside Purple Dragon at www.purpledragonplay.com