Les Ambassadeurs Casino

Les Ambassadeurs Casino Picadilly, London

Les Ambassadeurs Casino, or the Les A Club, is an Exclusive Gaming establishment in Mayfair, London where the Rich and Powerful play. You can also play at Les Ambassadeurs Online also known as Les A online.

The bricks-and-mortar casino is housed in one of the finest Georgian properties in the West of London, and welcomes players 24 hours a day within their luxurious private rooms, offering world-class gaming and fine dining.

There are 16 tables on the main floor hosted by experienced croupiers, with Roulette, Blackjack, Three Card Poker and other games.

They offer European (single zero) Roulette games and Spread Bet Roulette.

5 Hamilton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 7ED, UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7495 5555

Who Goes?

When you spend a bit of time in London, and especially in the West End and Knightsbridge, you start to realise that there is some serious money in the capital. London is home to the highest concentration of billionaires on the planet. And where there are billionaires, there are exclusive casinos.

Les Ambassadeurs Club & Casino, or Les A as it is also known, in Hamilton Place is one of them and is frequented by the same kind of people you might see at Casino Baden Baden – although it’s far more exclusive. Once a Rothschild family home, the interiors are decked out in ornate Louis XV style. This casino was featured in the James Bond film Dr. No and the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night”.

Les A History

The Club used to be owned by Indonesian tobacco billionaire Putera Sampoerna as a haunt for the super-rich. The building was put on the market for £50 million by the Crown Estate in 2012. In 2016 it was sold to Landing International Development Ltd in Hong Kong.

Les Ambassadeurs was subsequently sold to another Chinese taipan, Paul Suen Cho Hung, who owns Birmingham City F.C.

Les Ambassadeurs was the scene of a famous gambling spree by Topshop owner Sir Philip Green, who got lucky at their roulette tables in late 2004 – he won £2m in a single night and forced the casino’s previous owner, London Clubs International, into a profit warning. José Mourinho secured his role as manager of Chelsea F.C. here in 2004.

They also have an online casino. Click on the link below if you want to play online.

It’s a beautiful club- there’s no doubt (although it will cost you a thousand pounds to step through the door). They have European Roulette tables here (unlike the Park Lane Club just down the road), and if you know your roulette, you’ll know that the odds you get on European wheels are better than the odds you’ll get on American (double zero) wheels.

Les Ambassadeurs bills itself as Mayfair’s most exclusive casino, and that’s not an easy feat with the likes of the Ritz Club on their doorstep.

The Mansion Connection

In 2022, online gaming company Mansion Casino announced it had signed an agreement with Les Ambassadeurs Club to offer online casino players a chance to experience live play at the private club.

Online players will be able to play at Baccarat and Roulette tables remotely alongside the club’s members.

The James Bond Connection

The club played a starring role in the first James Bond movie Dr. No (1962).

The scene wasn’t shot on location but on a set built at Pinewood Studios in Twickenham that was based on Les Ambassadeurs. Bond, played by Sean Connery is playing Chemin de Fer at the Club and introduces himself with the now famous: “The name’s Bond. James Bond”.

Membership

This isn’t the kind of casino that you just walk into off the street, however. It is set up like the Ritz Club- you have to apply for membership although they have lowered the bar somewhat with a seven-day “Introductory” offer.

Members of Les Ambassadeurs are a special breed- it’s very much seen as a status symbol, and you may well be mixing with some rich and powerful people here.

You’ll need to stump up £1000 – for a week’s membership.

And if you want a more full-time membership, you’ll need £25000 a year for your membership card. You can see why this casino attracts the high rollers!

Once you are a member, you will be able to invite at least 6 guests to play (at the discretion of the casino), but they will need to bring their IDs.

Les Ambassadeurs Club is not just about the gaming though. There’s an exclusive library, one of the most striking rooms in the Club. Leopold de Rothschild bought the house from the Conyngham family in 1879, and this room was at one point the centre of the London social scene.

The Library

Florentine master wood carver, Chevalier Rinaldo Barbetti created a work of art here – the walls are adorned with beautiful carvings of naval history, cherubs, angels and witticisms in Greek and Latin. The library leads onto an incredible sweeping staircase carved from solid oak.

This room has played host to the top echelons of society since the 19th century. Les Ambassadeurs’ members and their guests have exclusive access to this ornate room which was designed in 1879 under the ownership of Leopold de Rothschild.

Chevalier Rinaldo Barbetti is known for his Florentine style, Barbetti and he spent 14 years creating this masterpiece. It has to be said, it is pretty dark though. Better in the winter when it has a cosy feel.

Video Walk Through

Have a look through Les Ambassadeurs Club on this video.

Playing at Les Ambassadeurs Casino.

This is the kind of casino that treats its guests like royalty- well they need to, as they have their fair share of aristocratic visitors. It’s known for allowing smoking in certain gaming areas (in their garden), so you can spin the roulette wheel while smoking a Montecristo.

Les Ambassadeurs first opened its doors during World War 2. Over the years, it has welcomed kings, queens, sheiks, princes, millionaires and politicians- it’s one of the most exclusive casinos in the world.

Les Ambassadeurs Roulette Options

Les Ambassadeurs has plenty of roulette on its gaming floor and in its private rooms, as well as Black Jack, Punto Banco, Slots and Craps. They also have a few Video Roulette machines, would you believe? Those who enjoy a cigar while they bet can head to the Smoking Gaming area in a beautiful garden. There are 7 roulette tables in the Smoking areas where you can bet from £5 to £1000.

On the main Gaming Floor, all the roulette games are European. The floor spills out into the bar and their garden smoking area- unique in London, where you can enjoy a smoke while making your bets.

There are also several private rooms for the high rollers including the Marble Room, the Gold Room, the Leopard Room (the most intimate room for small parties) and the Penthouse Rooms. These have outdoor smoking areas. There has been no expense spared on the decor of course.

La Partage Rule

One of the great things about playing roulette at Les Ambassadeurs is that they play La Partage rule. This reduces the house edge on the even chance bets to 1.35 %.

If the winning number is Zero at the Club, all bets lose, except those that are placed on Zero.
However, even money wagers only lose half their stake. This is La Partage.

Restaurant

If you are hungry, you won’t be for long – the restaurant is open from 12:30 pm to 2:30 am during weekdays, while on weekends it is open from 7:30 pm to 2:30 am. Lunch can be busy as it is open to the public in the middle of the day, but you have to be a member to eat dinner there.

There’s also a bar with an excellent range of fine wines, malt whiskies and cocktails.

Red Room

The Red Room morphs into a sports bar for big games of football or rugby. Boxing matches are also popular here.

Dress Code

You’ll need to be suited and booted- smart casual just won’t cut it. Gentlemen are expected to wear a jacket and tie. Ladies should also come dressed elegantly.

Of course, if you are playing at Les A Casino online you can play in your pyjamas! Just make sure they are your smartest 😉

Customer Reviews

“An impressive historic building and notably clean and well maintained. The casino is an experience worth visiting. I was impressed as to how many charities they do.”

“Top of the line service and class. You have to know someone to be invited.”

“Quite, traditional Chinese food Canton and Shanghai dishes”

Other Ambassadeurs Businesses

The Ambassadeurs Group is most famous for its luxury casino and its online casino. But they also run a few other businesses that you might not have heard of:

Travel Management
They organise corporate travel for high-net-worth individuals.

No 6. Hamilton Place
A luxury Art Deco restaurant and event destination in the heart of Mayfair. World-class chefs serve Lebanese, European and Chinese cuisine, with an experienced sommelier to recommend wine and champagne from their cellars.

Ambassadeurs Lifestyle
Exclusive travel packages whether that be luxury trips to the Antarctic or World Cup Final tickets.

How to Get There

This exclusive club is in the heart of Mayfair near the Park Lane Club, Aspinalls and the Ritz.

Summary

An exclusive venue that caters to baccarat, roulette and blackjack players. Les Ambassadeurs Casino is something of an institution.

FAQs

Club Facts