Luxury hotels that are changing the way we think about our drinks.
Gone are the days when the hotel bar is a mere afterthought. Today, some of the finest luxury hotels around the world are known for building bars that are iconic and have become destinations for those who enjoy fine tipples in the privacy of an elegant hotel bar. Much more than a mere convenience for hotel guests looking for a nightcap before stumbling back to their rooms, the luxe hotel bars of today provide an experience that stands out for quality service, luxurious drinks, and great ambience – shedding their cloak of invisibility and emerging from the shadows as strong contenders in the running for some of the best places to get a drink around the world.
Hotel bars like the American Bar at the Savoy and The Connaught bar are known to have birthed exemplary bar programmes and served as the stomping grounds of some of the world’s most iconic bartenders who then went on to shape the landscape of fine drinking and cocktail culture across the world. Back in the early 1900s Ada Coleman, who was the then head bartender at the Savoy, invented the popular cocktail Hanky Panky – a drink that became synonymous with cocktail lovers, fell off the grid for a while, and has now resurfaced in our lives and holds a special place in our vocabularies and our bars 100 years on.
Another timeless classic that came to within the walls of the hotel bar is the Vieux Carre, known to be first conjured up by bartender Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Piano Bar & Lounge in Hotel Monteleone around 1938.
We can wax eloquent about all the great drinks that were invented at all the great bars in the last century but for now, we’ll just tease you with our little list of hotel bars around the world that we have grown to love.
bar hotel Hakone Kazan – Japan
Beginning in the east, we take you to Hakone in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan, known for its hot springs and breathtaking views of Mt Fuji across Lake Ashinoko. Here, nestled within a beautiful forest, is bar hotel, a place that delivers exactly as the name promises. This can be seen as a bar with a hotel attached to it or a hotel with a great bar – whichever way you look at it, it works. Upon arrival, you can expect to be greeted with a drink at the breathtaking 13m teak bar, lit to perfection. The drinks list is an impressive and expansive mix of carefully selected spirits and a massive cocktail list spanning over one hundred cocktails covering a gamut of classic and progressive styles. All drinks are pre-paid at the bar/hotel before you check in and only hotel guests are welcome to enjoy drinks at the bar. Here, you can spend hours watching the light change in the forest as you sip your way through several drinks and contemplate the beauty of the world.
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Sora at The Rosewood, Phnom Penh – Cambodia
Staying in the east, we head to Cambodia – a country with some of the warmest hospitality in Asia. Here, at The Rosewood Hotel in the country’s capital city of Phnom Penh is Sora, a bar that towers over the city at level 37 of this stunning hotel. The bar is partly indoors, offering live jazz performances and catered to by an indoor bar, and a sprawling outdoor deck offering unparalleled views of the city’s skyline, wrapped by the Mekong, and bathed in glorious sunset hues that change by the minute. The outdoor deck is serviced by its own bar, staffed by an ever-smiling bar team that will make sure you enjoy the drinks as much as you do the view. The latest in the drink offering at Sora is a delectable new cocktail menu – The Book of Yokai, launched under the supervision and creative direction of Director of bars at Rosewood Phnom Penh, Bob Louison. The menu is a celebration of Japanese legend and Cambodian essence. Drinks are inspired by Japanese folklore, fables, and superstition, while paying homage to the abundance and bounty of Cambodian land and everything it has to offer.
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Atrium at The Four Seasons, Firenze – Italy
Finally making our way to the west, we arrive at the breathtaking Four Seasons, Firenze (Florence). This historic hotel, set in eleven acres of lush green gardens, is a 16th century convent and erstwhile home of the chancellor of the Medici family – Bartolomeo Scala. Well known patrons of the arts and the Renaissance movement, the Medici family ensured this villa was a spectacular showcase of all things beautiful – murals, sculptures, ornate gardens, fine marble, and everything luxurious one can imagine. The piece de resistance of the opulent entrance to this hotel is the grand Atrium bar. Flanked by stunning sculptures, flora, and art pieces, the bar is a stunning work of art by itself. Atrium Bar is the perfect location for a typical Italian aperitif, afternoon tea, and cocktails, in a vast sun-lit and decorative space. Atrium’s Bar Mixologist Edoardo Sandri, together with the Bar Manager Tommaso Ondeggia and all the team are masters mixing both classic cocktails and developing concoctions with a flare as unique as Four Seasons Hotel Firenze itself, offering a selection of delicious and out-of-the ordinary drinks. In the evenings, live piano music creates a relaxed, informal atmosphere that extends outdoors onto the terrace during the balmy summer months.
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Scarfes Bar at The Rosewood, London – UK
Moving on to London, this is one of our two picks in the grand old city. One of the finest addresses in High Holborn, the Rosewood hotel comes with its own unique piece of history.
Crafted in a vibrant Edwardian style by H. Percy Monckton, the structure at 252 High Holborn began in 1912. The initial phase finished in 1914, followed by four expansions spanning nearly fifty years. It was the core of Pearl Assurance Company during this period. Under English Heritage’s meticulous guidance, the historic building transformed from an Imperial Era office to a lavish London hotel. The main facades, former East and West Banking Halls (now Holborn Dining Room and the Bar), and the Grand Staircase are prominent heritage elements.
Within these walls is the very charming and renowned Scarfes Bar – an award-winning bar inspired by the atmosphere of a drawing room, with live jazz music playing each day from a host of talented performers evoking a convivial and sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere and located a short distance from London’s Covent Garden. The bar is named after the renowned British artist and caricaturist Gerald Scarfe, whose artwork adorns the walls of the bar and is encompassed within the cocktail menus. To celebrate Scarfes Bar’s incredible 10-year milestone, the new ’10’ menu captures everything that makes the bar unique today: signature cocktails, live musicians, artwork, and its international guests. The menu features ten beloved classics and ten innovative drinks crafted by Area Director of Bars Martin Siska, Head of Mixology Yann Bouvignies, and their team. Scarfes Bar is also teaming up with Equal Measures, donating £1 for each drink sold in April to support their Education and Mentorship program.
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The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel, London – UK
Staying in London for our final recommendation in the list of great hotel bars, we take you to the iconic Brown’s Hotel by Rocco Forte. In the heart of London’s elegant Mayfair, Brown’s Hotel is an iconic luxury hotel where history and 21st century sophistication come together in London’s oldest hotel. Quintessentially British, the 185 year old Brown’s Hotel’s 33 luxury suites and 82 hotel rooms have been designed by Olga Polizzi to offer unparalleled comfort and style.
Nestled on the ground level of this quaint hotel is the iconic Donovan Bar – quite easily one of London’s most loved hotel bars. At the helm of this establishment is industry luminary Salvatore Calabrese, affectionately known as ‘The Maestro’, in collaboration with Federico Pavan, the Director of Mixology. The bar pays homage to the iconic 1960s photographer and close confidant of the Forte family, Sir Terence Donovan. As a well-regarded fixture in Mayfair and renowned throughout London, The Donovan Bar has a rich legacy of hosting luminaries from the realms of fashion and art, solidifying its role as a central focal point in this vibrant London neighbourhood. Presenting the current ‘Once Upon A Time’ menu, The Donovan Bar commemorates illustrious individuals intertwined with the storied narrative of Brown’s Hotel across the ages. Salvatore, Federico, and their accomplished team have distilled these personalities and pivotal moments into a menu that masterfully encapsulates the irresistible allure that defines Brown’s unique character.
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While by no means exhaustive, this compilation is intended to pique your interest and assist you, the reader, in making a discerning selection for your upcoming vacation. We at The Dram Attic think it unwise to book a holiday without making sure your hotel bar serves nothing but the finest. There are many more great hotel bars we will be recommending over the next few months. We hope you’ll visit them in the months and years to come and tell us all about it!
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