One might have a world-class bar foot away from your room, but not all of the best nightlife spots are outside your hotel lobby doors. Many hotel bars, which were once the go-to for business visitors and were noted for having a somewhat stale environment, have suddenly become must-visit destinations. The modern hotel bar scene is anything from stale, with menus full of hard-to-find liquors and wines, great art on the walls, and live music performances in intimate settings.
We have put up a list of the best hotel bars from around the world for you to check out. So grab yourself a drink and start arranging your next trip to one of these 10 destinations.
1. Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, New York
Photo: Rosewood Hotels
Bemelmans is the place to go if you’re searching for an old-school New York pub. This 75-year-old pub, with tuxedoed servers and a top-shelf bar, is where you’ll rub elbows with New York’s high society and Hollywood celebrities. Drink martinis while listening to live jazz in the background and using Ludwig Bemelmans murals as your Instagram background.
2. O2 Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow
Photo: The Ritz-Carlton
This rooftop cafe and bar offers one of the greatest views of Moscow. The O2 Lounge has a direct view of the Kremlin and encompasses the capital’s Red Square. Best of all, a glass cage allows visitors to enjoy the views from the rooftop without having to brave the harsh Moscow winter.
3. Alvear Roof Bar at Alvear Palace, Buenos Aires
Photo: Pinterest
The Alvear Palace’s lobby bar (where the business crowd and celebrities have been conducting meetings since the 1930s) is open to guests, but the cool, younger bar-goers prefer the freshly rebuilt roof at Alvear Roof Bar.
4. Rock Bar at AYANA Resort and Spa, Bali, Indonesia
Photo: Condé Nast Traveler
Guests must take a cable car down a rock face to access the AYANA Resort’s Rock Bar. Guests can sip cocktails while soaking up the sun from the bar, which is positioned 46 feet above the Indian Ocean, or dance to the music emanating from the stone-carved DJ booth.
5. Sky Bar at Lebua at State Tower, Bangkok
Photo: Thailand Magazine
For a valid reason, this Bangkok bar is world-famous. The bar is one of the world’s tallest, at 820 feet above sea level. It also features a long and inventive cocktail menu, which includes the Hangovertini, which was invented for the characters of “Hangover II” while they were filming at Lebua.
6. Bar Pendry at Pendry Chicago
Photo: Booking.com
Art deco architecture and sophisticated cocktails go hand in hand, which is why the opulent Bar Pendry at Pendry Chicago works so well. It will be your one-and-only stop of the night, with deep earth tones and soft couches. The original Aviation cocktail, made with gin, luxardo maraschino, creme Violette, and lemon, is a must-try.
7. The American Bar at The Stafford London
Photo: Evening Standard
Ever since the 1920s, the American Bar has been a popular hangout for locals and travelers alike. This menu has something for everyone, from traditional vintage cocktails to innovative innovations from bar director Benoit Provost. The American, which just added an outside dining area, is certainly worth a visit the next time you’re in Londontown.
8. The Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans
Photo: Hotel Monteleone
Even if they haven’t had one of the hotel’s renowned sazeracs, guests at The Carousel Bar may get the sense that the room is spinning. The former merry-go-round that has been revolving at the Hotel Monteleone since 1949 is now a 25-seat bar.
9. Blue Bar at the Taj Palace, New Delhi
Photo: EazyDiner
The atmosphere of the Taj’s Blue Bar appears to be international enough to be from any major city in the globe at first glance. Take another step out to the poolside area after ordering a drink, and you’ll be reminded that this legendary bar is located in the heart of New Delhi.
10. The Willaston Bar at The Silo, Cape Town
Photo: LI CHI PAN
The Willaston Bar could be where the artsy community starts to come as Cape Town cements its standing as a world art destination. The Silo Hotel, which also houses Zeitz MOCAA, is where you’ll find this exhibition (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa). For a post-museum drink with a view of the water, head to the sixth-floor bar. The bar is now only open to hotel guests and non-guests who have made reservations.
11. Society at Hamilton Hotel Washington, D.C.
Photo: Hamilton Hotel Washington, D.C.
The first microbar in D.C. is a speakeasy situated on the first floor of the Hamilton Hotel. The society offers a meticulously created drink menu with complimentary light nibbles, inspired by the enticing stories of secret societies and DC think tanks. Because there are only 14 seats in the bar, book a room before going behind the curtain
