The best hotel cocktail bars are destinations in their own right, not afterthoughts to the room. Our picks split into two camps: heritage rooms like the Connaught Bar and the Savoy's American Bar, and modern destination bars like Aman Tokyo and Bangkok's Bamboo Bar. Go at sunset, order the bartender's seasonal drink, and stop at two.
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What makes a hotel bar a destination?
A destination hotel bar has a programme, not just a drinks list: a defined point of view, a signature or two worth crossing town for, and a room that does half the work before you order. The difference between a great hotel bar and a hotel that happens to have a bar is intent. The nine below all clear that bar, and several are reasons to book the room upstairs on their own. One useful update since we first published this: the celebrated NoMad Library Bar in New York is gone, because the NoMad Hotel closed permanently in 2021 and the building now operates as The Ned NoMad, so we have removed it rather than send you to a bar that no longer exists.
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Classic hotel bars
These are the heritage rooms where the modern cocktail was, in several cases, effectively invented. You go for craft, ritual, and a sense of continuity.
Connaught Bar, London
The bar that made the tableside martini a spectacle. Repeatedly ranked among the world's best, the Connaught Bar at The Connaught is known for its martini trolley, where a bartender builds your drink to order with a choice of bitters. Order the martini and watch the ritual. The con: it is expensive and heavily booked, so reserve well ahead on weekends.
Bemelmans Bar, The Carlyle, New York
A living piece of New York, under murals painted by Ludwig Bemelmans. At The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, Bemelmans pairs a nightly pianist with beautifully made classics beneath the whimsical 1940s murals by the creator of the Madeline books. The con: a per-person music charge kicks in once the live music starts in the evening, and seats are scarce, so go early or expect to wait.
The American Bar, The Savoy, London
One of the oldest surviving cocktail bars in the world, and a repeat World's 50 Best Bars winner. The American Bar at The Savoy is the birthplace of the Savoy Cocktail Book and a live-piano institution where the classics are treated with real reverence. The con: it leans formal and touristy at peak times; go on a weekday evening for the best of it.
Le Bar du Plaza Athénée, Paris
A design landmark as much as a bar. Le Bar at Hotel Plaza Athénée pairs a Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku redesign, anchored by a glowing sculpted counter, with a serious Champagne and cocktail list on avenue Montaigne. The con: it is a see-and-be-seen room with prices to match; come for the design and the people-watching as much as the drinks.
Hotel Costes Bar, Paris
The original scene bar, still trading on mood and music. Hotel Costes near the Tuileries built its reputation on a candlelit, red-velvet interior and its long-running series of house compilation albums. The con: the reputation runs ahead of the cocktails, and the door and service can be aloof; you are paying for the atmosphere, so manage expectations.
Bulgari Bar, Bulgari Hotel Roma
Roman aperitivo culture in the newest of these rooms. The bar at Bulgari Hotel Roma, near the Mausoleum of Augustus, leans into Italian vermouth and aperitivo traditions with a polished contemporary edge. The con: as one of Rome's most fashionable openings it can feel more scene than neighbourhood local, and it is priced at the top of the market.
Modern and destination hotel bars
These trade heritage for a view, a sense of place, or a menu built around a single idea. You go for the setting and the point of view.
Aman Tokyo, the top-floor bar
A bar crowning one of the world's most dramatic hotel lobbies. Perched atop Aman Tokyo's six-storey atrium high above Otemachi, the bar pours Japanese-influenced drinks against a wall of skyline, and it is one of the calmest luxury rooms in a frenetic city. The con: it is serene rather than lively, so if you want energy and a crowd, look elsewhere.
MO Bar, Mandarin Oriental Singapore
One of Singapore's most inventive hotel bars, with a locally rooted menu. Reopened after the hotel's 2023 transformation, MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental Singapore builds themed cocktail chapters around the city and region, with its Vol. 7 "Modern Localism" menu arriving in early 2026. The con: the concept-driven menus can feel more cerebral than crowd-pleasing, so tell the bartender if you just want something classic and well made.
The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Asia's most storied jazz bar, going strong since 1947. The Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok pairs live jazz most nights with an award-winning cocktail team and a leopard-print, rattan-chaired room that leans into its colonial-era history. The con: it does not take reservations and there is a dress code after 6:30pm, so arrive early, dressed up, and be ready to wait for a table on music nights.
Classic or modern: which bar for your night?
Match the room to the evening you want. The table lines up all nine on style, city, a signature to order, and whether you can book a table.
| Bar | City | Style | Order | Reservations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connaught Bar | London | Classic | Trolley martini | Yes, advised |
| Bemelmans Bar | New York | Classic, live piano | Old fashioned | Limited |
| The American Bar | London | Classic, live piano | A Savoy Book classic | Yes |
| Le Bar du Plaza Athénée | Paris | Design-led | Champagne cocktail | Yes, advised |
| Hotel Costes Bar | Paris | Scene / music | Whatever fits the mood | Via hotel |
| Bulgari Bar | Rome | Aperitivo | Vermouth negroni | Advised |
| Aman Tokyo bar | Tokyo | Modern, view | Japanese highball | Via hotel |
| MO Bar | Singapore | Concept menu | Off the current volume | Yes |
| The Bamboo Bar | Bangkok | Jazz | The Evolution menu | No reservations |
How to get the most from a hotel bar
Go early, ask the bartender, and stop at two. The lighting and the staff are both at their best around sunset, before the late rush, so that is when to arrive if you want conversation and care. Order what the bar team is excited about that season rather than defaulting to the list, judge a new bar on its house martini or negroni, and keep it to two drinks, because the third rarely tastes as good and the bill climbs fast. If you are staying in the hotel, book through the concierge, as guests usually get priority.
Where not to bother
Skip the scene bars if you actually care about the drink. A room like Hotel Costes sells atmosphere first and cocktails second, which is fine if you know that going in and a disappointment if you arrived for craft. Likewise, avoid the famous rooms at their absolute peak hours unless the crowd is the point; a Friday-midnight Bemelmans is an experience, but not the place to taste carefully. For view-first drinking rather than craft-first, our rooftop bars guide is the better starting point.
How we chose
We selected for programme strength, sense of place, and current operating status, favouring bars that are reasons to visit in their own right. Every bar here was cross-checked against the hotel's own site and recent coverage in July 2026 and confirmed open; we removed the NoMad Library Bar because its hotel closed permanently, and we corrected earlier entries to their real names, including the Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and Le Bar at the Plaza Athénée. See our full editorial standards for how we verify.
Keep exploring with our bars, cocktails and wine pillar, private mixology experiences, hotel wine programmes and cellars, afternoon tea in London and Paris, and the best hotel tasting menus.
