Hotel bars haven’t always felt like part of the city. But after a string of big-name redesigns, they’ve finally found their groove. From world-class mixology to maximalist interiors overseen by London’s most sought-after creatives, they’re the place to be if you want to mix with an interesting crowd. Here are ten of our top ten hotel bars in London.
Hotel Café Royal’s stylish update has brought this icon of London’s social scene into the here and now. With a history spanning almost 150 years, the grand Regent Street landmark has seen names both glamorous and notorious converge within its gilded walls, from Elizabeth Taylor to Muhammed Ali, Oscar Wilde, Edward VII and Winston Churchill. The absinthe-tinged Green Bar is the place to delve into Café Royal’s legendary 1937 Cocktail Menu, with a round or two of oysters – shucked al fresco under fans of lush foliage on the terrace in summer.
Czech-born Alex Kratena’s exemplary mixology has won The Langham’s flagship bar global recognition. Voluptuous violet shapes and gleaming glass make this a fittingly theatrical setting for bar-raising cocktails. Located on handsome Portland Place, a short walk from Oxford Circus, it’s a rarefied refuge from the capital’s heaving shopping streets.
Cosy and intimate might not be the vibe you’d expect to find within The Rosewood, a firmly five-star London hotel housed within an enormous Edwardian mansion. But inside its best-loved bar, that’s exactly the atmosphere. It has the feel of a private members club with low-back armchairs, dark wood and marble walls covered with eccentric caricatures by the eponymous British artist George Scarfe. Though it’s close to Covent Garden, its High Holborn location makes it as much a nightcap spot for the working crowd as tourists.
This contemporary bar is the buzzed-about creation of Ryan Chetiyawardana, otherwise known as Mr Lyan, whose stellar career has earned him a reputation as “the world’s most-awarded bartender”. Come here for an inventive and boundary-pushing cocktail experience in one of the city’s most spectacular locations, overlooking the Thames.
“Normal gets you nowhere” is the neon-green philosophy illuminating The Perception. This lively night spot is Soho through and through, with a resident DJ, exceptional cocktails and eclectic decor that reflects the multifaceted character of this storied neighbourhood. It’s the antithesis of low-key – bold, extroverted and a place to see and be seen.
A stalwart of London’s luxury hotel scene, the nearly 200-year-old Brown’s has an enduring appeal owing to its incredible heritage and tasteful updates. The Donovan Bar’s cocktail menu was created by one of the most prestigious names in the business, Salvatore Calabrese, an internationally celebrated mixologist and former president of the United Kingdom Bartender’s Guild.
Martin Brudnizki (the interiors maestro behind Annabel’s, and Scarfes Bar, above) can do no wrong, even when armed with tens of litres of richly pigmented coral-orange emulsion. Here at The Bloomsbury Hotel in London’s literary quarter, The Coral Room showcases the designer’s inimitable skill for sensitively bringing heritage buildings to life. Playful sketches by wunderkind Luke Edward Hall are the perfect finishing touch for this night-or-day hangout.
The enduringly cool London EDITION might be best known for Jason Atherton’s restaurant Berners Tavern, a show-stealer with an ornate ceiling and galleried walls. But Ian Schrager’s most recent hotel project also hides a clandestine 19th-century-inspired drinking den. Wood-panelled and discreet, the Punch Room is a clubby space where the signature concoction is a heady mix of brandy, milk and spices.
‘Lutyens Blue’ is the exact shade of this long-established Knightsbridge haunt: so-named after its original Edwardian designer. It’s modernised just enough to continue surprising its jet-set clientele, but it’s the classic, glossy elegance of The Blue Bar that makes it so timelessly special. Cocktails are organised by flavour profile, and the bar is stocked with an impressive collection of rare spirits.
True to its theatrical heritage, The Beaufort Bar is as high drama as they come. The roaring ‘20s are invoked in jet black and antique gold in this one-of-a-kind space, where it’s impossible not to feel awed by your surroundings. The Strand might have had its heyday but you get the impression that The Savoy will still be buzzing a hundred years from now. The cocktails are as exactingly created as you’d expect, but evenings here call for good champagne.
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