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We often spotlight the our favorite new hotels, but so rarely give the same attention to the spaces that actually make the place stand out, like the restaurants that are redefining a city's dining scene or wellness area that has a months' long waiting list for locals (but 24 hour access for guests). So we decided to flip the script a little bit, and give more love to the places that are often the reason behind a hotel's success. As an extension of our recent 2024 Hot List of the best new hotels and cruises in the world, we are highlighting the best new hotel bars, restaurants, and spas, all selected by our global team of editors. Below, the hotel bars that are serving some of the best drinks in town—and the cocktail to you simply can't skip.
Lounge Fernando at Hotel San Fernando—Mexico City
Bunkhouse Hotels is no stranger to a vibey, moody lounge space, and Lounge Fernando inside Mexico City's Hotel Fernando is a sexy all-day, all-night space filled with comings and goings. Visit during working hours and you’ll find glamorous international types lingering over cappuccinos and catching up on emails; come by night and you’ll find some of the neighborhood’s coolest citizens making their first, middle, or final stops of the evening.
The drink to order: The nutty “Buen Maiz,” made with Nixta Corn Liqueur and Frangelico.
Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel—New York City
This part of Manhattan has become a somewhat surprising hotspot for good hotels, restaurants and bars in recent years. Even so, the new Portrait Bar still manages to stand out. Designed as a snug library bar filled with art and old-timey wood-paneling, it offers an intimate vibe and a creative cocktail menu with drinks inspired by destinations around the world.
The drink to order: The “Cebu Island — Philippines,” a silky and tropical drink which blends rum, scotch, coconut, Calamansi lime, bay leaf, peppercorns and Midori.
Flute at Broadwick Soho—London, UK
High up on the seventh floor of the Broadwick Soho, rooftop bar Flute has a more-is-more ethos that we find simply intoxicating. Just consider the decor: pops of pink, leopard print and zebra pattern set against textural cork walls, with vintage chandeliers as well as a sparkly DJ booth. It’s sultry and dimly lit, giving the whole place an irresistible energy after dark. Flute also has a secret weapon: an outdoor terrace that is the neighborhood spot to grab a drink whenever the sun shines.
The drink to order: The complex “Eyes Wide Shut,” with aquavit, blood orange, cardamom, sherry, lemon and bitters.
Dante at The Maybourne—Beverly Hills, California
It’s hard to imagine that a humble aperitivo bar on Macdougal Street in Manhattan would eventually become a sprawling rooftop concept in the heart of Beverly Hills, but The Maybourne manages to get so much of the original Dante DNA right. With a sun-drenched space, stylish navy blue velvet banquettes, and a wood-fired pizza oven that brings the space to life, this laid-back-yet-elegant concept is a natural fit for The Maybourne. Come for a meal, come for a snack, come to see the beautiful people.
The drink to order: The Negroni Bianco, a potent yet refreshing aperitivo that makes a natural pairing with the Southern California sunshine.
El Cielo de Chicote at Hotel Montera Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton—Spain
El Prado Museum over here, Plaza Mayor over there, and the Gran Vía just outside your door—the Hotel Montera offers one of the best locations in town, and its rooftop bar has quickly become one of the best plein-air spots for a tipple in town. Come for the breathtaking 360-degree views of Madrid and the inventive cocktails and Spanish wines, and stay for the sumptuous tapas and bar snacks—like the truffled pork cheek brioche.
The drink to order: Ars Collecta Gran Reserva cava by the glass.
The Bar at Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection—Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth finally has the luxury lifestyle hotel it deserves, making a compelling case for extending your Texas work trip by a night or two. When you’re here, all roads lead to the lobby bar—which feels more like your most fabulous friend’s living room and less like a “hotel bar.” There’s a constant stream of well-dressed Texans, which makes for excellent people watching —especially during the house social that takes place daily from 4-6pm, where you can snack on beef fat fries and a cocktail while taking it all in.
The drink to order: A perfectly-concocted, aptly named “Damn Fine Ranch Water.”
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Le Bar de Boubalé at Le Grand Mazarin—Paris, France
Award-winning chef Assaf Granit has been making waves in Paris’ culinary scene with his Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine at Le Grand Mazarin’s restaurant Boubalé. But don’t sleep on the bar here: it’s as intimate and cozy as grandma’s house (that’s the vibe Granit was going for), and with impeccable service, drinks and snacks (get the challah with fresh cream and tomatoes). The colorful decor is a study in clean maximalism, and one of the more en vogue places to snap a photo in Paris right now. Accidentally Wes Anderson, anyone?
The drink to order: The intriguingly vegetal “Eastini,” made with gin, tarragon, and fennel.
Experimental Cocktail Club at Cowley Manor Experimental—Cheltenham, UK
A new twist on the English country house, this chic boutique hotel from Experimental Group has officially brought its popular Experimental Cocktail Club concept to the Cotswolds, and the results have been nothing short of electrifying for the area. Where there were once gin and tonics, there is now cheeky mixology. Where there was once Tewkesbury mustard and Sunday roasts, there is inventive farm-to-table fare for a modern audience. If you’re looking for a refreshing take on the English countryside, this is where to do it.
The drink to order: The umami-laden "Aphrodite," made with porcini-infused Cognac, sherry, and fig liqueur.
Bar 58 at The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel—France
Glitzy, glossy, and sceney in all the right ways, the new Bar 58 is an instant classic in a part of the French Riviera that has no shortage of classics. Stunning Venini chandeliers and a pastel ceramic bar counter inspired by eucalyptus leaves capture all the drama and decadence of this corner of the Mediterranean. Sometimes the menus at the grand dames of the world can feel caught-in-time or a little out of step with the times—not so here, where the bar menu feels modern, offering a “farm to bar” philosophy that feels just right with current F&B trends.
The drink to order: The "Tomatino," which combines Beluga Gold vodka with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil and olive oil. (Pro tip: order some fromage to go with.)
Jungle Ballroom at Mondrian Singapore Duxton
In order to stand out in a city like Singapore, a hotel needs to make a splash—and Mondrian’s first outpost in the region does exactly that with its cheeky, sleek Jungle Ballroom. Inspired by the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia, the cocktail menu here is wittily divided up according to flavor profile into: Canopy, Understory, and Forest Floor. Drinks definitely skew tropical here, but are by and large balanced and complex, never cloying. Keep an eye out for intriguing ingredients that lend Jungle Ballroom some real mixology street cred, like longan and dragon fruit, and a bespoke Cambodian gin made exclusively for the bar.
The drink to order: The “Jaguar Juice,” with Cognac, sherry, tomato, ginger, and a dash of savory house spices.
