The best hotel bars in London
By Iddy De Viell and Rosalyn Wikeley
Too long a slightly stale affair of dress codes and uninspiring drinks menus, London’s hotel bars now set the benchmark for the capital’s near-alchemic cocktail scene. The shiny-toed stalwarts still dine off their Kipling and Hemingway tales, (just with zhuzhed up interiors and a fresher clientele), and a new, contemporary breed of boutique have made their cafe-cum-bars the beating heart of the joint, attracting chic crowds and strong mixology game. Whether an eccentric, velvety old timer with right-on Manhattans or a vibey, fashion crowd spot with kooky vessels and mid-century interiors, London’s hotel bars know how to flex their mixology muscle and switch on that British charm. Here are some of our favourites.
The Connaught Bar, The Connaught
Best for: the martini of all martinis
The Connaught Bar is the place to go for a proper martini. Whether you’ve forced your palate to like them or not, it’s essentially a rite of passage, particularly with the infamous, highly theatrical martini cart. Choose your base (gin or vodka), vermouth, your bitters (there are five options: lavender, coriander, tonka, cardamom, bergamot and ginseng), and then finally, an olive or a lemon twist, all shaken (or stirred) tableside. If that’s not your tipple, there’s plenty, (spanning classic to wildly creative) to choose from, such as a superb Bloody Mary, or a Kindred Joy – a posh take on a Paloma..
And don’t be intimidated to swing into this swanky wood-panelled, well-mirrored establishment – it’s all refreshingly warm and buzzy. Table waiting times are as civilised as the service, which is top-drawer and reflective of the spicy prices. You’ll barely notice snacks being constantly refilled throughout the night – essential for lining the stomach after a couple of stiff cocktails.
The Pondicherry, Grand Hotel Bellevue London
Best for: a fireside nightcap
White stucco houses protrude with pleasing symmetry from Paddington’s Norfolk square, upon which sits the recently opened Grand Hotel Bellevue London. The hotel itself is a sort of grande dame, shrunk-in-the-wash. Any classicism or nods to grandeur are subverted with contemporary shapes and artful restraint. Which is particularly true of the Pondicherry bar, the hotel’s fire-lit drinking den and a perfect sliver of old-meets-new London. Here Fabrizio Casiraghi has cast the room in burnt oranges and yellows – a warm canvas for American designer Emily Bode’s folk tapestries depicting exotic wildlife.
The bar itself – a smooth, varnished mahogany structure lined with stage-lights – recalls old world quaffing, whether a small Roman watering hole or a jolly Alpine spot with a Steinway and strong cocktails, the sort that Ernest Hemingway would have frequented and Sofia Loren have graced for a hot second. Much like the interiors, the cocktail menu is influenced by a melting pot of cultures – the sort travellers would have written into children’s fiction and poetry – a Fig Maharaja with Amer Picon, fig liquor and agave syrup, an Orient Exspritz with Portobello Road gin and coriander, crement de loire and yuzu liqueur. The classics are done exceptionally well and the Ponditea delivers on all the theatre and bravado of svelte bar culture, without the alcohol. But design and delightful cocktails aside, a real draw of this bar is the Victorian open fire, the sort of cosy, winter’s night drinking spot that’s rare in London, between its pubs and sparse, angular restaurants.
Sir Frank’s Bar, Beaverbrook Town House
Best for: bar snacks
For those yet to make a bolt for The Beaverbrook in Surrey, there’s, thankfully, a Chelsea-based little sister. The hotel may be tucked round the corner from Sloane Square but there’s an easygoing, oasis-like atmosphere inside that feels miles away from anything remotely pretentious. Inside you’ll find Sir Frank’s Bar where 19th century Japanese artwork adorns the walls – fitting for the hotel’s Fuji Grill Sushi Bar. Go for the Town House Classic cocktails, like a Spitfire Collins, or more seasonal offerings – Pleasure Garden (plum sake, yuzu, shiso leaf, finger lime) and Fig Samurai (gin, fig liqueur, bitter bianco, sake). Whilst the drinks are obviously the star of the show, the bar snacks are second to none. Who doesn’t want to accompany a tipple with a mushroom harumaki and popcorn shrimp with ponzu and spicy mayo from the kitchen headed up by ex Dinings SW3 chef Alex Del?
The Zetter Clerkenwell
Best for: cocktail craftsmanship
As Clerkenwell continues to smarten up its act, veering towards more neighbourhood than inner-city vibes, more spots are cropping up to quaff creative cocktails in, or drink fancy wine, European style on fancy terraces. But The Zetter Clerkenwell (previously the Zetter Townhouse) is a true original – a Clerkenwell stalwart whose charm is enduring and whose cocktail form only seems to get better age. This place is a masterclass in drink making, with truly unique flavours and elegantly imaginative presentation. The combinations will blow your mind, from a clarified Pina Colada Royale to a Curry Leaf Daiquiri. The decor is eccentric, with taxidermy knick knacks scattered around, all part of its Dickensian-era charm with modern accents. Come here before or after dinner at Sessions Arts Club (where you’ve finally nabbled a table after months of patient waiting).
Velvet By Salvatore Calabrese, Corinthia London
Best for: elevated madcappery
A fresh, Maltese take on a high-ceilinged Whitehall old timer (its owners hail from Malta), Corinthia London is a calm, white-marbled oasis at the centre of it all. Previously the Old Ministry of Defence, the palatial terracotta-hued building gazes over the Thames and a happy handful of London landmarks, and sits on the edges of theatre land. Milky marble, glass and creamy pillars may deck the lobby and downstairs bar, but Velvet – a plush, prohibition-styled bar is the hotel’s unexpected corner of rich, lacquered decadence. It’s almost as wonderfully incongruous with the rest of the hotel’s spanking fresh, bright interiors as the cocktail vessels are with their captains. Expect Michael Jordan basketball-shaped tumblers (bear with) filled with a concoction inspired by one of his famous quotes ‘whisky, aperol, ketchup (yes, ketchup), maple, lemon – what sounds revolting is surprisingly delicious. Quotes from the usual suspects continue – Oprah, Musk, Banksy – and the vessels are as fantastical as the potions they carry. Add to this a live jazz band (the lady piping the blues has a voice as velvety as the bar’s scarlet drapes), and the sultry lighting, and a few tipples here can fill the evening – bin the theatre ticket.
Seed Library, 100 Shoreditch
Best for: date night
If you’re rummaging around Shoreditch for a drink and don’t have a Shoreditch House membership, head round the corner, down the stairs behind 100 Shoreditch’s unassuming entrance and you’ll find Seed Library. Don’t be fooled by the bouncer guarding the door, or the sense that you’re heading into a wrist-stamped basement club – you’re in the right place. Seed Library has tapped into the growing trend of listening bars that are cropping up across London, with resident DJs spinning vinyls amongst the 60s Mad Men-esque backdrop. Sip on ludicrously good cocktails concocted by mixology maestro Mr Lyan, such as a Copenhagen Fizz (gin, macadamia milk, cordial, rose vinegar, soda) or the Time Travel Apple’Tini (vodka, apple, vermouth).
Sweeties Bar, The Standard
Best for: the fashion crowd
Sweetie’s is notorious for its fashion parties. Spend a few hours here sipping cocktails and you’ll see why. Located on the 10th floor of the King’s Cross establishment, this achingly cool bar has clung onto its New Yorkese, and its penchant for views from skyscrapers (pigeon’s eye views). It’s on of the few London bars open late on weekends, with an impressive roster of DJ line ups. Sip away on photogenic cocktails – the Be Mine (peach liqueur, bitters, champagne) is particularly good or the Too Cute (gin, lemon, coconut & passionberry, egg white), and don’t forget to don your Wales Bonner.
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