BOUTIQUE travel specialist Mr & Mrs Smith raises a glass to the world's best
hotel bars, from sleek Shanghai boltholes to London party pads.
Whether it's the skyline view of Singapore's Marina Bay from the Lantern
rooftop bar at Fullerton Bay, or the futuristic meets 19th century decor of the
Kube in Paris, these 10 watering holes will tinkle your fancies.
When you're there, be sure to wet your whistle with the bars' signature
cocktails, like martinis infused with lavender, blood orange or lime; or the
Red Lantern, a blissful blend of tequila, watermelon, Cointreau and lime.
Here's a round-up of the top 10 boutique hotel bars:
#1. The Puli Hotel and Spa, Shanghai, China
Running
the length of the grand glass-lined lobby, the 32-metre sunken Long Bar at The
Puli Hotel and Spa is an exercise in understated, contemporary cool.
Nab a spot on the cushioned day-beds or perch at the bar to
people-watch and soak up the park views outside. This pared-back den boasts the
city's most extensive wine-by-the-glass list, and its signature Sichuan Spice
cocktail comes with a pleasing kick.
#2. Soho Hotel, London, United Kingdom
Smack-bang in
the centre of London's non-stop party scene, Soho Hotel is a bubble of cool
calm. Stroll past the 10-foot Botero cat sculpture, oversized pot plants and a
clash of driftwood and neon Perspex in the foyer, then pull up a leather stool
at Refuel - a vivid pink Refuel martini of watermelon, lime and Passoa is a
fittingly eye-catching tipple. After something a little more subdued? The
Drawing Room and Library make ideal hidey-holes for an elegant afternoon tea or
fireside libations.
#3. Establishment Hotel, Sydney, Australia
There's a
flock of buzzy drinking spots to choose from at Sydney's iconic Establishment
Hotel. Kick-start your evening at airy Establishment Bar, where a 42-metre
marble bar plays host to killer cocktails. Next door, the Gin Garden serves
smart martinis, infused with lavender, blood orange or lime, amid bold plants
and pendant lights. If you fancy more seclusion, repair upstairs to
hyper-colourful Hemmesphere, or if you're game for action, seek out sister bar
Ivy just down the road.
#4. The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore,
Singapore
Perched poolside atop The Fullerton Bay Hotel, chic
seventh-floor rooftop bar Lantern flaunts a Singapore vista with a twist. From
your day-bed or vibrant lounge chair, soak up skyline views of Marina Bay,
including the space-age three-legged casino complex opposite. Open from noon
until 2am, this sassy set-up is proving a hit with locals, as well as guests of
this luxe 98-room hotel. To drink, it has to be the signature Red Lantern
cocktail, a blissful blend of tequila, watermelon, Cointreau and lime.
#5. Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, United States
A
beguiling muddle of styles, colours and spaces, the boho Gramercy Park Hotel is
clearly a product of an idiosyncratic imagination. Exposed brickwork stands
alongside bare wood, lush scarlet drapes tickle stark black-leather furniture,
and Louis XV chairs sit beneath avant-garde artworks. The Rose Bar and the Jade
Bar are both popular NYC hangouts, offering the city's gilded youth the chance
to quaff cocktails by candlelight, while being overlooked by Warhols and
Basquiats from the wall.
#6. MONA Pavilions, Hobart, Australia
Whether you're
here to explore the thought-provoking works on show at Hobart's MONA - the
must-visit Museum of Old and New Art - or bunk down at designer den MONA
Pavilions', a tasting session at The Source bar is a must. Sample wine from
respected on-site vineyard Moorilla at the mural-decked Cellar Door indoors,
then pop out to the river view-blessed terrace, where a microbrewery turns out
niche beers.
#7. Kube, Paris, France
Just five minutes from the
Paris Eurostar terminal in La Chapelle, Kube hotel is an achingly hip temple to
all things futuristic hidden behind a traditional 19th-century façade. This
retro-modern funhouse is also home to France's only ice bar, Ice Kube, where
you can reserve a half-hour Grey Goose vodka-slamming session for €38; sure
your fingers will be numb, but you'll feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
#8. The Metropolitan Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
Sister
to the celeb-thronged London bar of the same name, the Met Bar in The
Metropolitan Bangkok hotel has a sultry, club-like feel, with black leather
seating, racy red bar stools and crimson walls. This sleek space, situated just
off the cool lobby, is the ideal spot to settle back with a pre-prandial
cocktail, whipped up by finger-on-the-pulse mixologists with a penchant for
martini marvels. Visiting DJs are regulars at this late-night favourite.
#9. ME Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Whether you're into
bubbly Catalan cava or cutting-edge cocktails, you won't be disappointed at ME
Barcelona city stay. Set in the party town of Poble Nou, this 37-floor diva
attracts rock stars and A-listers to its glam restaurant, soothing day spa,
rooftop pool and alluring nightclub Angels & Kings. Begin your night at the
ground-floor Sky Food Bar, where minimal white seating is pepped up with
jewel-bright details. At the weekend, a snake-like queue forms outside, as
locals and tourists endeavour to charm their way in.
#10. Basico, Riviera Maya, MexicoIf Mexican boutique
bolthole Básico was any more cutting-edge, it'd have somebody's eye out. This
hip haunt takes pared-down industrial chic to jaw-dropping extremes. Located in
the humming heart of Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya, it's a young, sassy
stay with an eye for design and a mind for good times. In the rooftop terrace
bar, Azotea, sun-tanned scenesters sip martinis, recline on day-beds made from
lorry frontages, or bask in the twin water-tank pools. DJs keep the crowd up
late on weekends.
To book a stay at any of these Mr & Mrs Smith
boutique hotels with bars visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the expert Travel
Team on 800 321 1098, 24-hours a day, 5 days a week.
