The 15 Best Hotel Bars in the World (2026)

The Hotel Bar as Destination

The best hotel bars aren't afterthoughts — they're the reason people visit. A great hotel bar has a cocktail programme, an atmosphere, and a sense of occasion. You dress slightly better. You sit slightly straighter. And the bartender knows how to make a Negroni that makes you forget every Negroni you've had before.

The American Bar, The Savoy, London

Open since 1893 and consistently ranked among the world's best bars. Art Deco interiors, live jazz piano, and cocktails that honour the bar's history while pushing forward. The Hanky Panky (created here by Ada Coleman in 1903) is essential. Non-hotel guests are welcome but reservations are almost mandatory at weekends.

Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Jazz, cocktails, and the kind of dimly-lit sophistication that Bangkok does better than anywhere. The Bamboo Bar has been the city's premier drinking establishment since 1953. Live music every night. The cocktail menu draws on Thai ingredients — lemongrass, galangal, butterfly pea flower — with technical precision. Dress code is smart casual, enforced.

Connaught Bar, London

Repeatedly crowned 'World's Best Bar'. David Collins' Art Deco-meets-Cubist design is jaw-dropping. The Connaught Martini — prepared tableside from a trolley — is a theatrical ritual. It's expensive, booking-essential, and worth every penny. The small size means it always feels exclusive.

Hotel Bars to Watch in 2026

The Rosewood Hong Kong's DarkSide bar is Asia's new cocktail powerhouse. The Ritz Paris's newly restored Bar Hemingway remains unmatched for literary glamour. And in New York, The Ned NoMad's rooftop bar has become the city's hottest late-night destination. The hotel bar golden age continues.