Ladies Who Launch

by Stacy H. Small,
Ladies Who Launch member, Los Angeles

Gone are the days when meeting for drinks in a hotel bar was passé or something left to the tourists who simply didn’t know better. These days, the hotel bar—complete with designer decor, a reservations-required policy, and swanky signature cocktails—increasingly earns a spot atop the list of hot local hangouts. Not surprisingly, these “it” spots are also appealing to chic visitors who like to mingle with a high-class crowd, and why not? The idea of imbibing at the hotel bar is even more appealing when it translates to a night on the town without ever stepping outside. To ease your search, we’ve compiled a list of top hotel bars worth a visit, including a few oldies but goodies that paved the way for the current sip-where-you-sleep trend.

Los Angeles

Choosing where to pull up a stool in LA-LA Land all depends on what your mood and motives are. If you’re determined to spot a celeb, head to the bar at the Four Seasons Los Angeles. It’s not the flashiest hotel bar in town, but with daily press junkets on site, celeb sightings are a given. Also on our short list: the 1920s-style, plush lobby bar at Hotel Casa Del Mar and the ultra-chic Penthouse at the Huntley, both serving up stunning ocean views from their Santa Monica vantage points. Later this year, expect the bar at the brand new Montage Beverly Hills and ABH (Above Beverly Hills), the soon-to-open private rooftop bar at Thompson Beverly Hills, to raise the bar for stylish socializing.

New York City

The fashionable, park-view MObar at the Mandarin Oriental New York is one of many cocktail bars to draw a super-stylish crowd all night long. The Rose Bar at Gramercy Park Hotel is also a similar hot ticket (insider tip: stay at the hotel to guarantee your entry). But, to experience a truly unique taste of classic New York, take a trip back in time to Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle. This timeless New York watering hole has drawn socialites, politicians, movie stars, and moguls for more than 50 years, and continues to do so in a dramatic art deco setting courtesy of legendary Thierry Despont, who redesigned the intimate space in 2002.

Chicago

For entry to the happening JBar at the James Hotel, anchoring the south end of Rush Street’s nightlife, e-mail andy@jameshotels.com for the evening you plan to visit. Relatively new to the busy Chicago hotel scene, the James is one in a series of modern residential-style creations courtesy of Brad Wilson, a founding member of W Hotels. At the opposite end of the style spectrum is the Bar at the Peninsula Chicago, where the art nouveau decor and roaring fireplace make for a tres comfortable meet-and-mingle venue.

Miami

Years after opening, Skybar at the Shore Club continues to be a buzz-worthy beachfront hot spot, consistently drawing a mix of scantily clad locals and high-profile visitors to its prime outdoor real estate on Collins Avenue. Down the street at the Tides, another glorious Kelly Wearstler-redesigned project, take advantage of the intimate setting at the sea-themed Coral Bar or enjoy shaken or stirred spirits at the sleek Martini Bar. Or, better yet, grab an outdoor table and enjoy your creative libations on the hotel’s cushy residential-style oceanfront terrace.

San Francisco

The extensive by-the-glass wine list, Sip & Splurge Wednesdays (high-end wines paired with fabulous canapés), music and complimentary appetizers every Thursday and Friday, and a hip, friendly crowd are reasons to add XYZ Bar at the W San Francisco, in the heart of SoMa, to your list of “to-dos” in this food- and wine-obsessed city. At the other end of town, we love the historic Redwood Room at the Clift Hotel, where the uber-sleek Philippe Starck-designed furnishings and digital art blend with the original redwood paneling and bar.

Portland, Oregon

The Red Star Roast House & Tavern adjacent to Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco is ideal for those who want to satiate their craving for classic American cuisine. Classic cocktails pair perfectly with the pub menu served in the warm, clubby tavern, where you’ll be welcomed by the regulars (of which there are many). On the swankier side is the Driftwood Room at Hotel deLuxe. Creative house-created cocktails and a lively yet intimate ambience helped earn this boutique hotel and its accoutrements a spot on the 2008 Condé Nast Traveller Gold List.

Cleveland

Home to the Martini Bar Hall of Fame, the Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland is where local “movers and shakers” are honored by having a unique martini created for and named after them. This relaxed, sophisticated spot—complete with fireplace—is favored by guests of the hotel, who find it one of the nicest places in town to enjoy a serious cocktail in a peaceful setting.

Washington, DC

With its hip decor, signature cocktails, and delectable dishes, Bar Rouge at Hotel Rouge crosses the line between L.A. cool and London hip, with a dash of Big Apple chic thrown in for good measure. It’s a great spot to flirt shamelessly, sip seductively, or simply eye the glam crowd from your corner table. More buttoned-up types and White House staffers prefer to down their libations at Off the Record, the famous bar at the “be seen and not heard” Hay-Adams Hotel just a stone’s throw from the White House.

Stacy Small is a member of the Los Angeles Incubator, an award-winning travel writer, the founding editorial director of Elite Traveler magazine, and the owner of Elite Travel International.