Today’s guest post comes from Sian Meades, via Venere Travel. Sian is a freelance journalist who specialises in writing about entertainment and events in London. She can often be found lurking around cocktail bars and drinking too much tea in little cafes. She is best approached cautiously, with a piece of cake.
Reviewing London’s 5-Star Hotel Bars
I don’t really like hotel bars. There’s something “temporary” about them. People checking in,
checking out, using the bar as a waiting place, rather than somewhere to really enjoy for an evening.
I can’t relax in them. But there are always exceptions. There are some that are so fantastic you’re almost tempted to stay and get a room. Here are the London hotels that have bars where I’ll be
drinking in until the Savoy reopens.
The Purple Bar, The Sanderson
Oh if I could live here I would. I’m not sure my liver would allow many visits, but I adore it here.
The décor is just beautiful (as is the rest of the hotel). There are several bars in the hotel, but this one is the most special. Good luck getting a table if you’re not staying here, though.
The Oscar Bar, Charlotte Street Hotel
This place is interesting. It’s a pretty open bar, and actually not that pricey. So it doesn’t feel like a
hotel bar. I like the exclusivity of fancy hotels, and this bar doesn’t have that. Instead, what it has are excellent cocktails and a funky interior. And, if you’re lucky, a seat outside for people-watching.
Lanesborough Hotel
Library Bar, The Lanesborough
Oooh hello. This is my kind of bar. The library doesn’t refer to books. It refers to the many, many
cognacs that it serves. Some of them date back 300 years (and there’s a hefty price to boot). I also love that the Lanesborough has a Withdrawing room. This is classic hotel bar, with nothing but elegance and class.
The Rivoli, The Ritz
I won’t get bored of this bar. Paying £16 for a G&T means that I don’t spend long enough in here for it to get dull. This is a fancy place, make no mistake. The best thing? The tourists head straight in for afternoon tea, leaving the bar pretty empty. Just don’t try and get in with jeans on like my friends did recently. This is a fine establishment; throw on a suit.
Courthouse Bar, Courthouse Hotel
What could be better than drinking your cocktails in a converted prison cell? Nothing, that’s what. I can’t think of anything more fun. There prison booths are big enough for six, and you’ll have to reserve them, but this converted courthouse makes for a very unique hotel.
And one to avoid:
The Cadogan
I didn’t even bother staying here for a drink. The bar was messy (and the staff looked shocked we
were even there for drinks at all), and the place just looked so scruffy. Rather than highlight their
range of spirits, the bar was lined with Peroni. Hardly the mark of a classy hotel bar.
One Response to “Guest Post: Reviewing London’s 5-Star Hotel Bars”