20 Most Beautiful Hotel Bars Around the World

Hotel bars often conjure up images of stuffy, old lounges filled with businessmen buying overpriced drinks before heading to bed. But there's been a renewed appreciation for the hotel bar as hotels focus on the bar experience for both travelers and locals. A wealth of international bars have wowed guests with striking design themes and well-crafted libations. From new rooftop bars with phenomenal views to iconic greats, we've rounded up 20 of the most beautiful bars from around the world, plus tips on what to order when you go.

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New York
Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle in New York's Upper East Side has been an integral part of the city's history since the 1930s. The dapper Art Deco bar continues to attract socialites, celebrities, politicians, and moguls as a gathering place thanks to its nightly live entertainment and timeless drinks like its signature Gin-Gin Mule. Named in honor of Ludwig Bemelmans — the creator of the classic "Madeline" children's books whose distinct, whimsical illustrations adorn its walls — the bar's charming highlights also include chocolate-brown leather banquettes, white-jacketed waiters, and a 24-karat gold leaf-covered ceiling.

Bali, Indonesia
With its uninterrupted, 360-degree views from its secluded limestone cliff setting just south of Jimbaran Bay, Rock Bar at Ayana Resort and Spa is undeniably one of the most popular spots in Bali for sunset cocktails To reach the bar, which is perched 46 feet above the Indian Ocean, guests must ride a special cable car down the face of a coastal cliff. Sip on signature cocktails like the "Rock Fashioned" or "Rock My World," and take in the beautiful ocean waves and distinctive rock formations as the sun goes down. Then dance the night away to music from a custom DJ booth carved into stone.

Washington, D.C.
Inside the iconic Willard InterContinental Hotel, the stately Round Robin Bar — deemed the "Oval Office of bars" by Conde Nast Traveler — has seen its share of American history since 1847. A polished mahogany bar-in-the-round, leather seating, and signature drink — the mint julep — have made it a quintessential meeting spot for political and social elites in D.C. Learn about the famous figures who've graced the handsome watering hole — Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and The Martin Luther King Jr. — at the bar's monthly History Happy Hours with the legendary bartender Jim Hewes and a line-up of political experts, journalists, authors, and historians as guest speakers.

Paris
For a Parisian rendezvous over light fare and coffee, apéritifs, or even digestifs, Le Bar at Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris is without a doubt the place to be for locals sharing intimate conversations. The small, posh hotel lounge invites guests to linger with its tufted chairs in front of the fireplace, red velvet couches, mahogany walls, stunning woodworks, and grand chandeliers. Sip on a martini, a glass of champagne, or the signature George Fizz with fresh strawberries, raspberries, guava juice, and champagne — it doesn't get more Parisian than this!

Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Located inside the ever-evolving ICEHOTEL 365 — a hotel and art exhibition made of ice from the Torne River — ICEBAR in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is redesigned every year by known artists from around the world. From the furniture to the cocktail glasses, everything in the bar is made of ice. Dance on a floor made of snow and sip on a vodka cocktail or a glass of champagne in a below-freezing setting — don't worry, insulated, silver capes with fake fur-trimmed hood and mittens are provided with the cover charge. During the day, you can also explore the hotel's glistening ice art exhibitions with your entrance ticket.

Tokyo
It might seem strange to head to New York while in Tokyo, but Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar — made famous by the film "Lost in Translation" — boasts some of the most stunning views of the city skyline. Located on the 52nd floor, the bar in the skies has a vast selection of wines, premium Japanese whiskeys like an 18-year-old Yamazaki, and inventive cocktails. Nightly jazz performances make the already cozy and sophisticated atmosphere even more alluring.

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London
Take in the surroundings at The Connaught Hotel's architecturally stunning signature bar, designed by the late David Collins to evoke English and Irish Cubist art from the 1920s. With its soaring mirrored ceilings, textured platinum silver leaf walls, marble floors, and a cool grey bar, this stylish bar is definitely upscale, but not uptight, even with its customized martini trolley and candlelit tables. Relax into the Dickensian glamour with a time-honored cocktail like The Connaught gin martini — prepared with the bar's namesake crafted-in-house gin — or the Fleurissimo — a champagne cocktail with a twist, created in honor of former guest Princess Grace of Monaco.

New Orleans
Named after what's often considered the world's first mixed drink, The Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt New Orleans is full of drinking history, found literally within its curvaceous walnut-paneled walls. Take in the famous Paul Ninas murals and keep your eyes peeled for a bullet hole in the wall, often attributed to an unsuccessful assassination attempt on one-time governor and U.S. Sen. "The Kingfish" Huey P. Long, but was more likely the result of an accidental pistol discharge. White-coated wait staff serve up old fashioneds, negronis, and frothy Ramos gin fizzes, but you're here for the Sazerac, the official drink of New Orleans, of course.

Las Vegas
The Chandelier Lounge is part playground, part art exhibit, and part cocktail haven — all within one giant sparkling spectacle. The multi-level Las Vegas bar is built to look like a massive chandelier with 2 million crystals, featuring curtains of shimmering strands inside. Each tier offers a different bar experience: There's a DJ booth and high-energy bar and dance floor on the 24-hour lower casino floor, a sophisticated bar for hand-crafted cocktails on the second tier, and an exclusive, more intimate lounge at the top with views of the glistening levels below. Try the Verbena, or "the flower drink," a lemon verbena and ginger-infused margarita garnished with an edible Sichuan flower that'll transform the flavor profile and make your mouth tingle.

Bangkok
Perched 820 feet above the ground, Sky Bar is one of the highest rooftop bars in the world. The open-air bar on Lebua at State Tower's 63rd floor showcases an ultramodern deck with views of Bangkok's twinkling cityscape and Chao Phraya River. Mixologists behind the circular, glowing neon bar — a backlit centerpiece that changes color throughout the night — serve up cocktails with imaginative twists like the whiskey-based Hangovertini, a nod to the bar's appearance in the movie "The Hangover Part II." The drinks might be pricey, but the views are priceless.

Los Angeles
The Rooftop at The Standard Downtown LA offers a bird's-eye view of downtown Los Angeles and the surrounding mountains. The sprawling, retro-inspired bar features a red AstroTurf deck, heated infinity pool, waterbed pods, colorful plastic furniture, animal-shaped topiaries, an outdoor fireplace, a German-style beer garden serving many local brews including the hotel's own Standard Bräuhaus' Helles Lager, nightly DJ sets, and movies projected onto the walls of neighboring buildings. It's definitely one of the city's sleekest see-and-be-seen bars, so be prepared to brave the line and a nighttime cover charge to hang with the cool kids.

Chicago
One of Chicago's most respected craft cocktail bars, The Berkshire Room is located in the ACME Hotel (and named after the original hotel from 1920-1950). The handsome 80-seat den is a throwback to the cocktail bars of yesteryear with a focus on treating guests with top-notch service — all free of pretension. The bright, airy space has a retro decor with bar stools and cozy couches in a back room as well as the venue's name lit up over the bar. If you're feeling adventurous, opt for the "Dealer's Choice" and let the bartender improvise based on your spirit, flavor profile, and glassware preferences. But you can't go wrong picking a barrel-finished house cocktail like the bourbon-based Old Money with walnut liqueur and allspice or a gin-based Continuous Negroni that's been finished in a Pappy van Winkle barrel.

Seoul, South Korea
Named after Prohibition-era American cocktail writer and world traveler Charles H. Baker, the Four Seasons Hotel's speakeasy Charles H. is one of the first of its kind in Seoul. A throwback to 1920s New York, the intimate bar is hidden away on the hotel's lower level with an elaborate secret entrance into a provocative underlayer richly adorned in mahogany and black leather. You'll find a drink menu — which serves as a guide for Baker's travels around the globe — with some obscure and local Korean spirits thrown into the mix. Whatever the bartender concocts is bound to please, but the Manhattan flight might offer a taste of the classic cocktail's varying nuances.

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Austin, Texas
Austin's oldest hotel is home to The Driskill Bar, a 150-seat bar dating back to 1886 that's pure old-world Texas cowboy. You'll discover overstuffed leather chairs and sofas, cowhide barstools, cattle-branded plush carpeting, antique firearms on the walls, a bronze sculpture depicting a cowboy caught up in a runaway horse, and a roaring fireplace topped with the head of a Texas Longhorn. Sip your whiskey cocktail (or Austin's official cocktail, The Batini, with vodka, hibiscus, and ginger-infused syrup), sink your teeth into house-made beef jerky or Texas wagyu beef sliders, and enjoy the nightly live music or Antone's soulful blues music every Sunday.

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Louisville, Kentucky
In downtown Louisville, the Lobby Bar in the refined Brown Hotel oozes that quintessential Kentucky charm. The gilded 60-seat bar has been offering a friendly and unassuming atmosphere with handcrafted classic cocktails, live piano music, and the Hot Brown — a famous dish the hotel invented in 1926 — for nearly a century. Southern comfort fare pairs perfectly with their hand-selected bourbon flight or one of the expertly-crafted cocktails like the Kentucky Derby, the bar's version of the Brown Derby, with bourbon, sorghum syrup, and pink grapefruit juice.

Hong Kong
Head up to the 25th floor of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong's M Bar for a top-notch rooftop bar overlooking the glistening cityscape and Victoria Harbour. The chic, dimly lit space boasts a sensational view, charcoal velvet seating, and a lotus-shaped bar featuring a selection of rare, small-batch spirits from around the world, house-made liqueurs, and re-imagined libations like the Hong Kong Legend, a blend of vodka, gin, lychee, lemon, cassia wine, and tea cordial. Also not to be missed: seasonal delicacies by Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire.

Charleston, South Carolina
Inspired by the oldest Jockey Club in America, which was founded in 1792 near the Belmond Charleston Place, the 79-seat Thoroughbred Club is decked out with dark wood, burgundy leather seating, paintings of horses, and framed racetrack memorabilia to add a sporting equestrian feel. Come for the famed afternoon tea service, or make it a pre- or post-dinner spot for the bar's nightly live piano and classical guitar melodies and signature bourbon-forward cocktails like the Blood Orange Boulevardier, with bourbon, vermouth, blood orange liqueur, and Campari.

Moscow
Atop the Ritz-Carlton Moscow, the award-winning O2 Lounge showcases unrivaled views of Moscow's historic center, including the Red Square, the Kremlin, Spasskaya Tower, and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The rooftop seafood restaurant and bar is encased in glass and steel to keep out the harsh Russian winter, ensuring guests can take in the amazing views year-round. Food and cocktail enthusiasts can dive into Russian culture here. The bar serves various types of caviar and local specialties, more than 400 vodka varieties overseen by an onsite sommelier, and mixologists use Russian ingredients for cocktails like the Moscow Mule, prepared with a Siberian distillery-produced vodka, house-made ginger syrup, lime juice, and soda water.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
While Alvear Palace Hotel's elegant lobby level bar is a historic spot for a martini — businessmen and celebrities have gathered here since the 1930s — the Alvear Roof Bar draws the young crowds. The recently renovated bar has the ideal ambiance with its house music, light dishes, and signature drinks like the vodka-based Summer Break, featuring fresh strawberries, lime, and passion fruit marinated in sugar syrup. The 11th floor open-air terrace also has unforgettable sunset views to top off the evening.

Nashville, Tennessee
The Thompson Hotel's top floor bar L.A. Jackson is the new Nashville hotspot. The Music City newcomer attracts hotel guests and locals alike to its indoor/outdoor rooftop bar and restaurant for lively DJ nights, a weekly vinyl and dance night with Jack White's record label Third Man Records, fitness classes, and other special events. The bar — peppered with vintage photos and brass fixtures — has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bustling Gulch neighborhood and rapidly changing skyline. Come here for the festivities, specialty cocktails procured in a hand-selected barrel from Maker's Mark, and a tight beer list — more than half the menu is comprised of local Tennessee brews, including East Nashville Beer Works' honey blonde ale.