Raise the Bar

AMERICA’ S COOLEST

HOTEL LOUNGES

Words by Betsy Marr

It was once a simple spot for an overnight guest to sip a nightcap. An unassuming corner in a lobby, a glorified station with neatly stacked house wines, a forgettable watering hole. But today’s hotel taverns have transcended the ho-hum to become destinations in their own rights. From the classic to the cutting edge, these hotel bars have made names for themselves as epicenters of American cocktail culture.

The Polo Lounge at Beverly Hills Hotel BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

Synonymous with all that is glamorous, The Polo Lounge has been a favorite amongst the famous and those who wish to be near them for generations. As popular for brunch as it is for booze, Polo’s iconic status has seen many a well-known guest grace its white wrought iron stools – from Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn to modern day movie stars like Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. In the evenings, patrons are treated to live piano tunes while Sunday brunch boasts its own jazzy musical stylings – along with a side of worldclass stargazing.

beverlyhillshotel.com

J Bar at Hotel Jerome ASPEN, COLORADO

When you’ve been known as Aspen’s favorite watering hole for over a century, it’s safe to say you’re a staple. Ski bums, socialites and celebrities– from members of the Tenth Mountain Division to the late Hunter S.Thompson –have all imbibed at J Bar after a day on the slopes. From the tilework floor to the hints of Chinoiserie, the bar’s interiors brim with the character one would expect from a 126-year-old saloon. Insider’s secret? The hand-carved Chippendale bar has been signed by every bartender who’s worked behind it since 1889.

hoteljerome.aubergeresorts.com

Thoroughbred Club at the Charleston Place Hotel CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

It may serve as the lobby bar for the legendary Charleston Place Hotel, yet the Thoroughbred Club is anything but average. Nestled adjacent to the inn’s Georgian staircase and covered in wood paneling as rich as its history, the establishment is known for its afternoon tea service – a classic rite of passage for any Charlestonian. When five o’clock hits, bourbon cocktails abound. Try the Mouzon Mash, an ode to mixologists Mouzon Taylor’s peach farmer grandfather with its whiskey, muddled peaches, mint and lemon. Sip the evening away in Thoroughbred’s roomy banquettes where horseracing memorabilia evokes a decidedly equestrian vibe.

charlestonplace.com

Proof on Main at 21c Museum Hotel

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY proofonmain.com

Louisville is synonymous with bourbon, and Proof on Main is perhaps the city’s best spot for an authentic experience, with more than 50 labels available for sipping and sampling. Try one of the joint’s flights or throw back a bourbon mash before it goes off to be barrel aged. There’s also a world-class chef helming the kitchen and art from the museum-centric hotel’s rotating exhibitions adorning the eclectic walls.

Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan

Finding a swanky lounge in Las Vegas is not exactly difficult. But finding one that is built on three tiers and encased in beaded curtains with more than two million crystals is a feat – even by Sin City standards. Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel is a must for any Vegas trip. Make your way into the exclusive second floor bar where world-class mixologists work their cocktail magic as they serve up tasty libations and even churn Old Fashioneds into adult-friendly sorbet.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle

NEW YORK, NEW YORK rosewoodhotels.com

Few bars can rival the iconic Bemelmans in terms of an artful and enchanting history. Housed inside the classically cool Carlyle Hotel, Benelmans is best known for the masterpiece murals that adorn its walls, all of which were hand painted by the bar’s namesake artist, Ludwig Bemelman. If his name sounds familiar, it should. Bemelman was the creator and author of Madeline, the children’s book series set inside the Carlyle, as well as a successful cartoonist for The New Yorker, Vogue and Town and Country. The bar itself serves up champagne cocktails via white jacket-clad waiters and, next door at Café Carlyle, Woody Allen plays the clarinet with his New Orleans jazz band every Monday night.

Ocho Lounge at the Hotel Havana

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Perched along San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk, Ocho Lounge is fraught with Latin-infused character. Ocho is built on two levels, each with their own distinct vibe. Upstairs at Ocho is built into a glass and steel conservatory, opening up right onto the Riverwalk with both indoor and outdoor seating. Downstairs, a more traditional lounge setting abounds, with dim lighting, velvet couches and leather club chairs. Whichever you fancy, you’ll love the cocktail menu for its reinvented classics. Naturally, the focus is on tequila and Cuban rum. Also try executive chef Juan Bernal’s fare, which is rooted in the hotel’s Pan-Latin cultural influences.

havanasanantonio.com

Off the Record at the Hay-Adams

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

This chic little bar in the Hay-Adams hotel is as DC as it gets. This power bar is a favorite amongst Washington powerhouses and aspiring young politicos alike. Either way, the drinks are superb – from a traditional dirty martini to more contemporary sips like the grapefruit muddled mojito. Slip into one of the plush red banquettes and eavesdrop on the capital’s most confidential cocktail chatter. Strictly off the record, of course.

hayadams.com

Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA hotelmonteleone.com

A longtime NOLA hotspot and the city’s only revolving bar, this 25seat circus-themed merry-go-round, installed in 1949, invites guests to take a spin. Two thousand large steel rollers are pulled by a chain with a one-quarter horsepower motor that results in one revolution every fifteen minutes. Over the years, a carousel top, antiqued mirrors, a pewter bar surface and other details have been added. Two classic libations were created here: the Goody Cocktail, with white and dark rums, orange and pineapple juices, orgeat syrup and lemon-lime soda, and the Vieux Carré, a potent potable named for the French Quarter with rye, cognac, bénédictine, sweet vermouth bitters.