Manhattan Bar Singapore: Bringing NYC to Southeast Asia
Manhattan Bar Singapore
Manhattan Bar Singapore:
Bringing NYC to Southeast Asia
Virtù Bar brings Paris to Tokyo.
BKK Social Club transports Latin America to Bangkok.
And Manhattan Bar Singapore exudes the glamor of New York City’s golden age in Southeast Asia. Set in one of the world’s most international cities, the concept feels less like import and more like alignment.
Located in the Conrad Singapore Orchard, Manhattan Bar channels the spirit of a 19th-century New York hotel bar—rich dark wood, polished brass, and plush leather setting the stage for a cocktail program rooted in American heritage.
Known for its in-house rickhouse and a menu that reimagines classic cocktails, Manhattan delivers both spectacle and substance. The result is a transportive experience, where every detail feels like a love letter to old New York.
“The concept of Manhattan bar pays homage to the golden era of cocktails and fine drinking in Manhattan.”
David Nguyen-Luu
Former Bar Manager, Manhattan
World’s first in-hotel rickhouse
The rickhouse is one of Manhattan Bar’s defining features and one of the most distinctive elements of any cocktail bar in the world. Traditionally, a rickhouse is where whiskey barrels are stored and aged, often in large, climate-influenced warehouses. Manhattan takes that concept and brings it inside the bar, creating a working aging room that’s both functional and theatrical.
Here, rows of small oak barrels are used to age cocktails, spirits, and custom blends on-site. Instead of simply mixing drinks to order, the team pre-batches certain cocktails and lets them mature over time, allowing flavors to integrate, soften, and deepen—much like a fine whiskey. Unsurprisingly, the Manhattan cocktail is obviously a signature offering from the rickhouse.
“The Manhattan that we have utilized Michter’s Rye Whiskey vermouth, and our house-made cherry liqueur. We finish it off with Angostura bitters. We place the whole cocktail in the barrel and we let it age for a certain amount of time.”
Gabriel Carlos
Former Assistant Bar Manager
Beyond the barrels, much of what’s poured at Manhattan is built in-house—custom blends, infusions, and components designed to give each drink a distinct point of view.
Located in the Conrad Singapore Orchard, Manhattan Bar channels the spirit of a 19th-century New York hotel bar—rich dark wood, polished brass, and plush leather setting the stage for a cocktail program rooted in American heritage. Known for its in-house rickhouse and a menu that reimagines classic cocktails, Manhattan delivers both spectacle and substance. The result is a transportive experience, where every detail feels like a love letter to old New York.
“The concept of Manhattan bar pays homage to the golden era of cocktails and fine drinking in Manhattan.”
David Nguyen-Luu
Former Bar Manager, Manhattan
Seasons of Manhattan cocktail menu
The current Manhattan Bar Singapore menu is inspired by New York City’s four seasons. The menu itself is styled as a desk calendar and features 31 drinks categorized by spring, summer, fall, and winter, as well as special barrel-aged cocktails from the rickhouse.
“Manhattan moves in seasons you can feel. Through New York’s defining culture. Climate. The moments that set the city in motion. At the bar, it all comes together.”
Manhattan Bar
World’s first in-hotel rickhouse
The rickhouse is one of Manhattan Bar’s defining features and one of the most distinctive elements of any cocktail bar in the world. Traditionally, a rickhouse is where whiskey barrels are stored and aged, often in large, climate-influenced warehouses. Manhattan takes that concept and brings it inside the bar, creating a working aging room that’s both functional and theatrical.
Here, rows of small oak barrels are used to age cocktails, spirits, and custom blends on-site. Instead of simply mixing drinks to order, the team pre-batches certain cocktails and lets them mature over time, allowing flavors to integrate, soften, and deepen—much like a fine whiskey. Unsurprisingly, the Manhattan cocktail is obviously a signature offering from the rickhouse.
“The Manhattan that we have utilized Michter’s Rye Whiskey vermouth, and our house-made cherry liqueur. We finish it off with Angostura bitters. We place the whole cocktail in the barrel and we let it age for a certain amount of time.”
Gabriel Carlos
Former Assistant Bar Manager
Beyond the barrels, much of what’s poured at Manhattan is built in-house—custom blends, infusions, and components designed to give each drink a distinct point of view.
Seasons of Manhattan cocktail menu
The current Manhattan Bar Singapore menu is inspired by New York City’s four seasons. The menu itself is styled as a desk calendar and features 31 drinks categorized by spring, summer, fall, and winter, as well as special barrel-aged cocktails from the rickhouse.
“Manhattan moves in seasons you can feel. Through New York’s defining culture. Climate. The moments that set the city in motion. At the bar, it all comes together.”
Manhattan Bar
- In an ode to the all-American rite of spring break, for example, the Seasons of Manhattan menu features a Spring cocktail called Where the Boys Are. Codigo Blanco tequila and Siete Misterios Doba Yej mezcal meet plum, melon, blackberry and citrus. Manhattan describes it as “…a riot of red, a burst of juicy brightness, and a melon splash that recalls the playful chaos of beer pong and coming-of-age rituals.”
- The Tatami Shot sits in Autumn, honoring Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu, whose An Autumn Afternoon was screened in New York’s first Film Festival (September, 1963). Sakurao Single Malt Whisky and baijiu meet lemon, mushroom oleo, spiced pear, and bitters beneath espresso foam. Per Manhattan, it’s “…a cocktail that mirrors Ozu’s lens: layered, balanced, gently expressive.”
- In an ode to the all-American rite of spring break, for example, the Seasons of Manhattan menu features a Spring cocktail called Where the Boys Are. Codigo Blanco tequila and Siete Misterios Doba Yej mezcal meet plum, melon, blackberry and citrus. Manhattan describes it as “…a riot of red, a burst of juicy brightness, and a melon splash that recalls the playful chaos of beer pong and coming-of-age rituals.”
- The Tatami Shot sits in Autumn, honoring Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu, whose An Autumn Afternoon was screened in New York’s first Film Festival (September, 1963). Sakurao Single Malt Whisky and baijiu meet lemon, mushroom oleo, spiced pear, and bitters beneath espresso foam. Per Manhattan, it’s “…a cocktail that mirrors Ozu’s lens: layered, balanced, gently expressive.”
Global inspiration from Friends of Manhattan
At Manhattan Bar, the story of New York doesn’t stop at its own menu. Through its Friends of Manhattan series, the bar invites some of the world’s most celebrated bartenders to step behind the bar, transforming it into a rotating stage for global talent.
A few of the celebrated guest bartenders have hailed from:
- The Cocktail Club (Jakarta)
- Long Bar (Shanghai)
- Monkey Thief (New York City)
- To Infinity & Beyond, Vender, Bar Without (Taiwan)
- Happy Accidents Bar (Albuquerque)
- Bar Leone (Hong Kong)
Each collaboration blends Manhattan’s signature, old-world elegance with the distinct style of its guests—resulting in menus that feel both rooted in New York’s cocktail heritage and expanded by international influence. It’s less a takeover and more a dialogue, where techniques, flavors, and perspectives collide.
From global collaboration to cohesive vision
If Friends of Manhattan brings the world into the bar, Zana Möhlmann is the one shaping what it becomes once it’s there. Winner of the 2023 World Young Mixologist Award, Möhlmann became Manhattan Bar’s head bartender in 2024.
With experience across some of Asia’s most respected cocktail programs, Möhlmann brings both technical precision and a global perspective to Manhattan Bar.
Under Möhlmann’s direction, the bar’s many moving parts—the rickhouse, the collaborations, the deep well of American cocktail history—come together into something cohesive. The drinks feel intentional, the experience seamless, and the identity unmistakable.
“I believe that every craft starts with intention. From the way that you present yourself, to how you speak to people, and how you create.”
Zana Mohlmann, Head Bartender, Manhattan
Each collaboration blends Manhattan’s signature, old-world elegance with the distinct style of its guests—resulting in menus that feel both rooted in New York’s cocktail heritage and expanded by international influence. It’s less a takeover and more a dialogue, where techniques, flavors, and perspectives collide.
From global collaboration to cohesive vision
If Friends of Manhattan brings the world into the bar, Zana Möhlmann is the one shaping what it becomes once it’s there. Winner of the 2023 World Young Mixologist Award, Möhlmann became Manhattan Bar’s head bartender in 2024. With experience across some of Asia’s most respected cocktail programs, Möhlmann brings both technical precision and a global perspective to Manhattan Bar. Under Möhlmann’s direction, the bar’s many moving parts—the rickhouse, the collaborations, the deep well of American cocktail history—come together into something cohesive. The drinks feel intentional, the experience seamless, and the identity unmistakable.
“I believe that every craft starts with intention. From the way that you present yourself, to how you speak to people, and how you create.”
Zana Mohlmann, Head Bartender, Manhattan
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, Italy
Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
This year, in association with Altamura Distilleries, I’ll be exploring some of the world’s most legendary bars—uncovering what makes them the beating heart of the hotel. Our next stop is Rome!
Now come and heed.
The Natural Gifts that Jupiter himself
apportioned to the bees
I will set forth.
Virgil, Georgics IV, 149–50
#Episode 7
You might miss them if you aren’t looking. Above the archway door of the Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, buzzes a semicircle of gilded bees, ready to fly out into the street. They would find they were among friends. Bees are found all throughout Rome, most of them the symbol of the Barberini family, whose palazzo, now a museum, is a five-minute walk from the hotel.
#Episode 7
You might miss them if you aren’t looking. Above the archway door of the Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, buzzes a semicircle of gilded bees, ready to fly out into the street. They would find they were among friends. Bees are found all throughout Rome, most of them the symbol of the Barberini family, whose palazzo, now a museum, is a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Pope Urban VIII, born into the Barberini family, literally stamped Rome with his family’s emblem, the bumblebee. He had the good fortune to be elected Pope during a golden era of Roman Baroque architecture and was quick to commission the three great masters of the age, Carlo Maderno, Francesco Borromini, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, to construct fountains, churches, and statues all around the city, with the bumblebee prominently displayed.
Bees toiling away in their hives have represented industry and harmony in equal measure since ancient times. The reward for that hard work is honey, which Pliny the Elder, writing in AD 77–79, described as “dew fallen from the stars.”
So why are bees buzzing around the door of the Aleph Hotel? The building that is now the Aleph Hotel was constructed in the 1930s as the headquarters of the Central Savings Bank – a veritable hive of activity, thus a natural choice.
Follow the bees inside and the first thing that greets you is the Lobby Bar with its restored marble floors, columns, and onyx detailing that transports you back to La Dolce Vita, when Via Veneto, just steps away, was the centre of 1950’s Rome.
Pope Urban VIII, born into the Barberini family, literally stamped Rome with his family’s emblem, the bumblebee. He had the good fortune to be elected Pope during a golden era of Roman Baroque architecture and was quick to commission the three great masters of the age, Carlo Maderno, Francesco Borromini, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, to construct fountains, churches, and statues all around the city, with the bumblebee prominently displayed.
Bees toiling away in their hives have represented industry and harmony in equal measure since ancient times. The reward for that hard work is honey, which Pliny the Elder, writing in AD 77–79, described as “dew fallen from the stars.”
So why are bees buzzing around the door of the Aleph Hotel? The building that is now the Aleph Hotel was constructed in the 1930s as the headquarters of the Central Savings Bank – a veritable hive of activity, thus a natural choice. Follow the bees inside and the first thing that greets you is the Lobby Bar with its restored marble floors, columns, and onyx detailing that transports you back to La Dolce Vita, when Via Veneto, just steps away, was the centre of 1950’s Rome.
Open all day from seven in the morning until midnight. Its menu is overseen by Restaurants & Bars Manager, Lorenzo Politano, a Roman by birth who has been with the Aleph since 2018. His career began in his grandfather’s bar near Rome’s Termini train station, then took him to London to gain international experience, and then his hometown called him back again. Alongside him are Head Bartender Francesco Ramacciati and bartender Sergio Ditrano. All working together to create the bar’s signature menu, built around their individuals takes on the classics.
The Heritage Twist is a Gimlet-style cocktail using Altamura Distilleries Vodka and a homemade ciliegini (cherry tomato) and mint cordial, finished with basil and parsley oil. The Plum Old Fashioned made with Woodford Rye, plum bitters, and sugar looks straightforward enough until you learn of the secret ingredient: lager. A touch of Ichnusa Non Filtrata from Sardinia gives it that special something you would never guess. The Gentle & Sparkle is a highball of Gin Mare and Three Cents Fig Leaf Soda, brought to life with their own cucumber cordial.
For those new to Martinis, or simply not wanting the same thing twice, the Martini menu offers the dry, the dirty, and the Gibson, plus their special Altamura Martini made with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Mancino Secco, and orange bitters. For the genuinely curious, there’s also the Martini Cocktail Experience, a tasting of all of them.
Open all day from seven in the morning until midnight. Its menu is overseen by Restaurants & Bars Manager, Lorenzo Politano, a Roman by birth who has been with the Aleph since 2018. His career began in his grandfather’s bar near Rome’s Termini train station, then took him to London to gain international experience, and then his hometown called him back again.
Alongside him are Head Bartender Francesco Ramacciati and bartender Sergio Ditrano. All working together to create the bar’s signature menu, built around their individuals takes on the classics.
The Heritage Twist is a Gimlet-style cocktail using Altamura Distilleries Vodka and a homemade ciliegini (cherry tomato) and mint cordial, finished with basil and parsley oil. The Plum Old Fashioned made with Woodford Rye, plum bitters, and sugar looks straightforward enough until you learn of the secret ingredient: lager. A touch of Ichnusa Non Filtrata from Sardinia gives it that special something you would never guess. The Gentle & Sparkle is a highball of Gin Mare and Three Cents Fig Leaf Soda, brought to life with their own cucumber cordial.
For those new to Martinis, or simply not wanting the same thing twice, the Martini menu offers the dry, the dirty, and the Gibson, plus their special Altamura Martini made with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Mancino Secco, and orange bitters. For the genuinely curious, there’s also the Martini Cocktail Experience, a tasting of all of them.
The Aleph bar represents a professional life project for me. I have been working here for eight years, witnessing its evolution day by day, growing alongside the team and the venue itself, up to the role I hold today. It is a place that has taught me the value of continuity, listening, and responsibility. The Aleph bars embodies the meeting point between an international identity and a strong Roman soul, where product quality goes hand in hand with the quality of human relationships. Today, my role is to provide direction, maintain high standards, and at the same time create a solid, inclusive working environment focused on people’s growth.
Lorenzo Politano, Restaurants & Bars Manager
The Aleph bar represents a professional life project for me. I have been working here for eight years, witnessing its evolution day by day, growing alongside the team and the venue itself, up to the role I hold today. It is a place that has taught me the value of continuity, listening, and responsibility. The Aleph bars embodies the meeting point between an international identity and a strong Roman soul, where product quality goes hand in hand with the quality of human relationships. Today, my role is to provide direction, maintain high standards, and at the same time create a solid, inclusive working environment focused on people’s growth.
Lorenzo Politano
Restaurants & Bars Manager
Still, that’s not the only hive in town. Like bees themselves, which shelter through winter and emerge when sun returns, the hotel’s rooftop Organics Sky Bar reawakens each spring. During the day, there are more refurbed classics: e.g. the Crushed Espresso Martini with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Kyma Amaro al Caffè, and espresso or the Negroni D’Amare made with Gin Mare, Mancino Rosso, and Campari. Evening is when the team invites us to delight in a tour of the city, flying high above the Roman terracotta rooftops and church domes without leaving the terrace. Taking a cue from our yellow and black striped friends, we are introduced to Rome’s many neighborhoods (rione) and bumblebees through the bar’s signature cocktail menu.
Still, that’s not the only hive in town. Like bees themselves, which shelter through winter and emerge when sun returns, the hotel’s rooftop Organics Sky Bar reawakens each spring. During the day, there are more refurbed classics: e.g. the Crushed Espresso Martini with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Kyma Amaro al Caffè, and espresso or the Negroni D’Amare made with Gin Mare, Mancino Rosso, and Campari. Evening is when the team invites us to delight in a tour of the city, flying high above the Roman terracotta rooftops and church domes without leaving the terrace. Taking a cue from our yellow and black striped friends, we are introduced to Rome’s many neighborhoods (rione) and bumblebees through the bar’s signature cocktail menu.
As for the recipes, our intention was to pair ingredients that, thanks to their characteristics, could evoke the sensations and aromas one might experience while strolling through the streets of each Roman neighborhood. The idea is to create a sensory connection, evoking the atmosphere, scents, and impressions that both locals and visitors experience as they explore these neighborhoods and admire their iconic monuments”
explains Lorenzo.
As for the recipes, our intention was to pair ingredients that, thanks to their characteristics, could evoke the sensations and aromas one might experience while strolling through the streets of each Roman neighborhood. The idea is to create a sensory connection, evoking the atmosphere, scents, and impressions that both locals and visitors experience as they explore these neighborhoods and admire their iconic monuments,”
explains Lorenzo.
With one sip of the Rione Trevi, a heady mix of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, with touches of mango and lime, salt solution and The Organics Ginger Beer, we are transported to La Fontana delle Api (Fountain of the Bees) sitting at the corner of Piazza Barberini and Via Veneto.
Explore the Rione Pigna, home of the Pantheon, where a tiny carved bee, symbol of the Barberini, is hidden on a column capital of the ancient portico, which blends Campari, Kyma Amaro al Caffè, and The Organics Black Orange. The Rione Monti with its Nordes Gin, grapefruit syrup, sage, sugar and The Organics Bitter Lemon, sends us to the church of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli near Colosseum, where the Barberini bees swarm its gorgeous stained glass windows.
Leading us to St Peter’s Basilica down the Via Giulia and across the Tevere River, where the bees dance on their most glorious perch, Bernini’s Baldacchino, the canopy above the altar, is the Rione Regola created with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, violet liqueur, raspberry shrub and The Organics Tonic Water. Of all those bees that have found a home in Rome, the gilded ones above the Aleph’s door are the ones that welcome us in to share the sweet rewards of Lorenzo and his team’s hard work – crafting cocktails that are, as Pliny described so eloquently, “dew fallen from the stars” and make their bars the heart of the hotel.
With one sip of the Rione Trevi, a heady mix of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, with touches of mango and lime, salt solution and The Organics Ginger Beer, we are transported to La Fontana delle Api (Fountain of the Bees) sitting at the corner of Piazza Barberini and Via Veneto.
Explore the Rione Pigna, home of the Pantheon, where a tiny carved bee, symbol of the Barberini, is hidden on a column capital of the ancient portico, which blends Campari, Kyma Amaro al Caffè, and The Organics Black Orange. The Rione Monti with its Nordes Gin, grapefruit syrup, sage, sugar and The Organics Bitter Lemon, sends us to the church of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli near Colosseum, where the Barberini bees swarm its gorgeous stained glass windows. Leading us to St Peter’s Basilica down the Via Giulia and across the Tevere River, where the bees dance on their most glorious perch, Bernini’s Baldacchino, the canopy above the altar, is the Rione Regola created with Altamura Distilleries Vodka, violet liqueur, raspberry shrub and The Organics Tonic Water.
Of all those bees that have found a home in Rome, the gilded ones above the Aleph’s door are the ones that welcome us in to share the sweet rewards of Lorenzo and his team’s hard work – crafting cocktails that are, as Pliny described so eloquently, “dew fallen from the stars” and make their bars the heart of the hotel.
At Aleph Rome, the bar is more than a place it is a feeling, a window on the world, where different cultures, stories, and energies meet in a single moment – space of exchange between bartender and guest, between those who listen and those who tell. Every interaction is a dialogue, not just through words, but through gestures, flavors, and shared time. Behind the bar, I don’t just serve drinks I connect with people. For me, the bar is alive. It breathes through the people who sit at it and the hands that work behind it – where hospitality becomes personal, and where every drink is the beginning of a conversation.
Gaetano Cacialli, Operations Manager
At Aleph Rome, the bar is more than a place it is a feeling, a window on the world, where different cultures, stories, and energies meet in a single moment – space of exchange between bartender and guest, between those who listen and those who tell. Every interaction is a dialogue, not just through words, but through gestures, flavors, and shared time. Behind the bar, I don’t just serve drinks I connect with people. For me, the bar is alive. It breathes through the people who sit at it and the hands that work behind it – where hospitality becomes personal, and where every drink is the beginning of a conversation.
Gaetano Cacialli, Operations Manager
Susan L. Schwartz
Susan L. Schwartz is the award-winning creator of A Lush Life Manual and host of the Lush Life Podcast. She writes widely on drinks and travel, leads London and Venice Cocktail Tours, and has been recognised with multiple industry awards.
DarkSide Hong Kong—Rosewood’s timeless yet innovative jazz bar
Darkside Hong Kong
DarkSide Hong Kong—Rosewood’s timeless yet innovative jazz bar
Keys are checked, strings adjusted, and a quiet nod exchanged among the team. As the live band steps onto the small stage, music fills the room at DarkSide, the sophisticated jazz bar inside the Rosewood Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
The bar’s name nods to Kowloon’s historic identity as the “dark side” of Victoria Harbor—a district shaped by maritime trade, cultural exchange, and a nightlife once known for its shadowed glamour. DarkSide channels that layered past, blending East and West much like Kowloon has for generations.
“We capture Kowloon’s spirit through design and ritual rather than a literal theme. Guests encounter black and white Hong Kong portraiture, an artwork of glass hours in motion on the ceiling symbolizing the importance of time, and a mood that feels timeless and cinematic,”
Marco Maiorano
Bar Manager
Cocktails with a soundscape
DarkSide Hong Kong is known for its sultry jazz performances, creating an immersive soundscape that shapes the guest experience and reinforces a sense of old-world sophistication. The venue features live shows most evenings, typically performed by a resident ensemble and often featuring guest musicians—like vocalist Mirella Toussaint, a standout talent from The Voice France.
DarkSide’s decadent interior is also jazz-era-inspired, interpreted through a modern luxury hotel lens. Guests enjoy plush, club-style seating, low, ambient lighting, and a dark, intimate palette—all paying atmospheric homage to the spirit of the 1920s jazz age.
“The music becomes part of the storytelling—it adds a sense of timeless elegance, and it helps guests feel relaxed from the moment they arrive, like they’ve entered a private world where everything moves at a comfortable pace” says Maiorano.
The bar’s name nods to Kowloon’s historic identity as the “dark side” of Victoria Harbor—a district shaped by maritime trade, cultural exchange, and a nightlife once known for its shadowed glamour. DarkSide channels that layered past, blending East and West much like Kowloon has for generations.
“We capture Kowloon’s spirit through design and ritual rather than a literal theme. Guests encounter black and white Hong Kong portraiture, an artwork of glass hours in motion on the ceiling symbolizing the importance of time, and a mood that feels timeless and cinematic,”
Marco Maiorano
Bar Manager
Bespoke selection of rare spirts
The jazz-age concept isn’t just about live music and velvet banquettes. It’s about a time when cognac was king, fortified wines were standard pre-dinner fare, and whisky was sipped slowly (not shot).
The DarkSide bar boasts an extensive library of rare, aged spirits, including exclusive casks of single-harvest tawny port from 1969 and Grande Champagne cognac aged in oak. These rare spirits aren’t just a luxury flex—they anchor DarkSide in a period when drinking was deliberate, musical, and steeped in ritual.
Cocktails with a soundscape
DarkSide Hong Kong is known for its sultry jazz performances, creating an immersive soundscape that shapes the guest experience and reinforces a sense of old-world sophistication. The venue features live shows most evenings, typically performed by a resident ensemble and often featuring guest musicians—like vocalist Mirella Toussaint, a standout talent from The Voice France.
DarkSide’s decadent interior is also jazz-era-inspired, interpreted through a modern luxury hotel lens. Guests enjoy plush, club-style seating, low, ambient lighting, and a dark, intimate palette—all paying atmospheric homage to the spirit of the 1920s jazz age.
“The music becomes part of the storytelling—it adds a sense of timeless elegance, and it helps guests feel relaxed from the moment they arrive, like they’ve entered a private world where everything moves at a comfortable pace” says Maiorano.
Bespoke selection of rare spirts
The jazz-age concept isn’t just about live music and velvet banquettes. It’s about a time when cognac was king, fortified wines were standard pre-dinner fare, and whisky was sipped slowly (not shot).
The DarkSide bar boasts an extensive library of rare, aged spirits, including exclusive casks of single-harvest tawny port from 1969 and Grande Champagne cognac aged in oak. These rare spirits aren’t just a luxury flex—they anchor DarkSide in a period when drinking was deliberate, musical, and steeped in ritual.
New life for forgotten favorites
DarkSide’s cocktail program also complements the bar’s old-world glamour with a menu that often revolves around classics from bygone eras. The current Forgotten Classics menu, for example, features eight drinks guests may have missed out on by a few decades (or more).
Maiorano and team revitalize these Forgotten Classics with modern techniques and local ingredients. In doing so, they reflect the same exchange of ideas that has long defined Kowloon itself—global influences interpreted through a distinctly local lens. A few guest favorites include:
- Left Bank Martini—A twist on the classic Martini, created at London’s Cabinet Room in 2006. DarkSide Bar’s Left Bank Martini balances gin, St. Germain, and chardonnay.
- Millionaire—First appearing in 1914 within the pages of Jacques Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks, DarkSide’s modern take on the Millionaire is a tribute to the golden age of cocktails. It artfully blends whisky, orange liqueur, berries, and a hint of nutmeg.
- Toreador—Originally created in the early 1900s as a nod to Spain’s legendary bullfighters, DarkSide reimagined the Toreador cocktail with tequila, apricot, verjus and saline. It’s finished with a drop of saffron oil.
Maiorano’s favorite Forgotten Classic is the Sherry Cobbler:
“Our modern take focuses on structure and texture while keeping the soul of the original. We prepare it in a shaken style using Oloroso sherry, PX, Macallan 12 Year Old, and a touch of fresh pineapple juice to create a lighter, fluffier texture. We also use clear ice to help maintain body and temperature for longer. Finally, we garnish with amaretto, which beautifully complements the cocktail’s nutty notes.”
- Left Bank Martini—A twist on the classic Martini, created at London’s Cabinet Room in 2006. DarkSide Bar’s Left Bank Martini balances gin, St. Germain, and chardonnay.
- Millionaire—First appearing in 1914 within the pages of Jacques Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks, DarkSide’s modern take on the Millionaire is a tribute to the golden age of cocktails. It artfully blends whisky, orange liqueur, berries, and a hint of nutmeg.
- Toreador—Originally created in the early 1900s as a nod to Spain’s legendary bullfighters, DarkSide reimagined the Toreador cocktail with tequila, apricot, verjus and saline. It’s finished with a drop of saffron oil.
Maiorano’s favorite Forgotten Classic is the Sherry Cobbler:
“Our modern take focuses on structure and texture while keeping the soul of the original. We prepare it in a shaken style using Oloroso sherry, PX, Macallan 12 Year Old, and a touch of fresh pineapple juice to create a lighter, fluffier texture. We also use clear ice to help maintain body and temperature for longer. Finally, we garnish with amaretto, which beautifully complements the cocktail’s nutty notes.”
Earning a standing ovation
DarkSide has earned acclaim on the international bar scene, including long-standing placements on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list and awards from local critics for its cocktail program and overall experience. But DarkSide’s acclaim is not built on atmosphere alone—Maiorano explains it’s the result of consistency.
He says the biggest contributors for DarkSide have been:
- Strong service culture and genuine hospitality
- Creativity and innovation in the bar program
- A clear identity that feels authentic, not generic
- Team discipline and collaboration, from training to execution
“Our focus is to continue raising the bar with both product and experience, while staying true to the DarkSide vision,” Maiorano explains. “I truly believe our return to the list should be a consequence of our hard work, not a target to pursue.”
Success through harmony
In the end, DarkSide’s success is about harmony. Jazz sets the tempo, rare spirits add depth, Forgotten Classics provide structure. And at the center of it all is a team attuned to the subtle shifts of the room. In a district long defined by movement—of ships, of cultures, of ideas—DarkSide finds its rhythm. It blends history and modernity as seamlessly as the city that surrounds it. And like any great performance, what guests remember isn’t just what was played. It’s how it made them feel.
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
Martini service: why luxury hotel bars serve tableside
Martini Service
Martini service: why luxury hotel bars serve tableside
Long before craft cocktails became trendy again, luxury hotels in the early 1900s turned drink service into a form of theater. Bartenders wheeled ornate carts through dining rooms, mixing cocktails tableside as guests watched the ritual unfold. The martini—clean, elegant, and endlessly customizable—was perfectly suited to this style of service. Today, some of the world’s most luxurious hotel bars are reviving that tradition with martini trolleys that bring the cocktail directly to the guest. Equal parts hospitality, ritual, and visual spectacle, tableside martini service blends old-world glamour with modern mixology—creating an experience that feels as timeless as the drink itself.
Which hotel bars serve tableside martinis?
Several luxury hotel bars offer theatrical, tableside martini service, often crafted and served from customized bar carts or martini trolleys. Some of these renowned spots include:
- The Connaught Bar at The Connaught Hotel (London)
- Martini Lounge at The Knickerbocker (New York City)
- The Aman Bar at Aman Venice (Venice)
- DUKES Bar at DUKES Hotel (London)
- Bar Longhi and the Riva Lounge at The Gritti Palace (Venice)
- The Penrose Room at The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs)
The Connaught Bar is particularly famous for its sleek, black martini trolley, which allows guests to build a martini exactly to their tastes. Gin or vodka? Dry, wet, or somewhere in between? Connaught guests choose from bitters like lavender, tonka bean, and Dr. Ago (a signature blend of ginseng and bergamot, named for Head Bartender Ago Perrone). The bartender then gently stirs the cocktail in the air, raising the mixing glass high above the rim and letting the stream cascade into a chilled coupe.
DUKES Bar is also well known for its custom-designed rosewood trolley. The bartender rinses a chilled glass with vermouth, adds gin straight from the freezer, and garnishes with an organic Amalfi lemon twist for a burst of essential oils. The resulting martini is so potent that DUKES is also known for its two-martini limit.
The Aman Bar does not have a martini trolley but instead provides a curated experience where cocktails are shaken or stirred directly at the table, offering a dramatic and interactive start to the evening. Guests enjoy classic martinis with a twist—like the Wild Fennel Martini—or fully customized cocktails.
“Our idea is to replicate our philosophy of ‘feeling at home’,” explains Antonio Ferrara Bar Manager at Aman. “We imagine creating the same atmosphere in your home, with our tray bar, together with your friends or partner, to enjoy an aperitivo. The location may be different, but the feeling remains the same.”
The Connaught Bar is particularly famous for its sleek, black martini trolley, which allows guests to build a martini exactly to their tastes. Gin or vodka? Dry, wet, or somewhere in between? Connaught guests choose from bitters like lavender, tonka bean, and Dr. Ago (a signature blend of ginseng and bergamot, named for Head Bartender Ago Perrone). The bartender then gently stirs the cocktail in the air, raising the mixing glass high above the rim and letting the stream cascade into a chilled coupe.
DUKES Bar is also well known for its custom-designed rosewood trolley. The bartender rinses a chilled glass with vermouth, adds gin straight from the freezer, and garnishes with an organic Amalfi lemon twist for a burst of essential oils. The resulting martini is so potent that DUKES is also known for its two-martini limit.
The Aman Bar does not have a martini trolley but instead provides a curated experience where cocktails are shaken or stirred directly at the table, offering a dramatic and interactive start to the evening. Guests enjoy classic martinis with a twist—like the Wild Fennel Martini—or fully customized cocktails.
“Our idea is to replicate our philosophy of ‘feeling at home’,” explains Antonio Ferrara Bar Manager at Aman. “We imagine creating the same atmosphere in your home, with our tray bar, together with your friends or partner, to enjoy an aperitivo. The location may be different, but the feeling remains the same.”
Why the martini trolley works
For hotel bars already defined by high-touch service, the martini trolley and other methods of tableside service add a layer of luxury. It is interactive, highly personal, and visually compelling enough to turn one guest’s drink order into a moment the whole room notices.
It creates a personal connection
Tableside martini service gives bartenders and guests a rare one-on-one exchange. Rather than simply placing a finished cocktail on the table, the bartender guides the guest through the experience in real time.
“In order to be memorable, the guest needs to feel [like] the protagonist of the moment,” says Giorgio Bargiani, Assistant Director of Mixology at The Connaught. “The guest is not just the spectator. It’s not just a chef’s table situation. [We] provide them choices, [and] put them in charge of what they’re drinking.”
It allows true personalization
That interaction also makes customization feel more meaningful. The guest is not just selecting from a menu but helping shape the drink in front of them, choosing the base spirit, level of dryness, bitters, or garnish.
Mariantonietta Varamo, Bar and Restaurant Manager at DUKES London hotel, explains, “…you enter a ‘Martini bubble’ once the trolley is beside your table, with a skilled bartender guiding you through the varied choices, carefully listening to your preferences, much like a tailor measuring you for a suit or dress.”
It delivers the ideal temperature
A martini trolley is not just about presentation. Many carts are equipped with heavy-duty chillers that keep both glassware and spirits at extremely low temperatures, helping bars achieve a level of cold that is difficult to replicate during fast-paced service behind the bar.
Alessandro Palazzi, Head Bartender at DUKES, explains, “The martini, wherever you drink, however you drink it, temperature is the most important because it’s all alcohol. So we freeze the glass and we freeze the spirits. So the first note that will come to your nose is the citrus.”
It gives the bar a built-in spectacle
There is also the undeniable visual appeal. Martini service by trolley creates a sense of drama that guests naturally want to photograph, film, and share. That visibility can become a draw in itself.
Evan Sewell, beverage director at Capolinea at Signia by Hilton, explains, “The martini cart has actually brought people in on its own—several guests have visited specifically because they saw it on Instagram.”
How hotel bars make tableside service succeed
Of course, successful martini trolley service takes more than a beautiful cart. The trolley may be the centerpiece, but execution depends on staffing, logistics, and a concept that feels true to the bar itself. The Knickerbocker’s Martini Lounge leans into this especially well. Its martini cart features a plaque declaring, “The original dry martini was first crafted at the Knickerbocker Hotel in 1912,” tying the service directly to the property’s own lore. That kind of connection helps the experience feel rooted in something more meaningful than mere trend.
How hotel bars make tableside service succeed
Of course, successful martini trolley service takes more than a beautiful cart. The trolley may be the centerpiece, but execution depends on staffing, logistics, and a concept that feels true to the bar itself. The Knickerbocker’s Martini Lounge leans into this especially well. Its martini cart features a plaque declaring, “The original dry martini was first crafted at the Knickerbocker Hotel in 1912,” tying the service directly to the property’s own lore. That kind of connection helps the experience feel rooted in something more meaningful than mere trend.
Start with the right team
Not every bartender is suited to tableside service. The role requires technical skill, polish, and a sense of timing. The best trolley bartenders can personalize the drink, answer questions, and share details that enrich the experience without overwhelming the guest. “Your team is key,” says Varamo. “You must find the right bartenders who have the skills of a maître d’ and the ability to move a trolley with grace.”
Think through the logistics
The romance of tableside service also requires careful operational planning. How will the trolley move through a full room? What happens when several tables request it at once? Busy bars may need multiple carts, backup glassware, and a clear service system to keep the experience smooth rather than slow.
Make it your own
The strongest martini trolleys do not feel copied from somewhere else. When Perrone created the Connaught martini trolley, he drew inspiration from DUKES as well as The Dorchester’s tableside gin and tonic service, but he emphasizes the importance of adaptation over imitation. “Finding inspiration doesn’t mean to copy and paste what other people do,” he says. “It works for them, but take bits and bobs. Translate it, iterating what works for you, for your guest, and keep the pillar of authenticity very strong. Make it relevant to the style of the bar.”
Why tableside martini service endures
At its core, the martini trolley is about more than convenience. It’s about ceremony. By bringing the mixing glass, frozen spirits, and personalization directly to the table, luxury hotels recreate the sense of occasion that defined cocktail culture in the early 20th century. In an era when so many drinks are ordered quickly and consumed just as fast, the martini cart slows things down. It turns a simple cocktail into a ritual—and gives today’s hotel bars a compelling way to revive the glamour, theater, and deliberate hospitality that first made them legendary.
Why tableside martini service endures
At its core, the martini trolley is about more than convenience. It’s about ceremony. By bringing the mixing glass, frozen spirits, and personalization directly to the table, luxury hotels recreate the sense of occasion that defined cocktail culture in the early 20th century. In an era when so many drinks are ordered quickly and consumed just as fast, the martini cart slows things down. It turns a simple cocktail into a ritual—and gives today’s hotel bars a compelling way to revive the glamour, theater, and deliberate hospitality that first made them legendary.
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
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Where writers drank: 3 hotel bars behind literary history
Where writers drank
Where writers drank
3 hotel bars behind literary history
Writers in the early 1900s didn’t just happen to gather in hotel bars—it made perfect sense given how they lived, worked, and socialized at the time. Whether traveling for assignment, chasing inspiration, or avoiding distraction at home, hotels provided a home base complete with a room, meals, and mail service. And the hotel bar became the living room. The conversations, collaborations, and characters in a handful of these hotel bars left a lasting imprint on literary history.
Hemingway and the Ritz Paris bar
Hemingway and the Ritz Paris bar
Hemingway began writing his posthumously published memoir, A Moveable Feast, based on notes he found tucked away in valises he had left at the Ritz years earlier. Titles like Black Ass at the Cross Roads, Indian Country and the White Army, The Monument, and The Bubble Reputation were reportedly inspired by Hemingway’s later visits to the Ritz. Hemingway was so fond of the establishment, he once wrote, “When I dream of an afterlife in heaven, the action always takes place at the Ritz Paris”. Today, Hemingway’s love for the Ritz is memorialized through Bar Hemingway, Le Petit Bar renamed and revived in his honor.
Capote, Williams, Faulkner and the Carousel Bar
Capote, Williams, Faulkner and the Carousel Bar
William Faulkner first visited Hotel Monteleone for his 1929 honeymoon—before the Carousel Bar existed—and he wrote The Sound and the Fury, one of his most famous novels, during this stay. Faulkner returned to the hotel repeatedly over the next few decades and was known to enjoy drinks at the Carousel. While the bar is famous for the Vieux Carré cocktail, Faulkner was known to prefer a mint julep (light on sugar). Today, guests at Hotel Monteleone can choose to overnight in literary suites dedicated to the likes of Capote, Williams, Faulkner, and other famous writers.
‘The Vicious Circle’ and the Algonquin Hotel
Colleagues dubbed the group the Algonquin Round Table, due to where the group sat in the Pergola Room (subsequently renamed the Oak Room). The group met daily for over a decade, often drawing spectators, and witticisms from these lunches were widely published. Round Table discussions helped galvanize careers of several members—Harold Ross, for instance, launched The New Yorker in 1925, often hiring Dorothy Parker for contributions. As America entered the Depression, the Vicious Circle largely disbanded. But like the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, the Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel was designated a National Literary Landmark, and a painting of the group hangs there today.
‘The Vicious Circle’ and the Algonquin Hotel
Colleagues dubbed the group the Algonquin Round Table, due to where the group sat in the Pergola Room (subsequently renamed the Oak Room). The group met daily for over a decade, often drawing spectators, and witticisms from these lunches were widely published. Round Table discussions helped galvanize careers of several members—Harold Ross, for instance, launched The New Yorker in 1925, often hiring Dorothy Parker for contributions. As America entered the Depression, the Vicious Circle largely disbanded. But like the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, the Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel was designated a National Literary Landmark, and a painting of the group hangs there today.
Literature still lingers
Across Paris, New Orleans, and New York, these hotel bars offered more than a place to drink. They created the conditions for creative life to happen. Writers found community, conversation, and character within their walls, often blurring the line between observation and participation.
Today, the settings remain—polished, preserved, and in some cases, reimagined—but the stories linger as much as the cocktails. Pull up a seat, and you’re not just ordering a drink. You’re stepping into the same rooms where infamous pieces of literature once took shape.
Literature still lingers
Across Paris, New Orleans, and New York, these hotel bars offered more than a place to drink. They created the conditions for creative life to happen. Writers found community, conversation, and character within their walls, often blurring the line between observation and participation.
Today, the settings remain—polished, preserved, and in some cases, reimagined—but the stories linger as much as the cocktails. Pull up a seat, and you’re not just ordering a drink. You’re stepping into the same rooms where infamous pieces of literature once took shape.
Photo Credits
Bar Hemingway Ritz2 – Author: Pablo Sanchez
Ernest and Pauline Hemingway, Paris, 1927 – Wikimedia Commons – Author: unattributed
Algonquin Round Table – Wikimedia Commons – Author: unattributed
Algonquin Hotel Landmark Sign – New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation at the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan – Author: NoTalkMan
Carousel Bar – Courtesy of Carousel Bar & Lounge in Hotel Monteleone
Hotel Monteleone Exterior – Courtesy of Carousel Bar & Lounge in Hotel Monteleone
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
Argo Bar Hong Kong: Winning acclaim for the Four Seasons
Argo Bar Hong Kong
Argo Bar Hong Kong: Winning acclaim for the Four Seasons
Only four years old—and already renowned as one of the world’s best bars. How has an establishment as young as Argo Bar Hong Kong already drawn such levels of international acclaim? The perfect mix of atmosphere, experience, and innovation.
Lush textures,
whimsical touches
Argo Bar Hong Kong, situated in the Four Seasons, is designed like a modern conservatory or lifesize terrarium, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, mirrored surfaces, pastel hues, and lush, layered textures. The focal point is a dramatic central column of spirits—almost a tree-like display of bottles. Critics have called the space a “visual triumph”, amplifying the stunning harbor view with mirrored reflections. But the designers also included whimsical touches, such as hand-crafted paper insects to add artistry and surprise.
More fun than formal
The vibe of the Argo Bar is intended to evolve from a relaxed lobby bar in the daytime to a more dramatic cocktail lounge by night. Regardless of the time of day, former Beverage Manager Federico Balzarini said the staff aims to make the experience more fun than formal. A perfect example is the Argo Bar’s welcome beverage—a champagne cocktail garnished with colorful gummy bears.
“[I] can safely say there is no bar like Argo… if you told me a few years ago I’d be craving bubbles and gummy bears, I’d have raised an eyebrow or three. Mixing fun and formal in a Four Seasons is no easy feat. Well done to the team creating such an experience.”
Sam Gilani
The London Boozehound &
Founder of the Bartender’s Edit
Lush textures, whimsical touches
Argo Bar Hong Kong, situated in the Four Seasons, is designed like a modern conservatory or lifesize terrarium, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, mirrored surfaces, pastel hues, and lush, layered textures. The focal point is a dramatic central column of spirits—almost a tree-like display of bottles. Critics have called the space a “visual triumph”, amplifying the stunning harbor view with mirrored reflections. But the designers also included whimsical touches, such as hand-crafted paper insects to add artistry and surprise.
More fun than formal
The vibe of the Argo Bar is intended to evolve from a relaxed lobby bar in the daytime to a more dramatic cocktail lounge by night. Regardless of the time of day, former Beverage Manager Federico Balzarini said the staff aims to make the experience more fun than formal.
A perfect example is the Argo Bar’s welcome beverage—a champagne cocktail garnished with colorful gummy bears.
“[I] can safely say there is no bar like Argo… if you told me a few years ago I’d be craving bubbles and gummy bears, I’d have raised an eyebrow or three. Mixing fun and formal in a Four Seasons is no easy feat. Well done to the team creating such an experience.”
Sam Gilani
The London Boozehound &
Founder of the Bartender’s Edit
Innovation and boundary-pushing mixology
Argo Bar Hong Kong was named after the mythical Greek ship that sailed Jason and the Argonauts to the Golden Fleece, a nod to the bar’s quest for the extraordinary. The name evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, representing the bar’s goal of sourcing and creating innovative beverages.
One such innovation is a series of unique cocktails featuring Asian-sourced ingredients which risk becoming a luxury thanks to climate change. Centering ingredients like cacao and kumquat, this line of libations begs patrons to consider the question: ‘What will we be sipping on when scarcity impacts future cocktail crafting?’
Other Argo innovations include their own twists on classic cocktails. For example, the “Not A Vieux Carré” offers a “boldly sweet, tropical, and raisin-forward” alternative to the modern cognac sour-style Vieux Carré, a signature drink from the Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone.
Innovation and boundary-pushing mixology
Argo Bar Hong Kong was named after the mythical Greek ship that sailed Jason and the Argonauts to the Golden Fleece, a nod to the bar’s quest for the extraordinary. The name evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, representing the bar’s goal of sourcing and creating innovative beverages.
One such innovation is a series of unique cocktails featuring Asian-sourced ingredients which risk becoming a luxury thanks to climate change. Centering ingredients like cacao and kumquat, this line of libations begs patrons to consider the question: ‘What will we be sipping on when scarcity impacts future cocktail crafting?’
Other Argo innovations include their own twists on classic cocktails. For example, the “Not A Vieux Carré” offers a “boldly sweet, tropical, and raisin-forward” alternative to the modern cognac sour-style Vieux Carré, a signature drink from the Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone.
Racking up global recognition
Argo’s atmosphere, experience, and innovation have not gone unnoticed. The establishment has been collecting commendations since it opened in 2021 under Beverage Manager Lorenzo Antinori. Before joining Argo Bar, Antinori helped lead the Caprice Bar’s cocktail program—also situated in Four Seasons Hong Kong—to #10 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars (2021).
Racking up global recognition
Argo’s atmosphere, experience, and innovation have not gone unnoticed. The establishment has been collecting commendations since it opened in 2021 under Beverage Manager Lorenzo Antinori. Before joining Argo Bar, Antinori helped lead the Caprice Bar’s cocktail program—also situated in Four Seasons Hong Kong—to #10 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars (2021).
Thanks to both Antinori’s and Balzarini’s leadership, Argo Bar has been repeatedly recognized as one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars from 2022 onward, most recently earning #11 in 2025. The establishment has even been named one of the World’s Best Bars, coming in at #56 this year.
When Federico Balzarini took over as Beverage Manager in 2023, he also brought experience with accolades. Balzarini was part of the award-winning team that earned the American Bar at The Savoy first place in The World’s 50 Best Bars (2017).
John Gabbay, who made his name at The Champagne Bar (Four Seasons, Miami), was recently announced as Argo Bar’s latest beverage lead. Will he help Argo Bar continue to climb the World’s Best list?
“Argo is already in a fantastic place. The team has been together for years and they execute their craft beautifully. I’m not here to reinvent the bar, but to become part of the machine, to help carry the legacy forward, support the team, maintain high standards, and be a strong host. My role is to elevate what already works, not to replace it.”
John Gabbay, who made his name at The Champagne Bar (Four Seasons, Miami), was recently announced as Argo Bar’s latest beverage lead. Will he help Argo Bar continue to climb the World’s Best list?
“Argo is already in a fantastic place. The team has been together for years and they execute their craft beautifully. I’m not here to reinvent the bar, but to become part of the machine, to help carry the legacy forward, support the team, maintain high standards, and be a strong host. My role is to elevate what already works, not to replace it.”
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
The Heart of the Hotel: La Perla, Corvara
La Perla, Corvara
This year, in association with Altamura Distilleries, I’ll be exploring some of the world’s most legendary bars—uncovering what makes them the beating heart of the hotel. Our next stop is Corvara!
#Episode 6
It’s no surprise this small, sumptuous hotel is called La Perla. Pearls worn close to the heart, reveal their natural luster. Like every pearl, this one was formed by a precious speck of sand – its bar, the true heart of the hotel. Founders Ernesto and Anni Costa inherently understood that a great bar makes a great hotel. When they opened La Perla in 1956, the bar was built even before the restaurant. That original bar still anchors the hotel, inviting one and all to partake in the party that is the Bistrot Music Club & Bar.
#Episode 6
It’s no surprise this small, sumptuous hotel is called La Perla. Pearls worn close to the heart, reveal their natural luster. Like every pearl, this one was formed by a precious speck of sand – its bar, the true heart of the hotel. Founders Ernesto and Anni Costa inherently understood that a great bar makes a great hotel. When they opened La Perla in 1956, the bar was built even before the restaurant. That original bar still anchors the hotel, inviting one and all to partake in the party that is the Bistrot Music Club & Bar.
Working as both a plumber and ski instructor in Corvara, one of the cosy villages that dot Northern Italy’s famous South Tyrolean mountain range, Ernesto watched the Dolomites becoming more and more popular as a ski destination. Instrumental in building the town’s first ski lift in 1947, he knew those seeking to schuss would need sustenance and shelter, plus a few Sidecars after the cable cars closed for the evening.
So less than a decade later, he built a home for himself, adding a few additional apartments upstairs for those who’d braved the trip. Those few rooms grew into what is now La Perla or, as those in the know call it, La Casa Costa.
Friends and guests alike had an open invitation to be serenaded by Ernesto and his band downstairs in the bar. Their philosophy was that hospitality should be about having a great time and that welcome extended to not only hotel guests but to anyone who wanted to join in.
As soon as you walk into the hotel, it’s hard not to be pulled into La Perla’s iconic Bistrot Music Club & Bar. The doors are always open, and the bar’s circular design is key to its success. Conversations strike up spontaneously between not only those next to each other, but also across the bar, as passionate bartenders slalom past playful parley all night.
Working as both a plumber and ski instructor in Corvara, one of the cosy villages that dot Northern Italy’s famous South Tyrolean mountain range, Ernesto watched the Dolomites becoming more and more popular as a ski destination. Instrumental in building the town’s first ski lift in 1947, he knew those seeking to schuss would need sustenance and shelter, plus a few Sidecars after the cable cars closed for the evening.
So less than a decade later, he built a home for himself, adding a few additional apartments upstairs for those who’d braved the trip. Those few rooms grew into what is now La Perla or, as those in the know call it, La Casa Costa.
Friends and guests alike had an open invitation to be serenaded by Ernesto and his band downstairs in the bar. Their philosophy was that hospitality should be about having a great time and that welcome extended to not only hotel guests but to anyone who wanted to join in.
As soon as you walk into the hotel, it’s hard not to be pulled into La Perla’s iconic Bistrot Music Club & Bar. The doors are always open, and the bar’s circular design is key to its success. Conversations strike up spontaneously between not only those next to each other, but also across the bar, as passionate bartenders slalom past playful parley all night.
“The Hotel La Perla bar is the heart of the house: a meeting point for guests and the local community. The atmosphere, enlivened by live music, creates a relaxed and fun environment, ideal for aperitifs and after-dinner drinks accompanied by classic cocktails. Fun, comfort, and taste are its essence.”
Michele Albertelli, General Manager
Then there’s the music, which was so important to Ernesto, adding that something special. Every night brings live music – different musicians, different styles – so no night is ever the same. Locals pop in to see if their favorites have returned. Even now, 95-year-old Ernesto often sits with his Anni at the bar, catching a tune or two.
Still family run, each of their sons has had a hand in reshaping the current hotel. Mathias oversees day-to-day operations, receiving guests as they arrive.
Then there’s the music, which was so important to Ernesto, adding that something special. Every night brings live music – different musicians, different styles – so no night is ever the same. Locals pop in to see if their favorites have returned. Even now, 95-year-old Ernesto often sits with his Anni at the bar, catching a tune or two.
Still family run, each of their sons has had a hand in reshaping the current hotel. Mathias oversees day-to-day operations, receiving guests as they arrive.
The third son, Michil, recognized that a cocktail revolution was underway and set about bringing La Perla into the future, rethinking their entire bar experience including the glassware, ice, and most importantly the cocktails. His direction was to concentrate on the classics. Guests were to drink the best Martinis and Manhattans of their lives with no frills or furbelows.
On hand to lead the charge are the dynamic duo of Giulio Pagani and Mario Gambino. Originally from Le Marche region of Italy, Giulio arrived at La Perla seven years ago with a passion for mixology, born from watching the barmen before him.
“The Bistrot Music Club, together with its bar, is the true heart of the hotel. We don’t just serve cocktails – we aim to make you feel the warmth and welcome that only home can offer”
Giulio Pagani, Barman
Mario Gambino, a transplant from Sicily, joined Giulio just three years ago. Starting his career at a smaller hotel, he used to visit the Bistrot Music Club & Bar as a guest, longing to work there one day, entranced by La Perla’s “great music, and great cocktails.”
The bar is the heart of the hotel because it reflects the soul of Casa Costa: a harmonious balance of elegance, warmth, tradition, and innovation.”
Mario Gambino, Barman
Now like the Costa brothers, they work as a team, upholding the direction of the new menu they created, with an approach they like to call “evolving tradition” or innovation without destruction.
“The hotel bar is the silent, beating heart of the establishment. Here, behind the bar counter, the bartender is both historian and healer, offering not just a drink, but a bespoke story for the soul, and transforming the day’s scattered stress into a steady, sip by sip calm.”
Alex Gkountopoulous
Assistant Bar Manager
The third son, Michil, recognized that a cocktail revolution was underway and set about bringing La Perla into the future, rethinking their entire bar experience including the glassware, ice, and most importantly the cocktails. His direction was to concentrate on the classics. Guests were to drink the best Martinis and Manhattans of their lives with no frills or furbelows.
On hand to lead the charge are the dynamic duo of Giulio Pagani and Mario Gambino. Originally from Le Marche region of Italy, Giulio arrived at La Perla seven years ago with a passion for mixology, born from watching the barmen before him.
“The Bistrot Music Club, together with its bar, is the true heart of the hotel. We don’t just serve cocktails – we aim to make you feel the warmth and welcome that only home can offer”
Giulio Pagani, Barman
Journey Through Time explores the dilemma that both travelers and cocktail lovers share – the pull to discover something new or relive what has already been experienced. As the menu asks: “Will you revisit the past and uncover cocktails unfairly forgotten..or perhaps even step into eternity with timeless classics reimagined?”
The menu is divided into categories – Past, Present, Future and Eternity. The Past is made of pre-Prohibition cocktails you might not be so familiar with. The Lucien Gaudin is represented, named for the 1920’s French Olympic medal-winning fencer with its mix of London Dry Gin, red and dry Vermouth, Triple Sec, and Campari. The Tipperary also makes the list. Prepared here with Irish whiskey, red vermouth, Green Chartreuse, and a dash or two of Angostura bitters, this cocktail appears in Harry MacElhone’s 1922 ABC of Mixing Cocktails as well as Harry Craddock’s famous The Savoy Cocktail Book!
Leading the Future is the tantalizing Melinda, a perfect expression of their forward-thinking philosophy. The traditional Paloma is a simple mix of grapefruit soda and tequila. Mario and Giulio make their own soda, keeping tequila as the base and combining it with homemade ginger syrup, citric acid, and Melinda apples. A nod to this area of Italy being the largest apple-producing region in Europe, with Melinda and Marlene apples the most prevalent varieties.
Eternity pays reverence to the classics. The Martini Casa Costa made with their own signature La Perla gin distilled in Milan or Puglia’s Altamura Distilleries Vodka is as clear and crystal as the icicles outside. Their Aged Negroni begins with Campari and gin, and then surprises with four different types of vermouth aged in a barrel for two months.
The Present is a nod to seasonality. Don’t expect to find the strawberries in your Pimm’s Cup. In inclement weather, clementines will greet you instead. The Rocky Balboa is a blend of bourbon, sugar and the wintery pear. Likewise, forget that orange garnish in your Old Fashioned after a long summer’s hike. No one has complained so far.
The proceeds of a few items on both the drinks and food menu go directly to the family’s own charity, the Costa Family Foundation, which has supported over 56 projects worldwide since 2007. The Safe Zone cocktail is one of those. Either served alcohol-free or with Altamura Distilleries vodka, it’s their Moscow Mule made with homemade ginger beer and jasmine. As Giulio and Marco say…
“Whichever path you choose, either discover or relive, you’ll taste the spirit of our casa: warm hospitality, refined elegance, and enjoy a touch of creative audacity.”
Creative audacity is what Ernesto and Anni possessed from the beginning – building a ski lift where there was none, growing La Perla from a few apartments atop their home, and creating a space where music plays, songs are sung, and the sound of Vives! can be heard (cheers in Ladino, the local lingo) above the clink of cocktail glasses.
Mario Gambino, a transplant from Sicily, joined Giulio just three years ago. Starting his career at a smaller hotel, he used to visit the Bistrot Music Club & Bar as a guest, longing to work there one day, entranced by La Perla’s “great music, and great cocktails.”
“The bar is the heart of the hotel because it reflects the soul of Casa Costa: a harmonious balance of elegance, warmth, tradition, and innovation”
Mario Gambino, Barman
Now like the Costa brothers, they work as a team, upholding the direction of the new menu they created, with an approach they like to call “evolving tradition” or innovation without destruction.
Journey Through Time explores the dilemma that both travelers and cocktail lovers share – the pull to discover something new or relive what has already been experienced. As the menu asks: “Will you revisit the past and uncover cocktails unfairly forgotten..or perhaps even step into eternity with timeless classics reimagined?”
The menu is divided into categories – Past, Present, Future and Eternity. The Past is made of pre-Prohibition cocktails you might not be so familiar with. The Lucien Gaudin is represented, named for the 1920’s French Olympic medal-winning fencer with its mix of London Dry Gin, red and dry Vermouth, Triple Sec, and Campari. The Tipperary also makes the list. Prepared here with Irish whiskey, red vermouth, Green Chartreuse, and a dash or two of Angostura bitters, this cocktail appears in Harry MacElhone’s 1922 ABC of Mixing Cocktails as well as Harry Craddock’s famous The Savoy Cocktail Book!
Leading the Future is the tantalizing Melinda, a perfect expression of their forward-thinking philosophy. The traditional Paloma is a simple mix of grapefruit soda and tequila. Mario and Giulio make their own soda, keeping tequila as the base and combining it with homemade ginger syrup, citric acid, and Melinda apples. A nod to this area of Italy being the largest apple-producing region in Europe, with Melinda and Marlene apples the most prevalent varieties.
Eternity pays reverence to the classics. The Martini Casa Costa made with their own signature La Perla gin distilled in Milan or Puglia’s Altamura Distilleries Vodka is as clear and crystal as the icicles outside. Their Aged Negroni begins with Campari and gin, and then surprises with four different types of vermouth aged in a barrel for two months.
The Present is a nod to seasonality. Don’t expect to find the strawberries in your Pimm’s Cup. In inclement weather, clementines will greet you instead. The Rocky Balboa is a blend of bourbon, sugar and the wintery pear. Likewise, forget that orange garnish in your Old Fashioned after a long summer’s hike. No one has complained so far.
The proceeds of a few items on both the drinks and food menu go directly to the family’s own charity, the Costa Family Foundation, which has supported over 56 projects worldwide since 2007. The Safe Zone cocktail is one of those. Either served alcohol-free or with Altamura Distilleries vodka, it’s their Moscow Mule made with homemade ginger beer and jasmine. As Giulio and Mario say…
“Whichever path you choose, either discover or relive, you’ll taste the spirit of our casa: warm hospitality, refined elegance, and enjoy a touch of creative audacity.”
Creative audacity is what Ernesto and Anni possessed from the beginning – building a ski lift where there was none, growing La Perla from a few apartments atop their home, and creating a space where music plays, songs are sung, and the sound of Vives! can be heard (cheers in Ladino, the local lingo) above the clink of cocktail glasses.
This spirit not only permeates the bar, but fills La Perla. It was never clearer than when Giulio and Marco emerged from behind the bar, grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the make-shift dance floor in the middle of the bar saying…
“You know you asked me why I think the bar is the heart of the hotel…well, this is it!”
This spirit not only permeates the bar, but fills La Perla. It was never clearer than when Giulio and Marco emerged from behind the bar, grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the make-shift dance floor in the middle of the bar saying, “You know you asked me why I think the bar is the heart of the hotel…well, this is it!”
A point of gravity, shaped in a circle, that draws you in and makes it hard to leave. A place where, whether you arrive alone or with others, you naturally become part of the atmosphere. Resistance is futile: you let yourself be guided by Giulio and Mario, by the music that invites you to sing and dance, by the smiles exchanged with the person sitting opposite you. The bar at Hotel La Perla is a round table. Here, you are never alone. Here, you meet many people – and perhaps, you come to know yourself a little better too.
Marlene Zanotti, Marketing Manager
A point of gravity, shaped in a circle, that draws you in and makes it hard to leave. A place where, whether you arrive alone or with others, you naturally become part of the atmosphere.
Resistance is futile: you let yourself be guided by Giulio and Mario, by the music that invites you to sing and dance, by the smiles exchanged with the person sitting opposite you.
The bar at Hotel La Perla is a round table. Here, you are never alone. Here, you meet many people – and perhaps, you come to know yourself a little better too.
Marlene Zanotti, Marketing Manager
Susan L. Schwartz
Susan L. Schwartz is the award-winning creator of A Lush Life Manual and host of the Lush Life Podcast. She writes widely on drinks and travel, leads London and Venice Cocktail Tours, and has been recognised with multiple industry awards.
12 of the world’s most famous hotel bars
Famous Hotel Bars
12 of the world’s most famous hotel bars
Hotel bars have always been more than a convenient place for a nightcap. At their best, they’re cultural landmarks—places where cocktails are invented, legends linger, and bartenders quietly shape the future of drinking.
From century-old institutions to boundary-pushing newcomers, these are 12 of the most famous hotel cocktail bars in the world, each with a story worth savoring.
American Bar at The Savoy (London)
Why it stands out: It’s where cocktail history never stopped being written.
American Bar at The Savoy (London)
Why it stands out: It’s where cocktail history never stopped being written.
Argo Bar (Hong Kong)
Why it stands out: Playful, futuristic, and wildly imaginative.
Argo Bar (Hong Kong)
Why it stands out: Playful, futuristic, and wildly imaginative.
Bar Hemingway (Paris)
Why it stands out: Tiny, legendary, and built on myth.
Ernest Hemingway may never have officially imbibed here—but his spirit defines it. Revived by master bartender Colin Field, Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris became famous for its intimate scale, the ultra-cold Clean Dirty Martini, and a philosophy that puts people before drinks. Proof that a bar doesn’t need size to achieve immortality.
Artesian Bar (London)
Why it stands out: The bar that dominated the world’s cocktail rankings for four straight years.
Located inside The Langham Hotel, Artesian Bar has redefined modern hotel cocktail culture with concept-driven menus, inventive ingredients, and exceptional hospitality. Named the World’s Best Bar four years in a row (2012–2015), Artesian became famous for imaginative drinks developed in its underground Cocktail Lab, proving that innovation and luxury can thrive behind a hotel bar.
Bar Hemingway (Paris)
Why it stands out: Tiny, legendary, and built on myth.
Ernest Hemingway may never have officially imbibed here—but his spirit defines it. Revived by master bartender Colin Field, Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris became famous for its intimate scale, the ultra-cold Clean Dirty Martini, and a philosophy that puts people before drinks. Proof that a bar doesn’t need size to achieve immortality.
Artesian Bar (London)
Why it stands out: The bar that dominated the world’s cocktail rankings for four straight years.
Located inside The Langham Hotel, Artesian Bar has redefined modern hotel cocktail culture with concept-driven menus, inventive ingredients, and exceptional hospitality. Named the World’s Best Bar four years in a row (2012–2015), Artesian became famous for imaginative drinks developed in its underground Cocktail Lab, proving that innovation and luxury can thrive behind a hotel bar.
BKK Social Club (Bangkok)
Why it stands out: Latin American glamour, halfway around the world.
BKK Social Club (Bangkok)
Why it stands out: Latin American glamour, halfway around the world.
Botanist Bar (Vancouver)
Why it stands out: A cocktail lab that changed what a hotel bar could be.
Botanist Bar (Vancouver)
Why it stands out: A cocktail lab that changed what a hotel bar could be.
King Cole Bar (New York City)
Why it stands out: The birthplace of the Bloody Mary—and a mural with a scandalous secret.
Hidden inside The St. Regis New York, the King Cole Bar pairs old-world elegance with quiet mischief. Beneath Maxfield Parrish’s legendary mural, Fernand Petiot introduced the Red Snapper cocktail (now known worldwide as the Bloody Mary), forever changing brunch culture. It’s a bar where nearly a century of deals, art, and cocktails still hum softly in the background.
King Cole Bar (New York City)
Why it stands out: The birthplace of the Bloody Mary—and a mural with a scandalous secret.
Hidden inside The St. Regis New York, the King Cole Bar pairs old-world elegance with quiet mischief. Beneath Maxfield Parrish’s legendary mural, Fernand Petiot introduced the Red Snapper cocktail (now known worldwide as the Bloody Mary), forever changing brunch culture. It’s a bar where nearly a century of deals, art, and cocktails still hum softly in the background.
Carousel Bar (New Orleans)
Why it stands out: The only bar that literally spins.
Carousel Bar (New Orleans)
Why it stands out: The only bar that literally spins.
The Connaught Bar (London)
Why it stands out: A martini turned into a performance.
The Connaught Bar (London)
Why it stands out: A martini turned into a performance.
Peacock Alley (New York City)
Why it stands out: It began as a runway for high society—and still is.
Peacock Alley was once a marble promenade where New York’s elite paraded their status. Today, inside the restored Waldorf Astoria, it remains a stage for ritual and elegance. From the iconic clock (“Meet me at the clock”) to Cole Porter’s piano and heritage cocktails like the Ginger Collins, Peacock Alley proves that spectacle and substance can coexist beautifully.
Peacock Alley (New York City)
Why it stands out: It began as a runway for high society—and still is.
Peacock Alley was once a marble promenade where New York’s elite paraded their status. Today, inside the restored Waldorf Astoria, it remains a stage for ritual and elegance. From the iconic clock (“Meet me at the clock”) to Cole Porter’s piano and heritage cocktails like the Ginger Collins, Peacock Alley proves that spectacle and substance can coexist beautifully.
Stravinskij Bar (Rome)
Why it stands out: A secret garden for serious cocktails.
Tucked inside Hotel de Russie, the Stravinskij Bar offers a rare Roman luxury: space.
Set within a lush garden courtyard, the bar pairs nature-inspired cocktails with Salvatore Calabrese’s refined touch. The Negroni Svegliato—part Negroni, part coffee ritual—has already earned cult status.
Stravinskij Bar (Rome)
Why it stands out: A secret garden for serious cocktails.
Tucked inside Hotel de Russie, the Stravinskij Bar offers a rare Roman luxury: space.
Set within a lush garden courtyard, the bar pairs nature-inspired cocktails with Salvatore Calabrese’s refined touch. The Negroni Svegliato—part Negroni, part coffee ritual—has already earned cult status.
Virtu Bar (Tokyo)
Why it stands out: Parisian elegance meets Japanese precision.
Virtu Bar (Tokyo)
Why it stands out: Parisian elegance meets Japanese precision.
Why the best hotel cocktail bars matter
Together, these bars show why hotels remain the guardians and innovators of cocktail culture. Some preserve tradition. Others challenge it. All of them remind us that the best drinks are inseparable from the places—and people—who create them.
Why the best hotel cocktail bars matter
Together, these bars show why hotels remain the guardians and innovators of cocktail culture. Some preserve tradition. Others challenge it. All of them remind us that the best drinks are inseparable from the places—and people—who create them.
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
Virtù Tokyo: Exuding a true French–Japanese identity
Virtù Tokyo
Virtù Tokyo: Exuding a true French–Japanese identity
Crowning the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo, Virtù Bar has risen to international acclaim by artfully blending French spirits with Japanese precision and tradition. Virtù Tokyo has become a destination for cocktail enthusiasts seeking elegant, spirit-forward drinks to enjoy alongside stunning views of the city and the Imperial Palace. But Virtù’s French-Japanese identity is not just a fun theme for the bar—it’s a true identity blended into every aspect of the establishment, from the cocktail program to the decor, the exacting hospitality to the unique, locally-sourced ingredients.
“Paris meets Tokyo. It’s East meets West. Put them together and voilà, we make magic.”
Keith Motsi – Head Bartender
Artfully blended ambiance
Enter Virtù Bar through a bookshelf-lined hall and immediately find yourself immersed in opulence. The French Art Deco-inspired space features plush seating, polished dark marble, and gleaming brass accents, all designed to evoke the glamor of a 1920s Parisian salon. And yet, Japanese elements are subtly incorporated in the artwork, statuary, textiles, and overall craftsmanship.
“The atmosphere of Virtù can be felt as soon as you step inside, with its warm colors and the collaboration pieces of 16 artists from Tokyo and Paris throughout the space.”
McHayla Killoran – Bar Manager
Artfully blended ambiance
Enter Virtù Bar through a bookshelf-lined hall and immediately find yourself immersed in opulence. The French Art Deco-inspired space features plush seating, polished dark marble, and gleaming brass accents, all designed to evoke the glamor of a 1920s Parisian salon. And yet, Japanese elements are subtly incorporated in the artwork, statuary, textiles, and overall craftsmanship.
“The atmosphere of Virtù can be felt as soon as you step inside, with its warm colors and the collaboration pieces of 16 artists from Tokyo and Paris throughout the space.”
McHayla Killoran – Bar Manager
East meets West cocktail program
The signature cocktails at Virtù Bar Tokyo celebrate both French spirits and Japanese ingredients in unexpected ways. A few guest favorites include:
- Smoked Ume Fashioned—House brandy umeshu (plum wine), Japanese whisky and hinoki bitters create a smoky, refined twist on an Old Fashioned.
- Yuzu Nagi—Yuzu-infused gin (or mezcal), cognac, yuzu juice and liqueur with yuzu bitters blend into a bright, citrus-forward beverage.
- Thé Hoji Épicé—Hojicha (roasted green tea) vodka and liqueur, aromatic bitters, ginger beer and cranberries transform to be both spicy and tea-inspired.
East meets West cocktail program
The signature cocktails at Virtù Bar Tokyo celebrate both French spirits and Japanese ingredients in unexpected ways. A few guest favorites include:
- Smoked Ume Fashioned—House brandy umeshu (plum wine), Japanese whisky and hinoki bitters create a smoky, refined twist on an Old Fashioned.
- Yuzu Nagi—Yuzu-infused gin (or mezcal), cognac, yuzu juice and liqueur with yuzu bitters blend into a bright, citrus-forward beverage.
- Thé Hoji Épicé—Hojicha (roasted green tea) vodka and liqueur, aromatic bitters, ginger beer and cranberries transform to be both spicy and tea-inspired.
A new level of locality
In addition to house signatures, the hotel bar’s menu often features a range of seasonal or classic riffs, such as the Sakura Sazerac, a combination of rye, cognac, Japanese absinthe and cherry blossom bitters.
And when the team at Virtù can’t find exactly the right ingredients for their cocktail creations, they make them. In collaboration with Hiyori, a local boutique winery, Virtù recently launched a collection of their own vermouths, as well as a signature tonic water.
“The light, the soil, the view, it’s all part of the blend. We couldn’t find a vermouth that spoke to the flavors we work with, so we made one—with casts that breathe this air, with herbs that grow under the same sun as Kochu grapes, with tonic extracts that don’t shout, they whisper.”
Graham Kimura – Assistant Head Bartender
A new level of locality
In addition to house signatures, the hotel bar’s menu often features a range of seasonal or classic riffs, such as the Sakura Sazerac, a combination of rye, cognac, Japanese absinthe and cherry blossom bitters.
And when the team at Virtù can’t find exactly the right ingredients for their cocktail creations, they make them. In collaboration with Hiyori, a local boutique winery, Virtù recently launched a collection of their own vermouths, as well as a signature tonic water.
“The light, the soil, the view, it’s all part of the blend. We couldn’t find a vermouth that spoke to the flavors we work with, so we made one—with casts that breathe this air, with herbs that grow under the same sun as Kochu grapes, with tonic extracts that don’t shout, they whisper.”
Graham Kimura – Assistant Head Bartender
The Japanese art of hospitality
Virtù Tokyo is perhaps most famous for its world-class hospitality. “Hospitality to us means an act of being selfless” says Motsi. The team embraces the Japanese concepts of omotenashi and kaizen. With roots in Japan’s ancient tea ceremonies, omotenashi means giving oneself up unto others to provide a selfless level of service. Kaizen encourages ongoing, incremental improvements.The concepts come to life at Virtù even before the first drink.
Staff greet guests warmly and quickly assess the best place for them in the space—whether that’s a cozy corner for quiet conversation, a seat at the bar for a solo traveler, or a table suited to a group’s vibe. The service then flows seamlessly so guests never have to signal for attention. Glasses are topped up, menus presented, and needs anticipated in a way that feels natural rather than performative.
The Japanese art of hospitality
Virtù Tokyo is perhaps most famous for its world-class hospitality. “Hospitality to us means an act of being selfless” says Motsi. The team embraces the Japanese concepts of omotenashi and kaizen. With roots in Japan’s ancient tea ceremonies, omotenashi means giving oneself up unto others to provide a selfless level of service. Kaizen encourages ongoing, incremental improvements.The concepts come to life at Virtù even before the first drink.
Staff greet guests warmly and quickly assess the best place for them in the space—whether that’s a cozy corner for quiet conversation, a seat at the bar for a solo traveler, or a table suited to a group’s vibe. The service then flows seamlessly so guests never have to signal for attention. Glasses are topped up, menus presented, and needs anticipated in a way that feels natural rather than performative.
Kimura explains, “We treat everyone that walks through that door like we’ve known them for years. As soon as you walk through that door, you’re part of our family.”
Ever-growing accolades
The perfectly executed French-Japanese identity has earned Virtù Tokyo a variety of impressive accolades since its opening in 2020, including:
-
45th on the
World’s 50 Best Bars (2025)
-
Tatler Asia’s
Best-in-Class Award for Best Service (2025)
-
Michter’s
Art of Hospitality Award (2024)
On receiving Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, Motsi explained:
“This recognition reflects the heart of our team. We don’t just serve cocktails; we curate exceptional moments that matter.”
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.
BKK Social Club: Bringing Latin American luxury to Bangkok
BKK Social Club Bangkok
BKK Social Club Bangkok
BKK Social Club
Bringing Latin American luxury to Bangkok
The BKK Social Club (Bangkok) blends cultures and cuisines from opposite ends of the world to create an experience lauded by tourists and Bangkok locals alike. Located in the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, this chic, Gatsby-esque hotel bar invites guests to explore the iconic places, personalities, and parties of Latin America.
BKK Social Club: Bringing Latin American luxury to Bangkok
The BKK Social Club (Bangkok) blends cultures and cuisines from opposite ends of the world to create an experience lauded by tourists and Bangkok locals alike. Located in the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, this chic, Gatsby-esque hotel bar invites guests to explore the iconic places, personalities, and parties of Latin America.
At the time, the idea of mixing spirits into cocktails was still considered a brash New World invention. The Savoy leaned into the trend, importing American bartending culture, and helped London fall in love with mixed drinks.
“The “American” Bar is a stylistic term. It was putting a flagpole down, saying that this bar is a bar that’s going to serve you cocktails. We are the bar that has maintained that name since the late 19th century, making us Europe’s oldest, or, as I prefer to call us, the longest-standing [American] bar in Europe.”
Declan McGurk
Former Director of Bars at The Savoy
Why Latin America in Bangkok?
World-renowned bartender and Beverage Manager Philip Bischoff explains that design firm AvroKo created the venue in the spirit of 1920s Argentinian Art Nouveau. Bischoff and team embraced and built off the Latin American ambiance. He asked himself…
“…if the design inspiration is Argentine, why not also bring the first culinary journey from that far away?”
So, for the first several years of its existence, the BKK Social Club transported the places, personalities, and parties of Argentina to the banks of the Chao Phraya.
Why Latin America in Bangkok?
World-renowned bartender and Beverage Manager Philip Bischoff explains that design firm AvroKo created the venue in the spirit of 1920s Argentinian Art Nouveau. Bischoff and team embraced and built off the Latin American ambiance. He asked himself…
“…if the design inspiration is Argentine, why not also bring the first culinary journey from that far away?”
So, for the first several years of its existence, the BKK Social Club transported the places, personalities, and parties of Argentina to the banks of the Chao Phraya.
Bangkok Bartenders showcased Argentina’s spirit with storied drinks such as the Evita, honoring the legendary First Lady, Eva ‘Evita’ Perón. The Evita featured layered flavors of pineapple rum, Campari, citrus, and bay leaf, reflecting her layered story. Also popular was the Hand of God, inspired by the late Argentine footballer Diego Maradona, a bold and bittersweet blend of tequila reposado (Olmeca Altos), Campari, and cacao-Malbec cordial.
Bangkok Bartenders showcased Argentina’s spirit with storied drinks such as the Evita, honoring the legendary First Lady, Eva ‘Evita’ Perón. The Evita featured layered flavors of pineapple rum, Campari, citrus, and bay leaf, reflecting her layered story. Also popular was the Hand of God, inspired by the late Argentine footballer Diego Maradona, a bold and bittersweet blend of tequila reposado (Olmeca Altos), Campari, and cacao-Malbec cordial.
Moving to Mexico City
In late 2024, Bischoff and team announced a new menu.
“… transitioning from the vibrant essence
of Argentina to the rich cultural
tapestry of Mexico City.”
The latest BKK cocktail menu features drinks devoted to telling the stories of and around Mexico City. For example, La Capilla is a reference to the historic La Capilla bar in Tequila, Mexico. Created by Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of the legendary bar, La Capilla is made from strawberry Cenote Blanco Tequila, Se Busca Mezcal Peach, citrus, sea salt, and Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Other popular BKK cocktails inspired by Mexico City include:
-
Jimador
For the agave field workers (“jimadores”) of Mexico
-
Lucha Libre
For the fun and spectacle of Mexican wrestling
-
Día de Muertos
A tribute to Mexico’s vibrant celebration
Moving to Mexico City
In 2024, Bischoff and team announced a new menu.
“… transitioning from the vibrant essence of Argentina to the rich cultural tapestry of Mexico City.”
The latest BKK cocktail menu features drinks devoted to telling the stories of and around Mexico City. For example, La Capilla is a reference to the historic La Capilla bar in Tequila, Mexico. Created by Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of the legendary bar, La Capilla is made from strawberry Cenote Blanco Tequila, Se Busca Mezcal Peach, citrus, sea salt, and Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Other popular BKK cocktails inspired by Mexico City include:
Jimador
For the agave field workers (“jimadores”) of Mexico
Lucha Libre
For the fun and spectacle of Mexican wrestling
Día de Muertos
A tribute to Mexico’s vibrant celebration
Glitz, glamor and good times
Bischoff once said: “I wanted to create a social hotspot, that was our core focus from the beginning—to create a place for people to feel welcome, get together and celebrate.” Bischoff has undoubtedly succeeded. Not only is the venue recognized as a top bar in Thailand, the BKK Social Club landed at #49 on the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars for 2025. While guests appreciate the timeless vibe, handcrafted cocktails, and lively soundtrack, many BKK Social Club reviews also note the impeccable service:
- “Amazing experience. With creative and original cocktails, delicious bites and meticulous service from Pomelo and Beer, I can easily understand how BKK Social Club got top 12 in the world.” —McCully from Singapore
- “Impeccable service, genuine warmth, and cocktails that deserve their own spotlight. A must-visit if you want your night to feel like a scene from a movie.” —Andreea i from Birmingham, UK
- “Laid-back luxury. Fantastically nice and professional service, extra fun with representation from the Seychelles this evening.” —Phayao13, Stockholm, Sweden
Glitz, glamor and good times
Bischoff once said: “I wanted to create a social hotspot, that was our core focus from the beginning—to create a place for people to feel welcome, get together and celebrate.” Bischoff has undoubtedly succeeded. Not only is the venue recognized as a top bar in Thailand, the BKK Social Club landed at #49 on the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars for 2025. While guests appreciate the timeless vibe, handcrafted cocktails, and lively soundtrack, many BKK Social Club reviews also note the impeccable service:
- “Amazing experience. With creative and original cocktails, delicious bites and meticulous service from Pomelo and Beer, I can easily understand how BKK Social Club got top 12 in the world.” —McCully from Singapore
- “Impeccable service, genuine warmth, and cocktails that deserve their own spotlight. A must-visit if you want your night to feel like a scene from a movie.” —Andreea i from Birmingham, UK
- “Laid-back luxury. Fantastically nice and professional service, extra fun with representation from the Seychelles this evening.” —Phayao13, Stockholm, Sweden
Book via the
Four Seasons app
When in Bangkok, aspiring bartenders shouldn’t miss a stop at the BKK Social Club, which welcomes guests from 5:00 pm to 12:00 am daily. Can you walk in? We wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, make a reservation via the website, call +66 (0)2 032 0885, or book via the Four Seasons app.
What’s next for BKK?
We expect to see a continued evolution of Bischoff and team’s creative and “world-class” cocktail menu. Stay tuned for new cocktails inspired by additional Latin America locales.
Book via the Four Seasons app
When in Bangkok, aspiring bartenders shouldn’t miss a stop at the BKK Social Club, which welcomes guests from 5:00 pm to 12:00 am daily. Can you walk in? We wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, make a reservation via the website, call +66 (0)2 032 0885, or book via the Four Seasons app.
What’s next for BKK?
We expect to see a continued evolution of Bischoff and team’s creative and “world-class” cocktail menu.
Stay tuned for new cocktails inspired by additional Latin America locales.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Four Seasons Press Room
Nicole Bump
Nicole is a seasoned content strategist and writer with 15+ years of experience turning complex ideas into compelling stories. As founder of Bump Inbound, she helps brands connect with audiences through thoughtful strategy, sharp planning, and standout writing.