{"id":180165,"date":"2026-07-30T09:40:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T07:40:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/?p=180165"},"modified":"2026-08-27T08:46:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T06:46:39","slug":"bar-hemingway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/hotel-bars\/bar-hemingway\/","title":{"rendered":"Bar Hemingway: History, myth and the making of a legend"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row row_height_percent=”100″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”5″ bottom_padding=”5″ back_color=”color-nhtu” back_image=”180174″ kburns=”zoom” overlay_color=”color-jevc” overlay_alpha=”20″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ enable_bottom_divider=”default” bottom_divider=”gradient” shape_bottom_h_use_pixel=”true” shape_bottom_height_percent=”100″ shape_bottom_color=”color-jevc” shape_bottom_opacity=”30″ shape_bottom_index=”0″ content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”523666″ back_color_type=”uncode-palette” overlay_color_type=”uncode-palette” shape_bottom_color_type=”uncode-palette”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”2″ style=”dark” overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”762827″][uncode_info_box items=”Categories,Date” text_size=”h4″ separator=”bullet”][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”142862″ el_class=”new-class-00″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway<\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”605564″ row_height_pixel=”200px”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”123829″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”630144″ el_class=”new-class-01″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway:
\nHistory, myth and the making of a legend
\n<\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ernest Hemingway\u2019s name, spirit, and stories are stitched into every corner of this eponymous bar. To understand why, you have to trace the evolution of the Hotel Ritz Paris\u2019s bars\u2014through reinvention, wartime drama, and the vision of one of the greatest bartenders of our time.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”167712″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”835466″][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ equal_height=”yes” gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”141428″][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”85″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”161048″][vc_single_image media=”180178″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” uncode_shortcode_id=”883962″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”391330″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”390513″ el_class=”new-class-02″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway history: The origin<\/h3>\n

The Ritz Paris<\/a><\/strong> opened its doors in 1898, instantly setting a new standard for luxury hospitality. The hotel added the Le Caf\u00e9 Parisien bar in 1921, but per social norms of the era, women weren\u2019t welcome.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead, C\u00e9sar Ritz created a ladies bar at the Ritz, just off the main lounge\u2014a daring innovation at the time\u2014to accommodate women while their husbands drank across the hall. Drinks here were often adorned with roses or orchids, a flourish meant to appeal to its fashionable female clientele.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About fifteen years later, the mood shifted. In 1936, as social rules loosened, the Ritz Hotel reinvented this waiting room as Le Petit Bar. No longer off-limits, it welcomed both men and women into its intimate space.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ernest Hemingway<\/strong> became a regular, using the bar both as a place to drink and as a perch for writing. He was known to stretch tabs beyond his means, often relying on friends like F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda to cover the bill.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=”2″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”724328″ back_color_type=”uncode-solid” back_color_solid=”#f3eee7″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_horizontal=”left” position_vertical=”middle” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”154791″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”313953″ el_class=”new-class-13″]<\/p>\n

Bertin\u2019s Bar<\/h3>\n

As Le Petit Bar found its stride in the 1930s, it became defined not just by its guests but by its barman: Bernard Azimont (affectionately known as Bertin). Charismatic and attentive, Bertin tended the Ritz bar for an astonishing 48 years. His warmth made the snug bar a home for regulars, to the point that it was widely known simply as Bertin\u2019s Bar.<\/p>\n

Guests came not only for cocktails but for Bertin himself\u2014a bartender whose personality was as essential to the room as its wood-paneled walls.<\/p>\n

Bertin\u2019s tenure stretched through decades of social change, from the glamorous prewar years to the darker days of the occupation. When he finally retired in 1974, an era ended with him, and the bar\u2019s energy drained away.<\/p>\n

By 1979, in a last-ditch attempt to revive business, the Ritz rebranded its Le Petit Bar as Bar Hemingway with the blessing of the Hemingway family. Unfortunately, it didn\u2019t take. By 1982, the bar was shuttered.
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image media=”180183″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” uncode_shortcode_id=”177033″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”2″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”79″ equal_height=”yes” gutter_size=”4″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ row_height_pixel=”800″ el_class=”home-middle” uncode_shortcode_id=”462633″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text el_class=”home-middle” uncode_shortcode_id=”695215″]<\/p>\n

Colin Peter Field revives Bar Hemingway<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/h3>\n

The revival came in 1994, when the Ritz entrusted a young Englishman named Colin Field, bartender, to reopen the forgotten room. Starting with just four tables, Field reinvented Bar Hemingway as something entirely new: a jewel box of a bar that blended high craft with warm conversation.<\/p>\n

Demand quickly grew, and by 1997 the bar expanded into the neighboring concierge quarters, today holding nine tables and just 35 seats.<\/p>\n

Field didn\u2019t just put Bar Hemingway back on the map; he made it a global destination. Named \u201cBest Head Bartender in the World\u201d by the likes of Forbes and Travel & Leisure, he attracted celebrities, diplomats, and aspiring bartenders alike.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”229451″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small”]<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are my total influence. It\u2019s not about the cocktail\u2014it\u2019s about the person.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Colin Peter Field, Former Head Bartender<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”4″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes”][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”2″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”100″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”-3″ shift_y_fixed=”yes” shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”4″ mobile_width=”4″ width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image media=”180188″ media_width_percent=”100″ media_ratio=”nine-sixteen” uncode_shortcode_id=”144103″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”100″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”1″ shift_y_fixed=”yes” shift_y_down=”-2″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”4″ mobile_width=”4″ width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image media=”180190″ media_width_percent=”100″ media_ratio=”nine-sixteen” uncode_shortcode_id=”135054″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”570251″ row_height_pixel=”200px”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”123829″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”172725″ el_class=”new-class-01″]<\/p>\n

Field is also responsible for much of the ambiance at the Hemingway Bar. While many visitors assume the myriad historical items adorning the space belonged to Hemingway, most came from Field\u2019s personal collection\u2014including fishing rods and reels, a World War I biplane propeller, as well as photographs, letters, and memorabilia tied to Hemingway. Kate Moss even donated a vintage typewriter in homage to Hemingway.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”2″ bottom_padding=”4″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”221172″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”835466″][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ equal_height=”yes” gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”141428″][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”85″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”161048″][vc_single_image media=”180201″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” uncode_shortcode_id=”273199″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”391330″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”502284″ el_class=”new-class-02″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway\u2019s storied cocktails<\/h3>\n

Field\u2019s two most famous creations became synonymous with Bar Hemingway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Clean Dirty Martini<\/strong>, served at \u201324\u00b0C in custom-designed crystal, tastes intensely of picoline olives, thanks to an ice cube made of olive juice. The exact recipe, however, remains a closely guarded secret. \u201cHow I make it, I\u2019m not telling,\u201d<\/em> Field once teased. \u201cIt\u2019s a secret\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Field\u2019s personal favorite, however, is the Serendipity<\/strong>, a refreshing mix of Calvados, fresh mint, apple juice, and Champagne.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=”2″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”117049″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small”]<\/p>\n

\u201cMy desert island cocktail would be the Serendipity\u2026 probably my all-round favorite.\u201d<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”788208″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small”]<\/p>\n

Colin Peter Field
\nFormer Head Bartender<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”136631″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/2″ uncode_shortcode_id=”506396″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”184377″ el_class=”new-class-02″]<\/p>\n

A legacy passed on<\/h3>\n

When the Ritz underwent a $400 million renovation in the 2010s, Bar Hemingway alone remained untouched, its charm too sacred to disturb.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”180206″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” uncode_shortcode_id=”353289″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image media=”180204″ media_width_percent=”60″ alignment=”center” uncode_shortcode_id=”171091″ el_class=”new-class-02″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ mobile_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”129555″ row_height_pixel=”200px”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”123829″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”500888″ el_class=”new-class-01″]<\/p>\n

What bartenders can take away<\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway is a lesson in intimacy, storytelling, and service. Its reputation isn\u2019t built on square footage or showmanship, but on the way a bartender can make a room\u2014no matter how small\u2014feel like the center of the world.<\/p>\n

As Field explained: \u201cI want you to go out of the bar and say, I just had a good time. That\u2019s really what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway\u2019s history shows that legends aren\u2019t inherited; they\u2019re made behind the bar, one guest and one glass at a time.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”777600″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

History, myth and the making of a legend<\/h3>\n

Ernest Hemingway\u2019s name, spirit, and stories are stitched into every corner of this eponymous bar. To understand why, you have to trace the evolution of the Hotel Ritz Paris\u2019s bars\u2014through reinvention, wartime drama, and the vision of one of the greatest bartenders of our time.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180178″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”139680″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”763983″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway history: The origin<\/h3>\n

The Ritz Paris<\/a> opened its doors in 1898, instantly setting a new standard for luxury hospitality. The hotel added the Le Caf\u00e9 Parisien bar in 1921, but per social norms of the era, women weren\u2019t welcome.<\/p>\n

Instead, C\u00e9sar Ritz created a ladies bar at the Ritz, just off the main lounge\u2014a daring innovation at the time\u2014to accommodate women while their husbands drank across the hall. Drinks here were often adorned with roses or orchids, a flourish meant to appeal to its fashionable female clientele.<\/p>\n

About fifteen years later, the mood shifted. In 1936, as social rules loosened, the Ritz Hotel reinvented this waiting room as Le Petit Bar. No longer off-limits, it welcomed both men and women into its intimate space.<\/p>\n

Ernest Hemingway<\/strong> became a regular, using the bar both as a place to drink and as a perch for writing. He was known to stretch tabs beyond his means, often relying on friends like F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda to cover the bill.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”850430″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

Hemingway\u2019s \u201cliberation\u201d of the Ritz<\/h3>\n

The Ritz fell under Nazi control during World War II, and its bars became watering holes for German officers. Legend has it that as Paris was liberated in 1944, Hemingway\u2014then a war correspondent\u2014drove up to the Ritz in a jeep mounted with a machine gun. He burst into the hotel and declared he was there to liberate the Ritz. Upon learning the Germans had already fled, he promptly ordered 51 dry martinis for himself and the men with him.<\/p>\n

The image of Hemingway famously \u201cliberating\u201d the bar is one of hospitality\u2019s most enduring tales (even if parts of it may veer into myth).
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180183″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”261143″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”984153″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

Bertin\u2019s Bar<\/h3>\n

As Le Petit Bar found its stride in the 1930s, it became defined not just by its guests but by its barman: Bernard Azimont (affectionately known as Bertin). Charismatic and attentive, Bertin tended the Ritz bar for an astonishing 48 years. His warmth made the snug bar a home for regulars, to the point that it was widely known simply as Bertin\u2019s Bar.<\/p>\n

Guests came not only for cocktails but for Bertin himself\u2014a bartender whose personality was as essential to the room as its wood-paneled walls.<\/p>\n

Bertin\u2019s tenure stretched through decades of social change, from the glamorous prewar years to the darker days of the occupation. When he finally retired in 1974, an era ended with him, and the bar\u2019s energy drained away.<\/p>\n

By 1979, in a last-ditch attempt to revive business, the Ritz rebranded its Le Petit Bar as Bar Hemingway with the blessing of the Hemingway family. Unfortunately, it didn\u2019t take. By 1982, the bar was shuttered.<\/p>\n

The image of Hemingway famously \u201cliberating\u201d the bar is one of hospitality\u2019s most enduring tales (even if parts of it may veer into myth).[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180188″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”287878″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”456624″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

Colin Peter Field revives Bar Hemingway<\/h3>\n

Colin Peter Field revives Bar Hemingway
\nThe revival came in 1994, when the Ritz entrusted a young Englishman named Colin Field, bartender, to reopen the forgotten room. Starting with just four tables, Field reinvented Bar Hemingway as something entirely new: a jewel box of a bar that blended high craft with warm conversation.<\/p>\n

Demand quickly grew, and by 1997 the bar expanded into the neighboring concierge quarters, today holding nine tables and just 35 seats.<\/p>\n

Field didn\u2019t just put Bar Hemingway back on the map; he made it a global destination. Named \u201cBest Head Bartender in the World\u201d by the likes of Forbes and Travel & Leisure, he attracted celebrities, diplomats, and aspiring bartenders alike.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”156546″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small-mobile”]<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are my total influence. It\u2019s not about the cocktail\u2014it\u2019s about the person.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Colin Peter Field, Former Head Bartender<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”194866″ el_class=”new-class-07″]Field is also responsible for much of the ambiance at the Hemingway Bar. While many visitors assume the myriad historical items adorning the space belonged to Hemingway, most came from Field\u2019s personal collection\u2014including fishing rods and reels, a World War I biplane propeller, as well as photographs, letters, and memorabilia tied to Hemingway. Kate Moss even donated a vintage typewriter in homage to Hemingway.
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180201″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”101025″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”856759″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

Bar Hemingway\u2019s storied cocktails<\/h3>\n

Field\u2019s two most famous creations became synonymous with Bar Hemingway.<\/p>\n

The Clean Dirty Martini<\/strong>, served at \u201324\u00b0C in custom-designed crystal, tastes intensely of picoline olives, thanks to an ice cube made of olive juice. The exact recipe, however, remains a closely guarded secret. \u201cHow I make it, I\u2019m not telling,\u201d<\/em> Field once teased. \u201cIt\u2019s a secret\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Field\u2019s personal favorite, however, is the Serendipity<\/strong>, a refreshing mix of Calvados, fresh mint, apple juice, and Champagne.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”213194″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small-mobile”]<\/p>\n

\u201cMy desert island cocktail would be the Serendipity\u2026 probably my all-round favorite.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Colin Peter Field, Former Head Bartender<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180206″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”121767″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” auto_height_device=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”200804″][vc_column column_width_percent=”95″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”100338″][vc_empty_space empty_h=”1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”112669″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

A legacy passed on<\/h3>\n

When the Ritz underwent a $400 million renovation in the 2010s, Bar Hemingway alone remained untouched, its charm too sacred to disturb.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”173189″ el_class=”new-class-07″]<\/p>\n

What bartenders can take away<\/h3>\n

Bar Hemingway is a lesson in intimacy, storytelling, and service. Its reputation isn\u2019t built on square footage or showmanship, but on the way a bartender can make a room\u2014no matter how small\u2014feel like the center of the world. As Field explained: [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”677991″ el_class=”new-moduli-citazione-small-mobile”]<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to go out of the bar and say, I just had a good time. That\u2019s really what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”598452″ el_class=”new-class-07″]Bar Hemingway\u2019s history shows that legends aren\u2019t inherited; they\u2019re made behind the bar, one guest and one glass at a time.
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”1″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ desktop_visibility=”yes” medium_visibility=”yes” content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”659003″][vc_column column_width_percent=”90″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”177286″][vc_single_image media=”180204″ media_width_percent=”100″ uncode_shortcode_id=”127031″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ back_color=”color-125270″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ content_parallax=”0″ uncode_shortcode_id=”113916″ back_color_type=”uncode-palette”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ align_medium=”align_center_tablet” medium_width=”0″ align_mobile=”align_center_mobile” mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”152948″][vc_single_image media=”156422″ media_width_use_pixel=”yes” media_ratio=”one-one” alignment=”center” shape=”img-circle” uncode_shortcode_id=”122179″ media_width_pixel=”100″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”994256″ el_class=”new-class-01″]<\/p>\n

Nicole Bump<\/h2>\n

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.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Believe it or not, Ernest Hemingway never actually imbibed in Bar Hemingway. Yet his name, spirit, and stories are stitched into every corner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":180174,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[200],"tags":[201],"class_list":["post-180165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hotel-bars","tag-hotel-bars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180165"}],"version-history":[{"count":58,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180165\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180407,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180165\/revisions\/180407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altamuradistilleries.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}