Best Hotel Bars in London

During The Savoy's £220million refit the American Bar was barely touched, ensuring it stayed true to its traditional, sleek design that is synonymous with the iconic drinking destination. This move was clearly a clever one after the bar was voted the world's best in the 2017 World's 50 Best Bars ranking. The white decor, art deco mirrors and fittings, polished piano - used for live American Jazz seven nights a week - and Terry O'Neill monochrome portraits come together to form one of the capital's most stylish bars. Erik Lorincz currently leads the award-winning team of bar staff, who still refer to the legendary Savoy Cocktail Book that is considered 'the bartender's bible'. Written by Harry Craddock, the head bartender in the 1930s, the book contains cocktails such as the famous White Lady, which is made with Bombay Sapphire gin, dry orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice and a dash of egg white. As well as these traditional choices, the bar aims to serve classic drinks that appeal to the modern palate.

Pioneering mixology maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana shook the industry as hard as he shakes his cocktails in 2018 when he announced the closure of his award-winning bar Dandelyan - officially named the World's Best Bar 2018. Fortunately, he swiftly replaced it with a new incarnation, Lyaness. Sitting in the exact same spot, within the swanky Sea Containers London hotel, the venue still boasts spectacular views over the River Thames. What has changed, however, are the interiors and cocktails. Jacu Strauss is responsible for the former, creating a striking Art Deco aesthetic with a baby blue colour palette, gold touches and statement mirrors. For the cocktail menu, Chetiyawardana - known for his innovative approach to drinks - puts the focus on seven unique ingredients, with three drinks per ingredient. Expect concoctions made with pineapple purple, aromatised milk wine and king monkey nut.

The cocktails in the Bassoon Bar are very good, expensive, yes, but very, very good. Not only that but the bar has a piano which is both a musical instrument, complete with ivories to tinkle, and a bar where drinks can be purchased. Amazing. No surprise that the bar within the luxury Corinthia Hotel London has attracted an A-list clientele - Colin Firth, Jemima Khan, Cuba Gooding Jr, Mariella Frostrup have all stayed here. This is a grand hotel, in fact, the 19th-century building was one of Victorian London's original grand hotels. At the Bassoon Bar this heritage is alluded to in the cocktail list which includes colonial-inspired drinks including the Victorian Moijto, Pimm's Cup and English Tea Punch. Homemade sodas are carbonated to order in the tumbler - which sounds as colonial as it gets. The decor is art deco, courtesy of David Collins (also responsible for the Connaught Bar and Artesian), but it's the cocktails that people will come for, to sip stylish drinks in one of London's most glamorous hotels.

Having a cocktail in the Blue Bar is akin to sipping on gin and tonic in a very posh - and possibly eccentric - grand dame's sitting room. The universal blue colour chosen by designer David Collins is named 'Lutyens Blue' after the Edwardian architect who originally designed the room - and extends from the carpet to the walls and furniture. In the heart of Knightsbridge, this diminutive bar punches above its size and is well known as a funky little spot within the more sedate - some may say old fashioned - Berkeley Hotel. With the hearty French cooking from Koffmann's restaurant and this heaving bar the Berkeley has found a way to appeal to a sophisticated thirty-something crowd within the traditional stucco surroundings.

Located within the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, in what used to be the ticket office of St Pancras Station, The Booking Office Bar takes its inspiration from the days when the hotel first opened with punches and drinks recreated from the Victorian era and served in hand%u2010made copper punch bowls. Opened in 1873, the Midland Grand Hotel, as it was originally called, launched at the height of a mixed drink explosion. Alongside revived Victorian cocktails and punches are ales by Meantime beers which arrive in pewter tankards. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Booking Office's all day menu offers a range of daily specials from braised beef cheeks to Lancashire hot pot. But most striking of all are the dramatically high ceilings of George Gilbert Scott's interior, updated with the addition of a 29 metre-long bar and modern sofas and armchairs. Guardian writer Sally Shalam was impressed by the ornate brickwork and arched windows describing it as, "surely the most inspiring new public space in London". And, if you head up to the platform level bar, you can enjoy al fresco dining while watching the Eurostar come and go.

Dress code: Casual

Beyond the doormen in top hats and white gloves outside the Connaught Hotel there are two outstanding bars, the second of which is the swish Coburg Bar, a traditional bar with a modern designer twist. Parisian designer India Mahdavi recently added to the long-standing comfort of the intimate and inviting bar with a few contemporary enhancements. Wood panelled interiors and antique pieces are counterbalanced by modern art works by Julian Opie, plush velvet and leather seats and geometric print carpet. Cocktails are expertly made - an apple martini, for example, uses the hotel's home-marinated cinnamon, pear and apple liqueur. There's even a special Bacchanology menu which provides a history lesson into the origins of each drink on the menu. Granted, it is on the expensive side, but service is excellent, there's a great vibe to the place and the cocktails are scrumptious.

If you're after perfection in a glass in an ultra-stylish location then look no further than the main bar at the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair. The bar has been lavished with awards: senior mixologist Erik Lorincz won the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2010 and Agostino Perrone won the International Bartender of the Year 2010 at the Tales of the Cocktail event, New Orleans, with the Connaught Bar picked up the World's Best Hotel Bar 2010 award in the process. The bar also now offers a signature serve of whisky and bespoke chocolate tasting to enhace the characteristics of the whiskies. It's not cheap (you won't get much change from £30 for two drinks) but given the shimmering platinum silver leaf décor, the superb individual service and the meticulous attention to detail that goes into everything that you sip, you'll agree that being treated like royalty is money worth spent. What's more, the bar snacks are refilled regularly and come at no extra cost.

Any bar which can lay claim to providing the inspiration for James Bond has to make a best-bar list in our books. Ian Fleming was a regular at the stylishly old-fashioned bar at the luxury Dukes Hotel in St James's - and rumour has it the bar's famous martinis (no doubt shaken, not stirred) fuelled the author's imagination when he was shaping his legendary 007 character. Some even say the martinis, expertly made at guests' tables by dapper waiters, are amongst the best in the world. A renovation in 2007 transformed the Dukes Hotel and contributed to the bar's new cool and sophisticated atmosphere, making it one of the area's most popular destinations. Thankfully, the place still maintains its former charm, with ornate furniture and leather chairs the order of the day and old portraits lining the walls. Besides martinis there is also an excellent selection of cognacs, some of which are more than 150 years old.

Named one of the top five hotel bars in the world by the Sunday Telegraph, the Lobby Bar at the chic One Aldwych hotel is renowned for its fresh and inventive cocktails in a superb, airy location. Contemporary sculptures, vast flower arrangements, bespoke furniture, dark oak panelling and a polished limestone floor all combine to make the Lobby Bar a stylish yet unpretentious haven from the hustle and bustle of the West End. Smartly dressed, polite and extremely talented bar staff mix together original cocktails and martinis - some of the best in the capital. Bar snacks include Welsh rarebit, Dorset crab, goujons of pollock and a selection of cheese - while every drinks order comes with a trademark bowl of hot assorted nuts (work the trip alone). The Lobby Bar can get quite busy depending on the schedule of the many nearby theatres and so you may not always get a table - but with double-height ceilings and loads of floor space, you can easily stand in or around the bar without being shunted around the place. Described as "probably the most beautiful hotel lobby bar in London" by the Evening Standard, The Lobby Bar is a firm favourite of discerning drinkers off The Strand. With such a chic and relaxing atmosphere it's the perfect place to start an evening.

For a little refinement and an expensive tipple, the Sanderson Hotel's Long Bar and Courtyard Garden is a very exclusive sanctuary. The courtyard is something of an urban oasis; modelled on a Japanese garden, it is crammed with colourful mosaics, Oriental flowers and streaming fountains. In the evenings the tiny little night-lights shine out from beneath the undergrowth. The Long Bar is hugely chic but is still one of the more accessible of London's many flashy bars. Inside, it's sleek, modern and starkly white and - as you'd expect from the name - it possesses one of London's longest bars, some 80-feet in length. Posh punters perch on eye-stencilled bar stools to see and be seen. Providing you're dressed to kill, you'll find the staff and clientele a little less aloof than in London's other high-brow establishments. The bar serves all manner of Martinis and champagne cocktails, including some outstanding house specials. This modish saloon gives you a taste of the high-life even if it just for one night.

The Zetter Townhouse is a few steps from the original much larger and more modern Zetter Hotel. A quirky refurb of two Georgian townhouses, the venue has just 13 bedrooms, a few private event rooms and the Cocktail Lounge. Collaborating with the mixologists behind 69 Colebrooke Row, this Islington cocktail bar is widely regarded as one of the best in London and boasts cocktails by the renowned Tony Conigliaro and Camille Hobby Limon and interiors by Russell Sage. On top of this, Bruno Loubet has created a menu of light meals, nibbles, and afternoon tea that perfectly accompany the impressive cocktail selection. The bohemian hideaway also encompasses an open fire and a cosy décor, creating the feel of visiting an eccentric relative who has an intriguing flair for making cocktails

Acclaimed designer Martin Brudnizki - responsible for the interiors at Dean Street Townhouse, Hix and Scarfes Bar - has breathed new life into The Bloomsbury Hotel's reception area with the exceptionally stylish Coral Room. A thing of beauty, the bar sees the original wood panelling upgraded for glossy, vibrant coral walls adorned with cheery illustrations by Luke Edward Hall. At the centre, a sweeping marble bar is sandwiched by comfy bar stalls reminiscent of Cecconi's at The Ned and a gleaming brass drinks display. Glistening Murano chandeliers dangle from the ceilings and plush leather and velvet chairs complete the 1920s aesthetic. The cocktail list sees classics sit alongside contemporary creations while a lengthy 'English Sparkling' menu champions the local product. A sophisticated breakfast is available in the morning while later in the day there's a selection of bar snacks and small plates.

Taking inspiration from the 1920s and '30s - the golden era of cocktails - The Bloomsbury Club Bar is an inviting Art Deco retreat serving delectable classic and contemporary cocktails. Like its equally stylish sister, The Coral Room, the bar sits within The Bloomsbury Hotel and is split into two areas: the main bar, which brings together emerald green bar stools and seats, dark wood panelling and a gleaming drinks cabinet, and a twinkling outdoor space with overhanging greenery and fairy lights aplenty. Aside from the extensive cocktail list, there's also a selection of premium beers, spirits and indulgent bar snacks. Think truffle fries and lobster popcorn.

Following a major redesign, the bar within The Gilbert Scott restaurant reopened as George's Bar in early 2018. Marcus Wareing's latest tribute to the building's original architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, the bar sees the chef work in conjunction with David Collins Studio to transform the 19th century surroundings. Keeping the architect's original palette in mind, the new design is a more informal affair that takes inspiration from European grand cafes. A two Michelin-starred chef, Marcus Wareing certainly understands ingredients, and working with bar manager, Dav Eames, he presents an exciting new menu inspired by chefs to celebrate the seasons. The menu offers a rotating cocktail of the month, with each one having a story to tell and its own history. The launch cocktail is the Bee Keeper, made with lavender infused Bombay Sapphire gin, Melfort Farm honey, sloe gin, lemon, hibiscus and elderflower.

Opened in late 2017, The Perception has taken over the lobby of the W London. Designed by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete, the bar is inspired by London's most iconic eras and trends. Split into seven zones, it has an eye-catching bar at its centrepiece that has a sophisticated cocktail bar design alongside traditional British pub influences. Inventive cocktails are made using unique ingredients like matcha, fresh basil and fig liqueur. The bar also serves a tipsy twist on afternoon tea, a retox brunch and special dining series such as a boldly vegan menu by chef Ravinder Bhogal. Combining her global culinary influences based on her heritage and travels, Bhogal presents a menu that aims to excite vegans and omnivores alike. Dishes include besan fritters with coconut yoghurt and curry leaf and rose, coconut and cardamom doughnuts.

Located within the striking Mandrake hotel, Waeska serves imaginative cocktails in quirky surroundings. A stuffed gazelle dressed as a peacock hanging behind the bar sets the tone for the rest of the venue, which boasts a zany interior of floral armchairs, leather bar stool, mirror topped tables and wacky art. Head bartender Walter Pintus leads the way in the drinks department, serving a menu of botanical based drinks created with homemade syrups and rare ingredients.

Building on the history of the British tavern, The Wigmore is an elegant pub from the team at The Langham hotel next door. The former banking hall has been transformed into a luxurious drinking den with a design by Martin Brudnizki, drinks from the team at Artesian and food overseen by Michel Roux Jr. Here you get great wines on tap, cask ales and craft beers, including The Wigmore's very own house Saison brewed in partnership with Bermondsey's Brew By Numbers, together with cups of punch, house 'hoptails' and a selection of classic mixed drinks. On the menu are hearty British dishes that include a raised veal and ham pie, devilled lamb's kidneys and paprika-glazed short rib with bone marrow crumb.