These Are the Best Hotel Bars in Paris
Once upon a time in Paris, hotel bars were about the only place to get a decent mixed drink. Now, with the almost amoebic proliferation of cocktail lounges in the city, hotel bars have staked out their own rarified territory, offering stylish cocoons that feature the best of the bar scene—live music, DJs, master barmen and women, party nights, outdoor terraces, views—with an away-from-it-all atmosphere and no crowds. These are not your everyday bars, and with drink prices often exceeding the 25 euro mark, they're not for everyone. Still, for a special occasion or blowout evening, you can't beat these beautiful getaways for a little gilding on the lily. They're simply the best.
The Peninsula Paris
Why it made the list
The Kleber Bar entered the annals of history as the place ended the Vietnam War. Paris Peace Accords aside, the soaring ceilings, carved and gilded panelling, and mile-high mirrors are impressive in their own right, plus a serious cocktails list and a secret cigar lounge, with historic murals, add that touch of je ne sais quoi.
Le Dokhan's Hotel
Why it made the list
Besides being Paris's top spot for an expert's range of bubbly from every region of Champagne, it's also one of the city's most charming lounge's. This jewel-box of a bar—entirely imported from a 17th-century chateau—introduces you to France's great Champagnes by the glass, bottle or in flights. A bonus: live jazz once a week and nightly tastings of a featured vitner accompanied by luxury bar snacks.
Le Bristol
Why it made the list
The ultra-plush atmosphere may exude exclusivity, but no matter who you are, once you step foot in the beautiful Bristol, you're an honored guest. Impeccable service, original and beautifully presented cocktails, and stellar bar snacks by three Michelin star chef Eric Frechon are nothing to sneeze at, but the art video screenings on the behind-the-bar mirror-cum-movie screen and Tuesday night parties cater to a fun fashion crowd.
Holiday Inn Notre Dame
Why it made the list
If you think a Holiday Inn can't have some tricks up its sleeve, you don't know Paris. The modest chain's Notre Dame branch has something no other bar in the city can match: peerless 360-degree views of the city from the ninth-floor terrace bar of Quarante Trois (43 Up on the Roof), perched above the fabled rooftops of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. And the cocktails and wine list aren't bad either!
Prince de Galles
Why it made the list
Pretty much everything emanates style at Les Heures, a shimmering Art Deco-era lounge in the swank Prince des Galles hotel. From the impressive presentation to the innovative recipes, not to mention the gourmet bar snacks, globetrotting barman and lush surroundings, this sophisticated bar is pure pleasure from start to finish.
Hôtel Westminster
Why it made the list
If an upper-crust British social club is your idea of a posh place to tipple away the evening, get thee here. Housed in a 200-year-old hotel popular with British aristocrats, Duke's Bar has the air of a well-appointed library in a stately home, except for the fact that here you're warmly welcomed. And if you're staying the night in a Signature room, your bespoke cocktail is on the house. Otherwise, you can choose from a menu of classic, beautifully crafted cocktails.
Ritz
Why it made the list
Hemingway Bar is hands down Paris's most legendary bar. This tiny oak-clad watering hole tucked away in a back corner of the newly renovated Ritz, is where Papa famously "announced" the end of WWII. Filled with fly fishing and other Hemingway memorabilia, the drinks—and Colin Fields, the bartender—are as famous as the Ritz itself, and one of a handful of places where the barman will mix a bespoke cocktail specifically to your tastes and personality—and remember when you return.
Hôtel Meurice
Why it made the list
A bit of a legend in Paris, opulent Bar 228 draws an upscale fashion crowd every bit as gilded as the bar's elegantly panelled walls. It hardly matters what the cocktails taste like (they're good) while deeply ensconced in a velvety leather sofa under softly radiant murals and mood lighting sipping away to the strains of live jazz or piano tunes. In this moment, it's all good.
Les Bains
Why it made the list
Imbibing under a molten ceiling that looms overhead like a colossal drop of blood (or mulberry liqueur) is de rigueur in Paris, judging from the chic crowd cozying up to the horseshoe bar. Your first cocktail—a relative bargain at 18 euros—will convince you that this is indeed a serious cocktail lounge--where everything is homemade, fresh and expertly crafted, with gourmet bar snacks to boot. Two outdoor terraces are a big bonus, and if you care to dance til dawn, just slip downstairs to the club--that is if you're deemed cool enough to merit entrance.
Shangri-La Hotel Paris
Why it made the list
Wow factor aside, this sumptuously cozy hotel bar pays homage to the verdant predilections of eccentric botanist Roland Bonaparte—nephew to you know who and first owner of this glorious 19th-century mansion—in a vibrant list of delicious, botanically inspired cocktails.
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