This post was originally published on this site.
Hanging out at the hotel bar, much like attending a Yankees game or wandering the Met, is something of a pastime for the people of New York City. We live here, and therefore rarely require a room upstairs. But a good hotel is not just a place for travelers to sleep—within the walls of each exists a sort of alternate reality, a fantasy world, a distortion. And that creation can be enjoyed by all by way of the bar off the lobby or on the rooftop. When designed correctly, the hotel bar is the beating heart of the place—a scene, a convention point, a people watcher’s paradise. Atop their barstool or tucked into a sliver of booth, locals might be guests and guests might be locals. A pop star in town for a shoot has a tense exchange with a creative director in the corner. Co-workers here on business weigh an affair over Old Fashioneds. The lights are dim, but not dim enough that you can’t see or be seen, and Martinis are ordered every which way.
If you’re not buying what we’re selling here, you should also consider that hotel bars have quietly become some of the best bars in the city, period. Below, we’ve rounded up the best hotel bars NYC has to offer along with some of our favorite tipples at each. Locals: consider stopping in for a drink as you would your neighborhood watering hole. Visitors: we’re not saying you should book your accommodations based on the bar, but we’re also not saying it shouldn’t be a consideration.
Read our complete New York City guide here, which includes:
