Sip and Savour the Best of Hong Kong’s Luxury Hotel Bars

Gone is the era where hotel bars serve as an awkward travellers' pitstop or a gaudy watering hole for a last-minute nightcap. Having been transformed into destinations in themselves, Hong Kong’s luxury hotel bar scene is burgeoning with fresh themes and innovative drinks to please locals and international drinkers alike.

It may be that these hotel bars are attached to several of Hong Kong’s most lavish accommodations, but all it takes are a few sips to assure you that these luxurious concepts can stand strong on their own.

DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong

Under the helm of beverage manager Simone Rossi and Rosewood Director of Bars Arkadiusz Rybak, DarkSide is Hong Kong’s most opulent take on a jazz-infused cocktail parlour. Inspired by smoky jazz clubs, this hotel bar lies in an unassuming corner of Rosewood Hong Kong hotel, the crowning jewel of the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Their collection of multifaceted cocktails draws upon the bar’s robust collection of fine dark spirits like rum, whisky, and calvados, as well as other rare and aged spirits from the early 19th century.

Location: DarkSide, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Please Don’t Tell at Mandarin Oriental

Despite what its name heeds, you will find it hard to keep this hotel bar a secret. Transplanted from New York, Hong Kong’s take on Please Don’t Tell (PDT) retains the original speakeasy concept’s deceptive vintage telephone booth entry, taxidermy wall décor, and a handful of signature cocktails inspired by the Big Apple. Slide past the hidden doors at the mezzanine level on Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar and encounter bold bevvies developed by mixologist Jeff Bell, which play with local flavours and liquors. Be sure to pull up a seat early, since the intimate seating can only house a capacity of 25 people.

Location: Please Don't Tell, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Room309 at The Pottinger

Visitors must first “check-in” at The Envoy to receive a secret key card granting access to this hidden hotel bar. Elaborating on the idea of a ‘hotel bar,’ the space is set in a revamped room that fits no more than 20 guests at a time. Toying with expectations, signature Room309 cocktails have been rendered colourless, removing a core sensory element to take drinkers’ imagination on a ride. The obligatory classics are also available, of course, yet elevated to suit the hotel bar theme by being split into different versions that each correspond to a category of accommodations offered at the hotel.

Location: Room309, 3/F The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Argo at The Four Seasons

Despite being one of the newer additions to the hotel bars scene, Argo has already shown a strong foothold in the Central district, proving to be an instant icon. Overturning its predecessor, the cushy yet yawn-inducing Blue Bar, the space brings a wholly vibrant and intricate environment to enjoy some tipples at Four Seasons Hotel. Managed by beverage manager Lorenzo Antinori and award-winning mixologist Summer Lo, delight in a range of expertly crafted cocktails centred on inventive boozes and dynamic botanicals.

Location: Argo, Lobby, Four Seasons Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong

The Bar at The Peninsula

A hotel bar for the ages, The Bar is tucked away in an understated entryway along the first floor of the historical Peninsula Hotel. The menu stars craft cocktails, vintage Armagnacs, and rare single malt whiskey, covering all the bases of a five-star drinking den. Traditional cocktails are shaken up with an adroit flourish, a speciality being the Old Fashioned—which as legend has it, was introduced to The Bar by Clark Gable during his stay in the Swing era. Lean back into the plush leather seating with a drink in hand, whilst enveloped in the jazzy sounds of resident pianist Jimmy Alegre.

Location: The Bar, 1/F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Editor's Note: The operating hours of these hotels are subject to change following the latest local COVID-19 regulations. We advise you to call the hotel for enquiries before booking a stay or treatment.