Five of the Most Beautiful Bars in the World

When you choose a bar, cocktails are only part of the equation. What matters most may depend greatly on the occasion and the location. Are the views exquisite? Are the seats as plush as they are pretty? Does it have good vibes? Does the lighting flatter? In short, is it stunning? 

In today’s bar scene, where cocktails can break the bank, you deserve a drop-dead gorgeous spot. And while dozens of showstopping venues exist worldwide, these five are among the most spectacular and shouldn't be missed.

ATLAS

Ground floor, Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road, Singapore

Atlas bar, Singapore. Photo credit Singapore Tourism Bar

If Gotham were real, this is where Batman would come for a dirty martini. Known as the “Gotham City” building, this Art Deco-style bar is a grand, glamorous and glitzy masterpiece.

It’s all audible gasps and “wows” when you walk into ATLAS’ sprawling lobby bar. Designed with towering muraled ceilings, red leather banquette seating, massive hanging Art Deco chandeliers and an ornate gilded gin tower, you’re constantly looking up in awe. 

Best known for its 1,000+ gin collection, Atlas’ variety of G&Ts is a go-to, as are its perfectly made martinis. Just be sure to book a reservation well in advance.

Flute

7th Floor, 20 Broadwick St, Soho, London

Flute Bar at the Broadwick

London’s SoHo neighborhood has always been a vibrant, quirky and colorful place for a tipple or two. On the rooftop of the Broadwick Soho hotel, this whimsical cocktail bar fits right in.

Although its terrace has views of London, you won't be able to pull your eyes away from the interiors. The Flute Bar is a maximalist dream, with animal-print furniture, cork walls, geometric mirrored ceilings, green-and-pink pastels, and an onyx-topped bar. 

Cocktail menus change often here but could feature a tequila-style espresso martini or a berry-inspired Kir Royal. When in doubt, go for the Champagne with a bump of caviar.

Champagne Terrace

Camino del Mar 1, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Champagne Terrace at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal photo credit Blake Marvin

Sunset cocktails by the beach are a beautiful thing no matter where you are. But the open-air Champagne Terrace at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal ups the ante with its cliff-hugging seaside location.

Made of local stone, with blue and white cushioned wicker chairs saddled up to the edge, waves crash as Champagne bottles pop in the background. It's simple and minimalist, letting the natural beauty of its surroundings shine through.

Drinks here are predictably bubbly. There is a rotating selection of 20 Champagnes, paired with caviar, Baja oysters, fresh-caught sashimi and a killer seafood tower.

Peridot

Summit 38, 38/F, The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central, Hong Kong

Peridot, Hong Kong

It’s easy being green at this all-lime colored cocktail bar 38 floors above central Hong Kong. Everything, from its name to its velvet chairs to its marble bar to its grand piano, is a shade of green called “olivine." Add 20,000 tiny lights lining the ceilings and walls, and you won’t know whether you’re in a bar or an interactive art experience.

The green theme carries on in its all-vegan lunch, afternoon tea and bar bite menu. The drinks are terroir-inspired, too. As part of the bar’s “Terroir Series,” the rotating cocktail menu changes destination. The first iteration focused on Kagoshima, Japan, and the second focuses on Oaxaca, Mexico. Some of these complex cocktails combine ingredients like ancestral corn whiskey, corn liquor, agave nectar and mole negro bitters.

Marble Bar

Level B1, 488 George Street, Sydney

Marble Bar, Hilton Sydney photo courtesy of AJL Photography

Hidden beneath the city, this speakeasy is true to its name. Marble Bar is covered in 35 different types of rich, veined marble brought over from Belgium and Italy in the late 1800s. Inside the Hilton Sydney, this stately Victorian watering hole has a massive mahogany bartop, hand-painted stained glass and museum-worthy paintings. A combination of its history, happy hour and head-to-toe striking design make it Sydney’s most famous bar.

The cocktail menu features classics with creative touches, like a Negroni with honey-infused gin and a big selection of signature creations, including a Faustine with vodka, ginger syrup and yuzu sour mix. Adding to the ambiance, drinks here are served alongside nightly live music and DJs.