The drink to order: The intriguingly vegetal “Eastini,” made with gin, tarragon, and fennel.
Experimental Cocktail Club at Cowley Manor Experimental—Cheltenham, UK
A new twist on the English country house, this chic boutique hotel from Experimental Group has officially brought its popular Experimental Cocktail Club concept to the Cotswolds, and the results have been nothing short of electrifying for the area. Where there were once gin and tonics, there is now cheeky mixology. Where there was once Tewkesbury mustard and Sunday roasts, there is inventive farm-to-table fare for a modern audience. If you’re looking for a refreshing take on the English countryside, this is where to do it.
The drink to order: The umami-laden “Aphrodite,” made with porcini-infused Cognac, sherry, and fig liqueur.
Bar 58 at The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel—France
Glitzy, glossy, and sceney in all the right ways, the new Bar 58 is an instant classic in a part of the French Riviera that has no shortage of classics. Stunning Venini chandeliers and a pastel ceramic bar counter inspired by eucalyptus leaves capture all the drama and decadence of this corner of the Mediterranean. Sometimes the menus at the grand dames of the world can feel caught-in-time or a little out of step with the times—not so here, where the bar menu feels modern, offering a “farm to bar” philosophy that feels just right with current F&B trends.
The drink to order: The “Tomatino,” which combines Beluga Gold vodka with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil and olive oil. (Pro tip: order some fromage to go with.)
Jungle Ballroom at Mondrian Singapore Duxton
In order to stand out in a city like Singapore, a hotel needs to make a splash—and Mondrian’s first outpost in the region does exactly that with its cheeky, sleek Jungle Ballroom. Inspired by the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia, the cocktail menu here is wittily divided up according to flavor profile into: Canopy, Understory, and Forest Floor. Drinks definitely skew tropical here, but are by and large balanced and complex, never cloying. Keep an eye out for intriguing ingredients that lend Jungle Ballroom some real mixology street cred, like longan and dragon fruit, and a bespoke Cambodian gin made exclusively for the bar.
The drink to order: The “Jaguar Juice,” with Cognac, sherry, tomato, ginger, and a dash of savory house spices.
