There are few watering holes that consistently allow for a transporting experience that—throughout decades or even a century—all ages can appreciate. The hotel bar is one of these places. Over at Serious Drinks, one of PUNCH’s own writers, Regan Hofmann declares her love for these “quintessential [ports] in a storm,” describing her moment at the Waldorf-Astoria where she ducked in during the 2003 blackout in New York City. The hotel bar welcomed residents and tourists alike comforting them with hand fans and cold gin and tonics until they felt confident enough to venture out into the chaos.
The beauty of the hotel bar lies in so many things including its stuck-in-time quality, sporting forever ’80s decor or persistent shabby ’20s decadence. These bars—however grand or dusty—allow a drinker to feel the fleeting satisfaction of luxury and escape without committing to a room for the evening. Finally, “In hotel bars, cocktail trends are moot and bartenders never judge,” which is the trusting foundation we patrons must build with each bar on the list of our reliable drinking establishments. [Serious Drinks] [Photo: Flickr/flickr4jazz]