A Drinks Writer’s Guide to Hotel Bars Around the World

Now I’m not one to question the wisdom of one of the most admired food (and drink) writers in modern history, but I wonder if Bourdain may have been staying at the wrong places.

When a hotel bar is done deftly, it is one of the most rewarding drinking experiences there is. From The Savoy’s American Bar in London, once frequented by Marilyn Monroe and Neil Armstrong, to the invention of the Singapore Sling at Raffles Singapore, hotel bars play an outsized role in the cocktail industry’s richest history.

But what makes a hotel bar good goes far beyond its famous clientele and signature serves. They have an unenvia...