When times are uncertain, guests can always rely on their favorite tipple to lift their spirits. While we are currently unable to visit our trusted hotels in person right now, Upscale Living magazine has rounded up some of the finest wanderlust-inducing cocktails from a selection of the world’s most exceptional hotels for you to create at home. Enjoy these fabulous drinks in moderation.
The Espresso Martini by the Library Bar at The Lanesborough, London
Overlooking Hyde Park and adjacent to Buckingham Palace’s grounds, The Lanesborough is one of London’s most iconic hotels commanding a prestigious location that straddles Belgravia, Knightsbridge, and Mayfair. The hotel’s Library Bar offers a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life. One of London’s most celebrated drinks destinations, distinguished by its outstanding mixology and venerable ‘liquid museum’ of spirits, the Library Bar offers the warm and intimate atmosphere of a private club complemented by a vibrant ambiance, making it a popular choice with both well-heeled locals and hotel guests. The Library Bar is famous for its classic Espresso Martini, a sweet-toothed cocktail that is perfect as a post-dinner digestif concocted using only three ingredients.
RECIPE & METHOD
- Two shot glasses of espresso or instant coffee mixed with hot water (make it strong!). We recommend two teaspoons of instant coffee to one spoon of sugar.
- Two shot glasses of Vodka – any will do
- Two drops of vanilla extract
- Shake well in a tin jar or cocktail shaker with ice
- Strain and pour into your favorite cocktail glass (ideally a Martini glass)
- Tip: To make this extra sweet or to adapt into a fun dessert, you could blend the coffee mix and Vodka with two tablespoons of vanilla, chocolate, or caramel ice cream – take your pick
The Full Bloomer by The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury, London
The Coral Room offers a unique cocktail menu that takes influence from the English countryside. The Bloomsbury hotel is a magnificent double-height all-day bar and restaurant, painted in a high-gloss lacquer in vivid coral. The Coral Room’s Sip of England menu whisks patrons away to the moors, meadows, seas, and spires of the ‘Great British Outdoors,’ with each cocktail using ingredients local to the area they are inspired by. The Full Bloomer signature, a fruity, floral spritz presented in a beautiful scalloped Champagne flute. Ingredients of Rinomato Aperitivo, Two Citrus Shrub, Violet Bitters, and SASSY Le Cidre Rose are complemented by fragrant notes of rose and strawberries Kent countryside to create a sweet and refreshing tipple. To finish, The Full Bloomer is garnished with an edible bubble, filled with bubble-gum aromatic, for the ultimate show-stopping look and burst of flavor.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 100ml Rinomato Aperitivo
- 15ml Two Citrus Shrub
- Three drops of Violet Bitters
- 150ml SASSY Le Cidre Rosé
- Two drops of rose extract
- Three strawberries
- Build in a mixing glass
- Serve in a long Champagne flute
The Bloomsbury Boozer by Parker’s Tavern, Cambridge
The Bar in Parker’s Tavern at University Arms, Cambridge, acts as a social hub in the city and has been a meeting spot for over 100 years. The Bar offers an extensive drinks menu, including a wide selection of English sparkling wine and a botanical-focused cocktail menu. This menu comprises various bespoke tipples, all of which celebrate Cambridge’s spirit of invention with mixology that reinvents classics and takes inspiration from the history, art, and academia of Cambridge and University Arms itself. The Bloomsbury Boozer was named after The Bloomsbury Set, a group of writers, academics, and intellectuals, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, and E. M. Forster met at Cambridge in their boozy student days.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 50ml Cambridge Dry Gin
- 20ml elderflower cordial
- 20ml fresh lemon juice
- 4 – 5 raspberries
- Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker (or you can use a large jam jar with a lid)
- Shake vigorously over ice
- Strain into a martini glass
The Estate Martini by The American Bar at Gleneagles, Scotland
The Gleneagles Hotel is one of Scotland’s most iconic hotels. Having undergone a multi-million-pound design transformation at Ennismore Design Studio’s hands, new-look spaces all have a social feel at heart. Reminiscent of the elegance and glamour of bars of the 1920s and 30s, The American Bar is an exceptional place for intimate drinks, with an exquisite selection of caviar, cocktails inspired by the roaring 20s, and fine Champagnes. Alongside glamorous tipples that pay tribute to the characters and pastimes of the 20s sit five stunning Signature Martinis. Each draws on the varied scenery of Scotland, with subtle elements added to Scottish gins. For the Estate Martini, raspberry leaf-infused vermouth and elderflower are added to South Loch Raspberry Old Tom gin.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 60ml South Loch Raspberry Old Tom Gin
- 5ml elderflower cordial
- 15ml raspberry leaf-infused vermouth
- Add the gin, vermouth, elderflower, and ice together in a mixing glass and stir to combine
- Strain into a chilled Martini glass
- Garnish with a lemon peel
The Parabola by The Newt in Somerset
The Newt in Somerset is a vast working country estate opened in Summer 2019, encompassing beautifully cultivated gardens, a parabola with 267 varieties of apples for each county, garden eateries, and visitor attractions, Farm and House & Garden Shops, and a 23-room Hotel and Spa. Celebrating all things Somerset – from freshly squeezed apple juices and ciders made on-site to honey produced by native and wild Somerset bees – the beauty and simplicity of the outside world are brought indoors throughout the hotel and estate, not least into the Bar. The bar team shakes up an inventive drinks menu guided by seasonal garden produce and the Grade II listed building heritage formerly known as Hadspen House. Highlights of a seasonally changing cocktail menu, inspired by what can be picked from the gardens, include The Parabola, an elderflower and apple delight featuring The Newt’s very own apple gin and Medium Somerset Cyder pressed on-site, topped with botanicals or herbs from your garden.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 25ml The Newt Apple Gin
- 25ml St Germain elderflower liqueur
- 5ml Elderflower cordial
- 75ml The Newt Medium Cyder
- Fill a highball glass generously with ice cubes
- Pour over the gin, liqueur, and cordial
- Top up with The Newt Medium Cyder
- Garnish with rosemary or lavender from the garden and a thin slice of apple
The Esencia Margarita by Hotel Esencia, Riviera Maya
Evoking a refreshing virtual taste of the unspoiled ivory sands of the Riviera Maya’s Xpu Ha Beach – widely considered the most beautiful stretch of beach on Mexico’s Caribbean coast – Hotel Esencia’s Esencia Margarita is a fragrant, dynamic cocktail perfectly suited to spring and summer. The drink’s main ingredient, Casa Dragones Blanco, is hailed as being the best Blanco Tequila. It is a small batch, 100% Pure Blue Agave silver tequila, crafted to deliver the true essence of agave through an innovative process that focuses on purity for a crisp, smooth taste. While this signature concoction is best enjoyed at the hotel’s super-chic open-air Beach Bar – impeccably positioned for the warm sea breeze and the best views from all the hotel – while housebound, it is a particularly fun-loving cocktail best whipped up with friends over Facetime, Zoom or House Party on a Friday night.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 45ml Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
- 15ml Simple Syrup (NB. Traditional simple syrup is made from one part water to one part sugar. White granulated sugar is the standard sweetener, but once you’ve mastered this basic base, feel free to experiment with other sugars, keeping the 1:1 ratio the same)
- 25ml Cointreau
- 60ml freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- One small rosemary sprig
- 5 grams of crushed ginger
- Muddled rosemary, ginger, and syrup
- Add the tequila, Cointreau, juice, and ice and shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker or similar
- Double strain and serve on the rocks in an Old Fashioned glass
- Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a grapefruit peel twist
The Eden Colada by Eden Rock, St. Barth’s
Served in Eden Rock – St Barths’ brand-new Rémy Bar – named after the hotel’s original owner, Rémy de Haenen – signature cocktail, the Eden Colada honors both his fabulously wild pioneering spirit and the birthplace of the drink’s main ingredient: rum. With a centuries-old tradition of rum distillation, cocktail lovers should look to the sun-soaked Caribbean with its plethora of distilleries for drink inspiration. The Eden Colada mixes two rums, including Plantation 3 Stars, a tribute to historic rums with a suave blend of the region’s three primary terroirs: Barbados, Jamaica Trinidad. Barbados delivers richness and a balanced palate, Trinidad adds finesse, and Jamaica provides an emphatic structure. The deeply glamorous Eden Rock – St Barths’ cocktail list is all about a sense of place, taking drinkers on a journey for the senses sipping divine elixirs that transport them to the island that perfectly blends the sophistication of St. Tropez with the laissez-fare Caribbean lifestyle.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 25ml Clement Blanc rum
- 25ml Plantation 2 Stars rum
- 30ml Moët & Chandon Champagne
- 30ml fresh pineapple juice
- 30ml pineapple syrup
- One scoop of coconut sorbet
- Simply blend all ingredients in a blender
- For best results, serve in the iconic Eden Rock – St Barths pineapple glass (but any large round glass will do!)
- Add one drop of vanilla essence to complete if desired.
The Ice Tea Refresher by Singita Sweni, Kruger National Park
Bringing a refreshing taste of bush sundowners’ home, this simple yet delicious iced tea tonic will transport the drinker to the Sweni River banks located right by Singita Sweni Lodge. Staying true to South African heritage, the delectable drink is infused with local rooibos tea. The cherry and honey notes of rooibos add a subtle sweetness, which is aromatized with bitters. The brandy-spiked cooler is served short and was masterminded by Lodge Manager Brett Applegryn, who felt inspired to create a tantalizing cocktail with just three simple ingredients that reflected the mood and ambiance of the lodge’s unique location, tucked away in a 33,000-acre private concession in Kruger National Park.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 25ml gin bitters
- 25ml brandy
- 80ml chilled Rooibos tea
- Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes and stir well
- Strain into a chilled Martini glass, and garnish with green apple and ginger
- Serve straight or with extra ice
The Cobblers Cooler by Cobblers Cove, Barbados
The Cobblers Cooler is almost as iconic as its home and namesake, Cobblers Cove. This much-loved resort is set on Barbados’s platinum coast, right on the white sand beaches and turquoise waters the Western side of the island is famed for. The Cobblers Cooler is a delicious rum-based cocktail blended with tropical fruits and topped with sugar sprinkling. A generous serving of local Doorly’s 5-Year-Old rum is blended with fresh banana, pineapple, lime, and grenadine served in a hurricane glass and topped with a pineapple leaf and dehydrated lime wheel. The cocktail is best enjoyed imagined under the candy stripe pink-and-white parasols on one of the luxuriously soft pool loungers.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 70ml Doorly’s 5-Year-Old rum
- 10ml grenadine
- 30ml fresh pineapple juice
- One banana
- 15ml fruit cocktail juice
- 25ml fresh lime juice
- ½ scoop crushed ice
- Blend all ingredients and pour into a hurricane glass over crushed ice
- If you are so inclined, garnish with a pineapple leaf, dehydrated lime wheel, and a dusting of sugar
The Passion by Milaidhoo Island Maldives
This cocktail is sure to take your mind to the powder-soft white sand beaches lapped by gin-clear waters and framed by tropical greenery that the Maldives is famous for. For Armchair travelers keen to get their Indian Ocean fixed at home, this tropical beverage allows drinkers to envisage themselves at Milaidhoo – set over 13 acres atop the Baa Atoll’s beautiful UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A firm favorite sundowner choice, The Passion is sweet with a zesty undertone – creating a refreshing twist on a classic.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 1 Passion Fruit
- 2 tsp Vanilla Sugar
- 20ml Fresh Lime Juice
- 25ml Fresh Orange Juice
- 10ml Passoa Liqueur or passion fruit liqueur
- 10ml Aperol
- 40ml Vanilla Absolut Vodka
- Shake all ingredients and pour over crushed ice into a glass of choice
- Garnish with orange peel/mint spring/half passionfruit
The Aperol Spritz by Le Bristol Paris
Adored the world over, the Aperol Spritz is a simple classic cocktail formerly from northern Italy. However, one of the best places to enjoy the summer aperitif is at the fabulous French Palace hotel, Le Bristol Paris. A true urban oasis, the hotel’s Jardin Français, is a rare jewel in the heart of Paris, a place where one can drink and dine amidst fresh greenery and fragrant roses. The exquisitely pretty garden is a delightful place to revive after shopping with a light lunch shaded beneath a white parasol. Until one can return, one of the easiest elixirs to whip up at home is this four-ingredient favorite.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 40ml Aperol
- 60ml Côtes de Provence white wine
- 60ml soda water
- One orange
- Pour the Aperol into a wine glass filled with ice
- Pour the wine and soda water into a siphon and complete the cocktail with the mixture
- Decorate with fresh orange slices
The Bellini by Hotel Du Cap-Eden Rock, Cap D’Antibes
The Bellini was created in 1934 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice. He named the cocktail so because its unique pink color reminded him of a Saint’s toga in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovani Bellini. The Bellini started as a seasonal specialty at Harry’s Bar. Today, it is the symbolic drink of Venice’s city, continuing the old Italian tradition of marinating fresh peaches in wine. This Bellini recipe has been perfected by Christophe Lencioni, Head Bartender at the French Riviera’s most glamorous hotel, the 150-year-old Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The hotel even named one of its much-loved bars, the Bar Bellini – the Côte d’Azur’s cocktail bar of choice for Hollywood stars. With a beautiful outdoor terrace and spectacular views over Hotel du Cap’s enchanting gardens and the famous Grande Allée down to the sea, it’s hard to imagine anything more elegant than sipping a Bellini here.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 140ml of Champagne
- 15ml peach cream or Peachtree liqueur
- 100ml fresh peach purée
- Mix all ingredients and serve in a long, chilled Champagne flute
The Rum Punch by Jumby Bay Island, Antigua
Spontaneity and freedom are what define the Jumby Bay Island lifestyle. Guests fill their days with breezy pastimes in the warm crystalline waters and on powder-white beaches, strolling through lush gardens and free-wheeling along two kilometers of palm-fringed winding bicycle paths. The perfect welcome to the Caribbean, everyone’s first drink on the private island of simple pleasures upon arrival is the Rum Punch, concocted with local Antiguan rum. Described as being “sweet, a little tart, but full of magic,” this brew is a strong, timeless staple.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 120ml 5-year-old English Harbour rum
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- Two dashes of Angostura bitters
- 30ml Simple Syrup
- Fresh cinnamon powder
- Pineapple and lime to garnish
- Muddle all ingredients together, excluding the cinnamon powder
- Shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker or similar
- Serve over ice in a shot glass and garnish with cinnamon powder, a slice of pineapple, and one lime wheel or wedge
The Basiliscus by The Blue Bar at Finca Cortesin, Andalusia
Finca Cortesin is Southern Spain’s best-kept secret; a spectacular, independently owned hotel, golf and spa resort set in the rolling hills between Marbella and Sotogrande, flanked by the Casares Mountains and with sweeping views of the Mediterranean coastline. The hotel’s Blue Bar serves classic cocktails alongside more innovative creations al fresco on a beautiful patio lounge. The photogenic chinoiserie Blue Bar features handmade, bespoke de Gournay wallpaper and contrasting pale red sofas with the same symmetrical décor that flows through the property. Cocktail enthusiasts will want to recreate the hotel’s acclaimed, intricate interior design – and not just the bestselling Basilicus – at home. Created by Finca Cortesin’s inventive Head Bartender and Drinks & Cocktail Manager, Daniele Maroni, the Basilicus’s key ingredient is an Andalusian small-batch craft gin, which is balanced by the aromatic, citrusy botanical taste of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 50ml GauGin® Beach gin
- 20ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto liqueur
- 30ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml Simple Syrup
- 8 – 10 fresh basil leaves
- Juniper berries to garnish
- Pour all ingredients, excluding one basil leaf, into a cocktail shaker or similar
- Shake well and double strain into a Martini glass
- Garnish with a basil leaf and a couple of juniper berries
Save Me! Save Me! by The Burle Bar at Palácio Tangara, São Paulo
Masterminded by the award-winning bartender, Ana Paula Ulrich, the Save Me! Save Me! a cocktail served at Palácio Tangará’s Burle Bar is composed of Fine Sherry, Dry Vermouth, Jataí Honey, and Orange Bitters. Ana thought up the concoction to raise awareness of the importance of bees to the environment. While the recipe calls for any honey when recreating at home, the first served at the São Paulo masterpiece hotel use “magical” jataí honey, which is sought after for its medicinal properties and immunological, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antibacterial effects. Offering cutting-edge service, style, and design, the Burle Bar’s chic and opulent ambiance makes it a perfect choice both as an intimate dining venue and a late-night lounge. Designed by Brazilian architect Patricia Anastassiadis, the Bar draws inspiration from Brazilian art and natural landscapes, with photographs of the Amazon rainforest adorning the walls.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 40ml Tío Pepe Fino Sherry
- 40ml Noilly Prat Vermouth
- 10ml St-Germain elderflower liqueur
- 10ml honey
- Two dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters
- Muddle all ingredients together, adding honey last, with ice – no need to shake
- Strain and serve in a long Martini-style glass
The Cougar Paw by Six Senses Maxwell, Singapore
Located in the heart of Chinatown opposite traditional hawker center Maxwell Market, Six Senses Maxwell is set in a traditional heritage building on a former nutmeg plantation site. Interior design by French architect and designer Jacques Garcia reflects the authentic décor and furnishings of the era in which it was built, with a contemporary twist. This extends into the style of the hotel’s Bar, the Cook & Tras Social Library. The Social Library’s signature drink is the Cougar Paw – a gin-based cocktail infused with fresh lime juice, mint and shaken with egg whites, served in an elegant coupe glass, and topped with Cava.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 30ml Bombay Dry Gin
- 25ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 15ml egg whites
- Eight fresh mint leaves
- 30ml Cava
- Angostura Bitters and a mint leaf for garnish
- Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and dry shake
- Add ice to the shaker and shake once more
- Double strain into a coupe glass and top with Cava
- Garnish with a mint leaf and three drops of Bitters
The Bourgoin Medicine by Domaine Des Etangs, Massignac
Domaine des Etangs is passionate about showcasing the very best of Southwest France’s produce, including Cognac, the nearby town which gives its name to one of the world’s best-known types of Brandy – a unique spirit in that it is double-distilled. Established on the Premiers Bois, Petite Champagne and Fins Bois vineyards of the town of Saint-Saturnin in Charente, the family-run Bourgoin Cognac estate crafts a “natural” cognac, devoid of any blending, filtering, coloring or added sugar, and the hotel is proud to have an exclusive partnership with the brand. Owner Frédéric Bourgoin has curated a list of bespoke cocktails served in the hotel’s Bar, and guests can now recreate House Signature, The Bourgoin Medicine at home following a simple three-ingredient recipe.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 20ml Cognac
- 40ml Pineau des Charentes
- 80ml ginger beer
- Simply combine, shake, and strain over ice
The Goombay Smash By Bahama House, Harbour Island
Harbour Island – home of “the friendly people” – is one of the Bahamas’ most colorful and laid-back islands, offering visitors the chance to switch off and embrace “island time truly.” Eleven Experience’s Bahama House epitomizes luxury island living, seamlessly combining its colonial-style architecture with modern design and Caribbean flair. With one of the best-stocked rum bars on the island, after a day of exploring the coast with a skilled Eleven guide, guests enjoy endless rounds of Goombay Smash cocktails around the poolside tiki bar. Armchair travelers longing for a taste of the Caribbean can recreate Bahama House’s signature rum cocktail developed by the in-house expert mixologists and visualize themselves by the turquoise waters and the island’s famous pink sand beaches.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 30ml Bacardi Gold
- 30ml Bacardi White
- 15ml coconut Rum
- Dash of freshly squeezed lime juice
- Two teaspoons of Bitters
- 120ml orange juice
- 120ml pineapple juice
- Glacé cherry and an orange slice to garnish
- Mix all ingredients, and serve in a tall glass over ice
- Garnish with glacé cherry and an orange slice
The Exclusivity by Sha Wellness Clinic, Valencia
Global pioneer of integrated medical and holistic wellness, SHA Wellness Clinic’s natural, alcohol-free cocktails are the perfect immune-boosting tipple to make at home. SHA’s Exclusivity has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, is low in sugar, and can be enjoyed as a nutritional shot at any time of the day. The cocktail’s main ingredient is Japanese kukicha tea, which has long been hailed as a superfood. It is packed full of health benefits, and just one cup contains 13 times more calcium than a glass of milk. It also neutralizes acidity and tannins in the body, contributing to the proper digestion of grains and vegetables. The drink is infused with peppery rosemary – which also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds – and is lifted by a zingy natural sweetness of accompanying orange. Just one sip of the Exclusivitea will showcase the medicinal and self-healing properties that are a key part of SHA’s vision: putting your health and body at the heart of its philosophy without compromising on great taste.
RECIPE & METHOD
- 15g kukicha tea
- One rosemary bunch
- One orange
- Water
- Heat the kukicha tea with 1.5 cups of water in a pot for three minutes
- Add rosemary and leave to infuse for five minutes
- Cut an orange into fine slices
- Serve in a cocktail glass and add an orange slice
- Decorate with a rosemary twig
