Bars & Pubs

There's a very welcoming atmosphere here, unusually so for a cocktail bar in an upmarket hotel. The high-ceiling room is beautiful, but the fittings and furniture, while comfortable (lots of upholstered sofas and plumped cushions), aren't. The cocktails are first rate. Expensive, yes, (£11.50), but they come with regularly replenished nibbles and attentive service, and there's no pressure to drink up and move on. A Spring Blossom was a heady mix of Absolut blackcurrant vodka, cassis liqueur, lemon juice and sugar, topped with Piper Hiedsieck champagne over ice. Across the courtyard is the hotel's other bar, Pearl (www.pearl-restaurant.com), which also serves cocktails but specialises in premium wines by the glass.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9