From Seoul and Berlin to Texas and beyond, get a glimpse into the past while sipping beverages in the here and now at seven hotels where local history, traditions and craft are brought to life through drinks and design.
As always check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.
Go Booze-Free in Berlin
Berlin’s posh Charlottenburg district is home to art-nouveau-inspired Hotel am Steinplatz, Autograph Collection.
Housed in an early-20th-century building with a long history as a meeting place for prominent Berliners and travelers, the hotel’s Bar am Steinplatz has artfully developed an alcohol-free menu of unique cocktails, minus the booze.
Nonalcoholic distillates combined with homemade kombucha, rose water, syrups, juices and herbs may just tempt you to try a taste.
Sip Like Sinatra in Virginia Beach
Having played host to 10 U.S. presidents, The Cavalier Virginia Beach, Autograph Collection has borne witness to the march of history for nearly a century.
Celebrate that storied past in the Raleigh Room, a genteel old-world-style lounge, trying cocktails named after celebrated guests, such as the Sinatra (rye, absinthe, vanilla syrup and bitters) and the rum-forward JFK Daiquiri.
Or visit the Hunt Room, an intimate tavern, and choose a cocktail with handcrafted spirits from Tarnished Truth Distilling Company — the first in-hotel distillery in the United States. Kick back with a Smoked Old Fashioned with Tarnished Truth 3-year High Rye, or dedicate yourself to a bourbon flight while you unwind by the cozy fireplace.
Toast to a Seafaring History in Charleston
Enjoy a refined and relaxed perch at Élevé Lounge, a rooftop garden bar with views of historic Charleston tucked atop the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston, Autograph Collection.
Settle into a cozy easy chair or sleek sofa, and sip a signature cocktail while you watch the light play on the cables of the Arthur Ravenal Jr. Bridge and spy the tops of large ships as they sail to and from the city’s storied port.
Cocktail aficionados flock here for the vodka-based Bohemian Sunset with deep pink hues of cranberry and fresh raspberries, and the rum-and-pineapple Folly’s Tide may make you consider catching the nearest cruise ship headed for the Caribbean.
Become a Soju Connoisseur in Seoul
With speakeasy-style low lighting, a cement floor and honey-colored wood accents, RYSE, Autograph Collection’s Tokki Bar is an homage to its namesake’s beloved Brooklyn roots.
Original cocktails at this Seoul hot spot are made with spirits distilled in-house, from the gin to the liqueurs, and of course, the soju — a traditional Korean spirit made by fermenting and distilling rice. Plus, Tokki Bar even pours its own housemade beer.
For those who want to dedicate their visit to high-end soju, Tokki Soju Gold Label, aged in virgin oak barrels, is available by the glass or a full bottle. Spending time bellied up to the bar here may turn even a novice into a soju convert.
Discover the Depths of Champagne in France
Immerse yourself in the effervescence of Champagne in Reims, France, at La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection, which lies opposite the Gothic splendor of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Dating back to 1926, the building now housing the hotel served as Reim’s central fire station until 1993. Today, guests can view the Italian campanile-style drying tower (for fire hoses), which still stands in the hotel’s courtyard.
Reims is the capital of France’s Champagne wine region, and lovers of bubbly should head to the Champagne Bar, where they can sit amid the space’s sparkling tiles, crystalline glasses and luminous gold-and-white color scheme while discovering the wealth of the region’s sparkling history and terroir.
Viva la Revolution Cocktail in El Paso
Hotel Paso Del Norte, Autograph Collection — said to lie at the historic heart of El Paso — is an ideal place to watch the world go by. Indeed, during the Mexican Revolution, the building’s rooftop was a popular spot from which to watch the warring action unfold below.
Today, visitors can continue the tradition of ogling the world below from the 10th-floor bar El Mirador, where the Revolution cocktail — a mix of Flor Del Desierto Sotol and prickly pear extract — may fire up your inner rebel.
Or opt to raise a glass in the Dome Bar, where the sunlight streaming through the Tiffany-style stained-glass dome makes it feel as if you’re drinking in a glittering jewelry box.
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