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| photo by Ralph . via Flickr |
Jade Conroy, The Daily Telegraph, June 08, 2015
A guide to the top alfresco hotel drinking spots in the capital, featuring the best bars for Thames views, DJ nights, inventive cocktails, afternoon tea, garden games and stupendous city views.
Summer Lawn at The Tower Hotel
Today (June 5) sees the opening of The Summer Lawn at The Tower Hotel. The riverside venue has one of the best vistas in London as it is at the foot of Tower Bridge. Despite its urban surroundings, the theme is the Great British summer, with music, garden games and classic British food and cocktails.
Rumpus Room, Mondrian London
You’ll feel like you’re on the deck of a cruise ship at Mondrian London’s lofty Rumpus Room. The bar has floor-to-ceiling windows, a brushed gold bar, plush velvet seating and – the best part – a slither of an outdoor terrace with twinkling views across the river.
he Courtyard Terrace at Holborn Dining Room, Rosewood London
The Courtyard Terrace, in Rosewood London’s central courtyard, is an extension of on-site brasserie Holborn Dining Room. During Wimbledon, there will be a special drinks menu (in conjunction with Lanson Champagne) and screens set up so guests can watch the matches.
Courtyard Garden, Sanderson London
The central garden terrace at the Sanderson, inspired by a Japanese garden, is a good spot if the forecast is uncertain, as parts of it are always covered. For the summer, the space has been restyled, and also has a new summer residency with chef Allan Pickett (set lunch menus from £20). There’s also the ever-popular Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea. Otherwise, grab a hi-ball from the Long Bar.
Radio Rooftop Bar, ME London
The angular, almost-Ibiza-like décor of the 10th-floor Radio Rooftop Bar contrasts with the views directly opposite, of the Neoclassical Somerset House. It’s a hot ticket in summer when DJs grace the rooftop and London’s elite sip on MExicans (sic) (El Jimador, cucumber, mint and agave). Open from noon till 1am (Mon-Weds & Sun) or noon till 2am (Thurs-Sat). Smart dress code.
Rooftop Bar & Grill, Boundary Shoreditch
A good spot for daytime eating and drinking is Boundary hotel’s rooftop bar and grill, which has a working kitchen garden and wood-burning grill, serving up barbecue food and British seafood (on Sundays from 8pm, there’s 50 per cent off all shellfish). They also do breakfast. It’s also a good one for turbulent weather as it has a weatherproof pergola.
Dean Street Townhouse
It may be small, but Dean Street Townhouse’s strip of outdoor tables is a prime spot in Soho, where alfresco drinking opportunities mainly comprise of standing outside a pub. It’s a brilliant spot for people watching, whether you're having afternoon tea or house cocktails.
Angler, South Place Hotel
Claiming to ‘bring a little piece of Provence to London’, owing to its lavender plant and olive-tree populated terrace, is Angler in the South Place Hotel. As the terrace is west-facing, it’s the perfect sun-trap in the summer months, so all the better for enjoying your Mint Julep.
Vista at The Trafalgar Hotel
Overlooking Trafalgar Square, Visa at The Trafalgar Hotel is open from 12 noon until midnight. Cocktail choices (from £12) are ample and refreshing (such as the gin-based Summer Cooler). The menu features Mediterranean food ‘from the grill’, or a lunch menu of ‘The Dogs’ (international hot dogs)
SkyLounge, DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London
Every year the Skylounge has a different theme: this year will host the Nantucket Beach Club, an East Coast-inspired rooftop oasis inspired by the New England island. You can expect seafood buckets, lobster rolls, alcoholic slushies as well as shuffleboard. Open until September 30.
This article was written by Jade Conroy from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
