Hotel bars have become destinations in their own right. The finest examples are familiar yet transporting, offering a welcome respite for weary travelers, a launching pad for an exciting night out or the elegance of a perfectly crafted cocktail.

The inaugural Forbes Travel Guide Star Bars for 2025 honors the world's most exceptional hotel bar experiences. A timeless icon such as Monaco’s Le Bar Américain at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo demonstrates daily why it's endured since the 1930s, with its jazzy ambiance and nightly music drawing illustrious fans from Josephine Baker to Lady Gaga. Then there are new favorites such as the BKK Social Club at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River's, which connects Asia with North and South America, showcasing Mexico-inspired drinks in a dazzling Art Nouveau space that evokes Buenos Aires.

The inaugural list also includes sky bars—including SkyHigh on the 60th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia and the Lounge & Bar on the 102^nd floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong—and old school drinking dens, like Rosewood London’s Scarfes Bar, which draws from English caricaturist Gerald Scarfe’s famous works, and Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa’s Library by the Sea, a Grand Cayman hot spot that interprets literary works through creative cocktails.

Forbes Travel Guide recognized 58 bars this year to celebrate its 1958 founding as Mobil Travel Guide. And FTG’s expert, incognito inspectors visited each one, sampling cocktails on multiple visits. The winners were determined by data collected as part of FTG’s 2024 and 2025 Star Ratings, based on several exacting standards. The top bars achieved the highest scores for their beverage program and presentation, as well as providing seamless service and an exceptional guest experience. FTG also focused on publicly accessible hotel bars.

London rang up the most accolades with seven bars, followed by Paris with five and Dubai at four. When it comes to brands, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts earned eight spots, and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company tied with five winners each.

“These awards highlight sophisticated ambiance, elevated service, artfully curated wine lists and cocktails that are skillfully crafted and creatively presented," says Bastien Gardrat, Forbes Travel Guide’s Global Spirits Ambassador. “These are elements that come together to create an unforgettable hotel bar experience.”

Here are the Star Bars for 2025

The Study at Four Seasons Hotel, Macao

VIRTÙ at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi

Wing Lei Bar at Wynn Palace, Macau