Hotel rooftops earn their reputations on cocktail programmes and view. The best ones treat both seriously.
City rooftops
Bulgari Bar Roma
The Italian capital from the rooftop. Classic Bulgari aesthetic, world-class cocktail programme.
Aman Tokyo Bar — 33rd floor
A six-storey lobby ends at the bar with a view across Tokyo to Mount Fuji on clear days.
The Standard Highline NYC — Le Bain
Younger crowd, dance floor, view of the Hudson and the Empire State.
LE Bar Paris — Hotel Costes
Less view, more Paris-rooftop intimacy. The cocktail menu is iconic.
EDITION Times Square — The Roof
Times Square below, cocktails above.
MO Bar Mandarin Bangkok
Riverside bar with old-Bangkok cocktail traditions.
Resort rooftops
Capri Palace — anywhere on the property
Capri rooftop dining.
Belmond Hotel Caruso Ravello — Belvedere Restaurant
The most photographed pool/terrace in Italy.
Royal Mansour Marrakech — La Table Marocaine rooftop
Riad rooftop, Atlas Mountains in the distance.
Booking
Most hotel rooftops do not require dinner reservations — just the seating slot at sunset. Arrive 90 minutes before sunset, get the seat, work the cocktail menu, then dinner.
Five rules
- Sunset slot — book or arrive 90 minutes ahead
- Cocktail menu over wine — that's what the bartender invested in
- The view is the meal — order light food
- Dress codes apply at the high-end ones — read the fine print
- Hotel guests get priority — book through your concierge
For more, see the hotel dining pillar.
