For decades, the hotel bar was where travellers escaped jet lag, sealed business deals, celebrated holidays, and occasionally made decisions they preferred not to discuss at breakfast.
Today, the world’s best hotel bars have become destinations in their own right.
Recognising that evolution, Forbes Travel Guide has released its highly anticipated 2026 Hotel Star Bars List, honouring 37 exceptional hotel bars across 18 countries that are redefining luxury hospitality one perfectly crafted cocktail at a time.
The annual list, compiled through Forbes Travel Guide’s anonymous global inspection programme, identifies venues that excel not only in their drink offerings but also in service, atmosphere, and the ability to create memorable guest experiences.
As luxury travellers increasingly seek experiences rather than possessions, the world’s leading hotels are investing heavily in bars that deliver theatre, personality and a genuine sense of place.
Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, said the winning venues represent the pinnacle of hotel bar excellence.
“The 2026 Hotel Star Bars showcase extraordinary hotel bar experiences that create lasting impressions with guests. From inventive cocktail programs to thoughtful hospitality and distinctive settings, these hotel bars deliver experiences that resonate long after the final sip.”
It’s a sentiment many seasoned travellers would happily raise a glass to.
This year’s honours reveal a notable shift towards Asia, with both Shanghai and Tokyo securing three winning bars each, further cementing their status among the world’s most exciting luxury hospitality destinations.
While newcomers attracted plenty of attention, five bars proved that excellence is no accident, earning repeat recognition from Forbes Travel Guide.
Among them are Le Bar at Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li; Le Bar Américain at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo; Le Bar Botaniste at Shangri-La Paris; Library by the Sea at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa; and The St. Regis Bar at The St. Regis Macao.
The new arrivals are equally impressive.
In Miami, The Champagne Bar at Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club has secured a place on the list with its impressive collection of champagnes and glamorous atmosphere that harks back to the golden age of seaside luxury.
Far above the streets of Tokyo, the Bvlgari Bar at Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo combines Italian elegance with panoramic city views from its spectacular 45th-floor setting.
Amsterdam’s Vault Bar has transformed a former bank vault into one of Europe’s most intriguing cocktail venues, while Don Manuel’s at Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal showcases distinctly Mexican flavours in a stunning open-air setting overlooking the Pacific.
For hoteliers, the recognition is about far more than drinks.
The modern luxury hotel bar has become a powerful differentiator in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Guests may book a room for the bed, but many leave talking about the bar.
And that’s precisely why these venues matter.
In an era where travellers crave memorable stories as much as luxury accommodation, the world’s best hotel bars continue to prove that sometimes the shortest journey in travel is from the lobby to the bar stool.
The full list of the 2026 Hotel Star Bars is available at Forbes Travel Guide: https://www.forbestravelguide.com.
By: Yves Thomas – © 2026.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
About the Author.
There’s a quiet pull about Yves Thomas, the kind you only notice after a moment. It comes from having lived and travelled from both sides of the reception desk. A graduate of Bangkok University International, she stepped straight into Thailand’s tourism industry, learning early how much care goes into making someone else’s holiday feel effortless.
She worked with some of the country’s best destination management teams, polishing the details most travellers never see but always remember. Eventually, the road began calling louder than meetings and schedules. Yves packed a bag and went looking again, trading conference calls for compass points.
Somewhere between Chiang Mai and Copenhagen, she started writing it down. Those reflections became a blog, warm and observant.
Now based in Hua Hin and writing for Global Travel Media, Yves shares travel not as a publicist, but as a traveller, attentive, thoughtful, and deeply human.
