Los Angeles Hotel Bars

Travelers from all over the world come to our city to check out not just LA accommodations, but also the hotel bars and their legendary cocktails. Always among the city's trendiest hangout spots, the best hotel bars in Los Angeles offer double duty: unique atmospheres and great drinks. Here are 16 to check out.

It's one thing when you host a chic party for 400 people. It's another when you host it in a variety of indoor/outdoor environments all within one space. X Bar at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza can host an elite bash and/or that intimate rendezvous you'll read about in the gossip mag tomorrow. Located across from Creative Artists Agency (CAA), there's no shortage of creative juices that flow behind the bar. The "Kama Sutra" may be the talent you're looking for (clemetine vodka, fresh basil, tamarind-red-chile-infused syrup).

Renowned chef José Andrés’ new digs at the SLS Hotel's The Bazaar also features Bar Centro, which has caught on like wildfire for its amusing, circus-like cocktails. Using what Andrés calls “culinary chemistry,” bartenders concoct drinks such as the "LN2 Caipirinha," which is made tableside using liquid nitrogen.

The Penthouse at the Huntley simply feels like a gentle ocean breeze. There’s nothing uptight about it, and you might as well be drinking that cocktail in the middle of the ocean. 18 stories up, the bar sports fantastic views and several little nooks to hang out in.

Given the elegance of this Beverly Hills hotel bar, we deem it likely that you might find someone like Prince Charles ordering a drink here — that is, the Club Bar at the Peninsula Hotel is fit for royalty. California birch walls give the bar a rich interior, and white-jacketed bartenders add to the sense of decorum. Best bets: fine wine, single malts and its signature Peninsula cocktail.

Even if you’re not an A-lister, you’ll feel like one at Whiskey Blue, the W’s design-heavy bar. Coined as “Polynesian” in décor, it sports classic West Hollywood style: hip, seductive and hosting a lot of singles parties.

The Biltmore’s historic character finds its way into the notoriously sexy Gallery Bar. Some liken it to a scene from "The Shining," and others say it’s taken right out of a scene from The Great Gatsby. One thing is for sure: its polished granite bar and ornate décor make it one of the most popular hotel bars in LA. Featuring the legendary Black Dahlia, a cocktail named after the 1947 murder mystery at the Biltmore, the bar is known for its long list of signature martinis.

There’s something refreshing about Bar 1200 at the Sunset Marquis. It’s hip but not overly pompous, the intimate atmosphere is sexy in a restrained sort of way, and it has a fun tongue-in-cheek kind of humor (“our intimate bar can hold 45 normal people or 145 supermodels”). If you’re staying at the hotel, you’re guaranteed access — which is actually something to brag about.

Stone Rose Lounge at the Sofitel Los Angeles is LA grown up: elegant, chic and classy. Same goes for the clientele who frequent this popular hotspot — you have to be to get in. Exclusive in a good way, the space was designed by Yabu Pushelberg and created by Rande Gerber, who also created Whiskey Blue at the W.

No list is complete without mentioning the Standard Rooftop Bar. Heated swimming pool, dance floor, outdoor fireplace, vibrating waterbed pods, nightly DJs and red Astroturf, all with a view of Downtown LA’s skyscrapers. What more can we say about it? Oh wait, the gorgeous clientele features LA at its most alluring.

For those who dig poolside bars, Hopscotch at the Custom Hotel has you covered. Featuring two levels, stadium seating and strawberry trees, the bar really uses LA weather to its advantage. Playful and whimsical, the décor is refreshingly unstuffy, and if you’re looking to truly relax, four poolside cabanas are available for private parties.

We’ve come to expect only the best from the Thompson brand, and The Lounge and swank rooftop bar ABH don’t disappoint. Both are intimate, sexy, modern, hip and sleek, hitting all the right LA notes to deliver classic Thompson style.

Coastal glamour doesn’t come across much better than at Cameo Bar, Viceroy Santa Monica's premier watering hole, whose chic vintage interior and classy drinks provide an atmosphere worth talking about the next day. Custom-made furniture comes across retro and modern at the same time, winning over customers with its great vibe.

Known for its 360-degree rotating views — yes, the bar actually rotates — the Westin Bonaventure's Bona Vista features some of the best views of Downtown LA, especially at night, making it one of those LA things you have to do at least once. Complimentary snacks are a plus.

RH Bar — a tribute to the hotel's former nickname, the "Riot House" — is as sleek and modern as the patrons who come for the Sunset Boulevard vibe and signature drinks. An airy design makes mingling easy for the single crowd. Cocktail recommendations? Try the "Greenland": Tru vodka, cucumber organic liquor, avocado, green apple juice and fresh cilantro.

Renovated in the spring of 2009, Windows Lounge carries on the tradition as celeb hangout and nightlife hotspot. The decor: garden style motif with earthy browns and fresh spring greens. The goods: champagne cocktails and special creations from LA's best mixologists. The sound: live entertainment featuring bues, Latin, jazz, pop and the classics.