5. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel’s $100 Margarita with a View
From the 27th floor of the historic Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton in Grand Rapids, Michigan, guests can take in sweeping views of the city while sampling classic cocktails with a twist at the Cygnus27 restaurant and cocktail lounge. Here, they’ve taken the traditional margarita to new heights, combining Louis XIII, Herradura Seleccion Suprema, Grand Marnier Cinquantenaire, organic blue agave nectar and fresh lemon lime juice. In addition to its exclusive cocktail menu, Cygnus27 offers a Latin-inspired menu, featuring tapas-style and made-from-scratch shareable dishes in a modern, multi-level dining venue.
With 682 rooms ranging from historic to contemporary, modest (Classic Guest Room) to magnificent (Grand Luxury Suites), guests can splurge however much or little as they please. Rates start at $224 in February. For more information, call (616) 774-2000 or visit amwaygrand.com.
4. Windsor Court Hotel’s $100 Carthusian Cloud
For a limited time, guests of New Orleans’ Windsor Court Hotel can partake in the $100 Carthusian Cloud cocktail available at the hotel’s ground level Cocktail Bar. Heralded by locals and tourists alike, the bar serves sophisticated cocktails crafted from high-quality ingredients, including Carthusian Cloud, which is made with KELT XO cognac, Grand Mariner, Chartreuse and Luxardo Maraschino and paired with a small plate that is an elevated take on a Southern staple. Approximately $22 million went into restoring this Preferred Hotels & Resorts member property, so expect a top-notch spa; globally inspired cuisine; and 316 guestrooms and suites. Rates start at $224 per night. For more information, call (504) 523-6000 or visit windsorcourthotel.com.
3. Hilton New Orleans Riverside’s $150 Grand Sidecar
Luckily for guests, they won’t have to know a password to get inside the Hilton New Orleans Riverside’s speakeasy-inspired piano bar for a taste of the lavish Grand Sidecar. “Hidden” on the second floor of the hotel, Public Belt serves craft cocktails, unique wines and select beers, including a modern variation of the classic Sidecar cocktail with Grand Marnier Quintessence Grand Cuvee liqueur, in an intimate space with cozy nooks and live jazz music.
Hilton New Orleans Riverside is located along the riverfront, a short distance from NOLA’s top attractions in the Warehouse District and French Quarter. Rates start at $169 per night. For more information, call (504) 561-0500 or visit www3.hilton.com.
2. The W South Beach’s $450 Through the Looking Glass Cocktail
The stylish Living Room Bar at the W South Beach in Miami plays host to a fantastical cocktail creation made with Louis XIII cognac, fresh peach nectar, crystallized rose petal syrup, peach bitters and fresh squeezed lemon juice, garnished with edible rose petals. Best paired with a cigar from the humidor, the ‘Through the Looking Glass’ cocktail is best enjoyed while lounging on the hotel’s outdoor terrace overlooking the lush GROVE and WET pool deck. In The Living Room, the W’s take on the traditional lobby, guests can mix and mingle from 2 p.m. to 2.m. seven days a week over elegant cocktails made with a local spin from in-house bar experts.
Hotel amenities include a 24-Hour FIT Gym, Bliss Spa, Swish basketball and Swing tennis courts, and a watersports and activities center. Rates start at $399 per night. For more information, call (305) 938-3000 or visit wsouthbeach.com.
1. Zemi Beach House’s $650 Rhum
Said to be the oldest rhum (rum) available for sale and limited to just 800 bottles worldwide, the rare Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Rhum served at Zemi Beach House’s Rhum Room in Anguilla is worth the price for rum aficionados. Boasting over 100 small batch, single-estate (farm-to-bottle) rhums from around the world, the Rhum Room is being called the hottest new rhum bar in the Caribbean. The elegant tasting room is the ideal setting for late-night cocktails or private tastings located steps away from Shoal Bay Beach. For a true taste of the Caribbean, order the specially curated Rhum Flight, featuring a selection of rhums handpicked by the house rhummelier, Rushelle Oliver.
Featuring 54 guestrooms and nine 2- and 3-bedroom suites, Zemi Beach House is tucked away on six oceanfront acres adjacent to Anguilla’s Fountain Cavern National Park. Room rates at start at $795 per night. For more information, visit zemibeach.com.
