Kiwi Curated
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
by Darren DunneThe prohibition era between 1920 to 1933 wasn’t a golden age for fans of alcoholic beverages, with their sale, manufacture and transportation all rendered illegal in the United States. During that time, clandestine drinking establishments known as speakeasies sprouted at a phenomenal rate, and in 1925, there were anywhere between 30,000 and 100,000 operating in New York City alone.
Laws were eventually repealed, bringing alcohol back into the mainstream, but the glamour of the speakeasy lives on in popular culture. A welcome trend of late has been the introduction of neo-speakeasies or vintage-inspired bars with an atmosphere and cocktail menu borrowed from the Roaring Twenties. Read on as we take a look at a few Kiwi Collection hotels where the speakeasy concept thrives.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
Few cities felt the bite of prohibition quite as much as New Orleans, a city where drinking was (and still is) an intrinsic part of the social fabric. Like other big cities, drinkers kept the party going and The Roosevelt found itself at the center of a prohibition scandal in 1922. During the Grain Dealers’ Association Conference, prohibition agents raided rooms 1263 and 1265 to find bars, 27 barrels of beer and many bottles of scotch. So vast was the haul it took four trucks to spirit it away. In modern times, The Roosevelt’s Sazerac Bar retains a 1920s saloon-style appearance that’s all elegant bar stools, plush banquettes, and a cocktail list worthy of the era.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
The Hay-Adams opened its doors in 1928 at the height of the prohibition era, and the hotel’s famous basement bar, Off The Record, has been a meeting point for Washington’s elite ever since. Amid red velvet-wrapped furniture and political caricatures, the stiff and classic cocktails of the era remain a staple on the menu. There are few better spots in America’s capital city to engage in a little people watching.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
Upon opening in 1929 at the height of prohibition, the “Mystery Room” at the Arizona Biltmore soon became famous as a legendary meeting point for cocktails in the desert. Guests sought out a secret entrance in the hotel kitchen that led up a hidden staircase and into the Mystery Room. Alcohol was concealed behind a double-sided bookcase, while a staff member was positioned on the roof with a searchlight that allowed them to spot any law enforcement raids from a distance. If the police were sighted, the light would shine on the Mystery Room’s window, and it would be converted back to its original, and far more staid purpose as a smoking room.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
The Connaught Bar pays homage to the speakeasy with a classic look and a focus on mixology that’s racked up accolades. Attention to detail is paramount across the cocktail list’s five sections: Masterpieces (classics with a modern twist), Continental (inspired by Europe’s classic 1930s cocktails), Transatlantic (classic concoctions from prohibition era speakeasies), Pacific (inspired by the extravagant bars from the region), and Innocence (non-alcoholic cocktails). The bar’s signature is The Connaught Martini, and the introduction of the unique “Martini Trolley” allows drinkers to view the ceremony involved in its making.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
Throughout Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, the grandeur and style of the Roaring Twenties mingle with the utmost in contemporary design. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Prohibition, the hotel’s throwback bar where decadence, glamour and sophistication are celebrated nightly. Live music and sleek interiors combine to create a lively atmosphere, while a bevy of bespoke cocktails make this a bar worth seeking out.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
Downstairs, behind a brash street-level side door, The Bar Downstairs at Andaz 5th Avenue puts a modern twist on a prohibition-style cocktail list. Renowned architect Tony Chi designed the space, with two Claro Walnut slabs serving as stations helmed by a team of bartenders. The menu offers seasonal, prohibition era cocktails, as well as small-batch liquors and a carefully curated selection of wines by the glass.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
The exclusive Crystal Bar at The Wellesley Knightsbridge is one of London’s best kept secrets, containing a unique selection of whiskeys, cognac, and extremely rare liquors from 1770. The walls of this lavish watering hole are adorned with glass display cases that present the collection in all its glory, leaving patrons with plenty to ponder as they choose their next drink.
9 Modern Speakeasies for a Classic Cocktail Hour
The story goes that Princess Diana confessed to owner Roberto Wirth that she had enjoyed the world’s best Bellini at Hotel Hassler Roma’s Bar, but that isn’t the only feather in this bar’s stylish cap. The Hassler Bar is a cozy cocktail bar that’s made up of dark woods, red leather upholstery and gilded mirrors. Having a drink here is like stepping back to a more refined age, one with a suitably impressive cocktail list on hand.
Few cities felt the bite of prohibition quite as much as New Orleans, a city where drinking was (and still is) an intrinsic part of the social fabric. Like other big cities, drinkers kept the party going and The Roosevelt found itself at the center of a prohibition scandal in 1922. During the Grain Dealers’ Association Conference, prohibition agents raided rooms 1263 and 1265 to find bars, 27 barrels of beer and many bottles of scotch. So vast was the haul it took four trucks to spirit it away. In modern times, The Roosevelt’s Sazerac Bar retains a 1920s saloon-style appearance that’s all elegant bar stools, plush banquettes, and a cocktail list worthy of the era.
The Hay-Adams opened its doors in 1928 at the height of the prohibition era, and the hotel’s famous basement bar, Off The Record, has been a meeting point for Washington’s elite ever since. Amid red velvet-wrapped furniture and political caricatures, the stiff and classic cocktails of the era remain a staple on the menu. There are few better spots in America’s capital city to engage in a little people watching.
Upon opening in 1929 at the height of prohibition, the “Mystery Room” at the Arizona Biltmore soon became famous as a legendary meeting point for cocktails in the desert. Guests sought out a secret entrance in the hotel kitchen that led up a hidden staircase and into the Mystery Room. Alcohol was concealed behind a double-sided bookcase, while a staff member was positioned on the roof with a searchlight that allowed them to spot any law enforcement raids from a distance. If the police were sighted, the light would shine on the Mystery Room’s window, and it would be converted back to its original, and far more staid purpose as a smoking room.
The Connaught Bar pays homage to the speakeasy with a classic look and a focus on mixology that’s racked up accolades. Attention to detail is paramount across the cocktail list’s five sections: Masterpieces (classics with a modern twist), Continental (inspired by Europe’s classic 1930s cocktails), Transatlantic (classic concoctions from prohibition era speakeasies), Pacific (inspired by the extravagant bars from the region), and Innocence (non-alcoholic cocktails). The bar’s signature is The Connaught Martini, and the introduction of the unique “Martini Trolley” allows drinkers to view the ceremony involved in its making.
Throughout Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, the grandeur and style of the Roaring Twenties mingle with the utmost in contemporary design. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Prohibition, the hotel’s throwback bar where decadence, glamour and sophistication are celebrated nightly. Live music and sleek interiors combine to create a lively atmosphere, while a bevy of bespoke cocktails make this a bar worth seeking out.
Downstairs, behind a brash street-level side door, The Bar Downstairs at Andaz 5th Avenue puts a modern twist on a prohibition-style cocktail list. Renowned architect Tony Chi designed the space, with two Claro Walnut slabs serving as stations helmed by a team of bartenders. The menu offers seasonal, prohibition era cocktails, as well as small-batch liquors and a carefully curated selection of wines by the glass.
The exclusive Crystal Bar at The Wellesley Knightsbridge is one of London’s best kept secrets, containing a unique selection of whiskeys, cognac, and extremely rare liquors from 1770. The walls of this lavish watering hole are adorned with glass display cases that present the collection in all its glory, leaving patrons with plenty to ponder as they choose their next drink.
The story goes that Princess Diana confessed to owner Roberto Wirth that she had enjoyed the world’s best Bellini at Hotel Hassler Roma’s Bar, but that isn’t the only feather in this bar’s stylish cap. The Hassler Bar is a cozy cocktail bar that’s made up of dark woods, red leather upholstery and gilded mirrors. Having a drink here is like stepping back to a more refined age, one with a suitably impressive cocktail list on hand.