Hot Hotel Bars

Pennyroyal Courtesy Aubrie Pick / Pennyroyal

We recommend starting at the top. Perched nine floors above ground level at Thompson Hotel near Pike Place Market is The Nest (110 Stewart St), frequented for its sweeping views, outdoor seating, and over-the-top boozy creations. Frolik Kitchen + Cocktails (1415 Fifth Ave) at Motif Seattle offers its own sleek rooftop patio complete with stunning city vistas.

For an upscale nightcap, snag a seat overlooking Elliott Bay at Six Seven (2411 Alaskan Way) in the Edgewater Hotel, where you’ll find a happy hour of house cocktails and small bites. Also near the water and with equally stunning views is Goldfinch Tavern (99 Union St) at the Four Seasons; go here for an impressive lineup of cocktails and local wine in a refined atmosphere.

And there’s no shortage of hotel restaurants serving excellent dishes to pair with your libation of choice. Downtown, Rider (619 Pine St) in Hotel Theodore offers a bounty of seafood and delivers a mean bespoke cocktail. Tom Douglas staple Lola (2000 Fourth Ave) in Hotel Ändra blends Pacific Northwest fare with Mediterranean flavor—the Bloody Mary with house pepper vodka is a must with brunch.

For a taste of old-school Seattle, head to mahogany-paneled Fireside Room (900 Madison St) at Hotel Sorrento on First Hill for a nightcap amid tunes from a baby grand, or sip one of the most famous martinis in town at Oliver’s Lounge (405 Olive Way) in downtown’s Mayflower Park Hotel.

If it’s character you seek, neighboring Pennyroyal (2000 Second Ave) in Palladian Hotel hits the mark with a lively cocktail list and a low-lit, elegant vibe. And The Tin Lizzie Lounge (600 Queen Anne Ave N) in Queen Anne’s MarQueen Hotel wins points for style with its speakeasy-inspired décor and playful drink menu.