The Basics Drinking Out

5 Great In-Room Cocktail Programs at Hotels

Enjoy bar-quality drinks in the comfort of your own room.

By
Nicole Schnitzler
Nicole Schnitzler
Nicole Schnitzler
Nicole Schnitzler is a freelance writer based in Chicago. She covers travel, food, drink, lifestyle and culture.
Learn about Liquor.com's Editorial Process
Updated 09/17/20
In-room cocktail kit at the Yacht Club.

The Yacht Club at Boca Raton Resort

Seasoned travelers know the scenario: You come back to your hotel after dinner ready for a nightcap, only to find the lobby-level lounge closed and the minibar inventory stocked with the usual suspects, but nothing that will satisfy your thirst for a properly-made Manhattan. What’s a guest with good taste to do?

Thankfully, hotel teams across the globe have been catching on to this dilemma and responding by equipping guests with everything they need to fix their very own drinks without ever having to step foot outside the room. Cocktail kits and in-room bar carts don’t yet enjoy the ubiquity of fluffy slippers and robes, but they’re becoming more common as hotels ramp up their liquid amenities for discerning travelers.

From Espresso Martinis in Sydney to Champagne Shirley Temples at an upscale Oregon trailer park, these are five of the best in-room imbibing options available around the world.

  • The Crawford (Denver)

    Mini bottled In-room cocktails at the Crawford, including a Negroni, Vesper and Manhattan alongwith a mini cocktail shaker and two glasses

    The Crawford

    This stylish Denver hotel is located above Union Station, mixing historic details with modern trappings. The Terminal Bar offers free craft beer, which might be reason enough to stay for some travelers. But those jonesing for a cocktail can enjoy several in-room drink choices featuring spirits from local distillery, The Family Jones Spirit House. Guest rooms are stocked with cocktail kits that include glassware, a cocktail shaker and three different batched drinks: a Manhattan, Negroni and Vesper. And the hotel’s guest services are available to help you with any other cocktail-making needs, from ice to garnishes.

  • QT Sydney

    Espresso Martini Kit at QT Sydney

    QT Sydney 

    Every room of this design-driven hotel comes equipped with an Espresso Martini kit to keep those long Sydney nights going even longer. Your in-room drink kit includes an ample supply of Belvedere vodka, Patrón Cafe XO liqueur and Nespresso pods. Then there’s the cocktail shaker and two Martini glasses, so you’ve got everything you need to boost your evening with a heady mix of caffeine and booze. Mix some liquid energy before venturing to dinner, or pour yourself a stimulating nightcap once you return to your room.

  • The Vintages (Dayton, Oregon)

    Cocktail kit at The Vintages being put to use in two branded tumblers

    The Vintages

    Those looking for a nostalgic twist to their happy hour can find it at this upscale trailer resort in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Guests are greeted with a flock of plastic flamingo lawn ornaments and a signature cocktail kit ready for concocting a batch of Champagne Shirley Temples. Aptly titled the Flock It to Me, the drink package features glassware, a bottle of Champagne, grenadine and maraschino cherries for a grown-up riff on the childhood favorite. Mix a few for your party and relax in these playful environs, which showcase 35 restored and thoughtfully decorated trailers.

  • W San Francisco

    MixBar at W San Francisco

    W San Francisco

    You’ll feel instantly hip when entering this SoMa District hotel with a lobby lounge and restaurant that caters to thirsty guests with dialed-up drinks like the Huckleberry Sin (gin, huckleberry, orange marmalade) and the Head of the House (bourbon, ginger liqueur, Cynar). Those thoughtful imbibing vibes extend to more than 400 rooms and suites, where guests are greeted by a custom MixBar. That bar features everything you need to flex your creativity: Neft vodka, Mixtress cocktail mixers, Mixtress cocktail perfumes (they’re like aromatic garnishes) and Mixtress cocktail crystals for seasoning and rimming your drinks. Follow the team’s written instructions to shake a fun cocktail, like a fruity and floral take on the classic Martini.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below.

  • The Yacht Club (Boca Raton, Florida)

    Cocktail kit at The Yacht Club including an etched lowball glass

    The Yacht Club at Boca Raton Resort

    After an extensive revamp, this glamorous boutique hotel reopened in 2018 within the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Luxury begins upon arrival, as guests are greeted with a glass of Champagne before heading to their rooms. Every one of the 112 luxury suites comes with panoramic views of Lake Boca and the Atlantic Ocean. They also come with VIP perks including a cocktail kit from bottled cocktail maker BTL SVC, featuring four different drams: the Old Fashioned, Matador (tequila, pineapple gomme syrup, lime), 1934 Cosmo (vodka, dry curaçao, raspberry gomme syrup, lime) and Ginger Buck, which is made with vodka, ginger beer and lime. All that comes with ice, tongs and rocks glasses, so you’re ready to play bartender right in your own room.