It certainly feels as if it’s obligatory for every new London building to have a rooftop bar. Londoners will go significant distances for a good one, including the outer reaches of Peckham for the legendary Frank’s bar on a multi-storey car park. Want to stick closer to home and not spend a fortune? Try Bar Elba in London Bridge. Skylight in Tobacco Dock in Wapping brings croquet into the mix.
This year’s key opening will be the Standard’s offering, due to be unveiled in the autumn on the 10th floor of the Euston Road hotel with a restaurant from Michelin-starred Peter Sanchez-Iglesias. The quiet, foodie Buxton will also have a space reserved just for hotel guests when it opens in Brick Lane later this year. However, with June starting with record temperatures, this year’s collection have started to open up.
What it lacks in height – it’s only on the first floor – Art Yard at the new Bankside hotel makes up for in charm and a good view of St Paul’s Cathedral. Decked with flowers, there’s a summer partnership with Hampshire winery Hambleton which launches on May 1; it’s open from Tuesday to Saturday. There’s wood-fired pizza alongside British food staples.
Part of Marriott’s Autograph range, The Xenia, on the Cromwell Road, has a small but potent roof terrace, with treetop views of South Kensington. It’s best hired for private afternoon teas but also serves up a power-packed aperitivo hour that matches Aperol spritz to the orange cushions, sofas and shades. This is a lowkey hotel but it’s well placed for the area’s museums including the Natural History Museum and the V&A.
Vintry & Mercer, a new-build boutique hotel near the Bank of England has one of the largest spaces on offer. Floor to ceiling glass windows can swing open as the weather permits. It’s got the fullest menu of the roof terrace options here; concentrating on British classics, from asparagus to Dover sole. Given the business-minded area it’s in, it’s likely to be quietest at weekends.
The Crowne Plaza may be a tad large and impersonal but the new Mezemiso bar on its 15th floor makes up for it in terms of concept alone. A blend of Middle Eastern and Japanese flavours, the hotel is well-located for the Thames too, on the Albert Embankment.
Drinks reflect the fusion theme. ‘Byblos Gin Fizz’, a Lebanese take on the classic Ramos gin fizz featuring zaatar gin infusion, jallab, grapefruit and rhubarb and ‘Misu Shingen Daiquiri’, a daiquiri made with cherry liqueur, umeshu plum and grapefruit. The food adheres to the same theme and the hotel also has a dedicated cigar and shisha bar.
