HOTELS • December 2016
Five hotels with sizzling nightclubs
A hot nightspot is the key to New Year’s Eve nirvana, says Lucy Thackray, commissioning editor at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine. Count down to midnight with the city’s most glamorous set at these stylish hotels – then tumble into bed down the hall…
Singapore: Cé La Vi at Marina Bay Sands
You probably know this building, if not its club. It’s that futuristic trio of sleek towers topped by a sculpted hotel, pool and selection of restaurants – and its heady nightspot, 57 floors above the madness. Thanks to the party-hungry young workforce, Cé La Vi (formerly iconic club Ku De Ta) is all about the guest DJs and packed dancefloor. Not up for the crush? Arrive before sunset to take before-and-after snaps out on the SkyDeck terrace, against the killer backdrop of Singapore’s twinkling-tiara skyline.
Entry SGC$38 on Fridays and Saturdays
London: W Lounge at W London
From the moment W London’s leather-padded lifts open to reveal its disco-ball-strung bar, you feel as if you’re crashing a rock ’n’ roll after-party. And you’re not wrong – it’s served as a launch venue for everything from blockbuster The King’s Speech to streetwise fashion label Sibling. Thick, golden lighting panels ooze like lava around a curvaceous white bar, with low leather banquettes to sink into with a cocktail. You’re bang in Leicester Square, but the elevated first-floor location and secret corners behind screens and bookcases make it feel like a nightlife secret.
Free entry
Miami: LIV at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
You’d expect nothing less than glamorous pool parties, flashy décor and the odd celeb in Miami Beach. LIV ticks every blingy box: Jay Z, Leonardo DiCaprio and an army of Kardashians have all got down here (plus Justin Bieber is playing poolside for New Year’s 2017); the cream-and-purple interior is Vegas-style dramatic (all neon multi-levels, domed ceiling and OTT chandeliers); and, with three bars and a capacity of 1,200, there’s plenty of glam Miami people-watching to do.
Entry from $30
Dubai: Mercury Lounge at Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach
Close your eyes and picture Dubai’s nightlife. Chances are you’ve conjured up a glowing, desert-hued terrace with Arabian architecture and a splash of sharp modern design. Rooftop club Mercury Lounge delivers on all this, offering a stellar view of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and a curious coin-shaped bar. But the music and food are both Med-obsessed (think end-of-season Mykonos or Ibiza) – order the Mediterranean Collins to get in the mood.
Free entry
New York: Le Bain at The Standard High Line
No one really watches the ball drop in NYC. Times Square is frantic, freezing and its human contents are packed like sardines. Instead, those in the know are up among the skyscrapers at the city’s most sought-after rooftop, Le Bain, in the edgy, industrial-feel Meatpacking District. It’s the ultimate crazy-hipster party, with a 20-man hot tub, AstroTurf terrace and a crêperie – as well as arguably Manhattan’s greatest view. The doormen are notoriously the hardest in town to slip past, so dress smartly, appear sober and be polite. It’s open during the day too, in case you fancy popping in for a restorative Bloody Mary.
Free entry
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This article has been tagged Destination, Hotels