Asia’s Most Refined Bars
As dusk drapes Asia’s glittering skylines in velvet shadow, the night unfurls its cultured secrets, whispers of nuance, artistry, and exquisite poise. Perched atop vertigo-inducing spires or hidden in labyrinthine enclaves, these sanctuaries transcend mere imbibing; they orchestrate symphonies of the senses through bespoke designs that breathe, elixirs forged by alchemists balancing wild invention with whispered restraint. Far beyond a fleeting sip, they summon souls to linger in suspended reverie, where hours dissolve like mist, dialogues bloom into confessions, and every meticulously curated instant etches itself into memory’s silken tapestry.
Bangkok
Sky on 20
Perched like a crown jewel above Sukhumvit’s electric sprawl, Sky on 20 unfurls as a rooftop reverie, where panoramic city vistas collide with an effortless alchemy of ease and élan. This open-air aerie masterfully marries plush comfort with sartorial finesse, luring sunset sippers into twilight trysts that melt into midnight murmurs. A menu of liquid poetry reimagines timeless elixirs with daring twists, paired with shareable morsels of refined indulgence, as Bangkok’s neon symphony ignites below. Here, the night exhales in poised serenity, polished, unhurried, a contemporary ode to the city’s shadowed glamour.
Address: 26F, Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, 19/9 Soi Sukhumvit 20, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 009 4999
Opening Hours: Daily 17.00 – 1.00
SIN Rooftop Bar
A brazen siren atop Bangkok’s throbbing pulse, SIN Rooftop Bar beckons with a shadowy seduction—daring, unbridled, a velvet revolt against the tame skyline. Dramatic realms of low-lit intrigue and endless urban vistas ignite nocturnal cravings, where every shadowed corner pulses with indulgent abandon. Elixirs of opulent depth and audacious artistry mirror the venue’s carnal charisma, their flavors unfurling like forbidden whispers, while curated beats escalate the midnight frenzy. For souls craving nights that scar the memory, SIN alchemizes twilight into a high-octane ritual of raw, immersive revelry.
Address: Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel, 257/1-3 Charoennakorn Road, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 431 9472
Opening Hours: Daily 17.00 – 1.00
Shanghai
Roof at The Shanghai EDITION
Floating high above the Bund, Roof at The Shanghai EDITION feels like a sky-borne sanctuary where Shanghai’s electric skyline stretches endlessly into the night. Ivy-draped trellises, open air breezes, and panoramic views of Pudong create an atmosphere that is both cinematic and effortlessly cool. Cocktails lean toward refined classics with contemporary nuance, designed to be savored slowly as dusk melts into neon-lit darkness. It’s a place where conversations linger, the city hums softly below, and each evening unfolds with understated glamour and modern elegance.
Address: 29F, The Shanghai EDITION, 199 Nanjing East Road, Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 5368 9999
Opening Hours: Daily 17.30 – 24.00
Long Bar
Enshrined within the Waldorf Astoria on Shanghai’s storied Bund, Long Bar is a timeworn portal to 20th-century splendor—where polished mahogany whispers of empires past and art deco ghosts linger in amber glow. Legendary libations resurrect icons like the Shanghai Buck and Astoria Cocktail, entwined with rare spirits and delicate bar savories, all serenaded by live jazz sighs or velvet playlists. For epicureans chasing liquid history, it crafts indulgent evenings in a gilded cocoon of timeless luxe.
Address: GF, Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, 2 Zhongshan Rd (E‑1), Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 6322 9988
Opening Hours: Sun – Thru 17.30 – 1.00 / Fri – Sat 17.30 – 2.00
Hong Kong
Argo
Anchored in the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Argo charts a luminous course through modern mixology—where rare botanicals, global spirits, and earth-sourced treasures converge in sustainable alchemy. Each cocktail emerges as a purposeful masterpiece, born of meticulous craft and worldly wanderlust, served in an understated sanctum gazing over Victoria Harbour’s endless shimmer. Here, innovation whispers to quiet luxury, distilling intimacy and foresight into every crystalline pour.
Address: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3196 8882
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 17.00 – 1.00 / Fri – Sat 17.00 – 2.00
The Aubrey
Gazing over Victoria Harbour’s liquid sapphire, The Aubrey reweaves Japanese nightlife into a gilded izakaya reverie—luxuriant, audacious, alive with nocturnal pulse. Rare whiskies, silken sakes, and artisanal spirits form its beating heart, paired with elevated small plates that transmute tradition into culinary poetry. Amid sumptuous textures and bold motifs that envelop like a fever dream, the evening unfurls—from poised precision to vibrant crescendo, fusing spirited indulgence with sophisticated symphony.
Address: 25F, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Rd Central, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2825 4001
Opening Hours: Daily 12.00 – 1.00
Tokyo
The Bvlgari Bar
Crowning the city from the 45th floor of Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, The Bvlgari Bar unfolds as a rarefied sanctuary of Italian glamour suspended above the capital’s restless rhythm. Framed by terrace gardens and floor-to-ceiling vistas, the space channels a Mediterranean soul through refined lines, warm textures, and a sense of effortless exclusivity. Cocktails lean toward timeless Italian classics and impeccably balanced signatures, crafted with precious spirits and served with quiet precision. As dusk settles and Tokyo begins to glow below, the bar transforms into an elevated social salon—serene, polished, and unmistakably luxurious, designed for evenings that linger with grace rather than spectacle.
Address: 45F, Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, 2-2-1 Yaesu, Chuo City, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81 3 6262 3333
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 12.00 – 24.00 / Fri – Sat 12.00 – 2.00
The SG Club
A multi-tiered odyssey in Shibuya’s neon-veined heart, The SG Club marries Japanese exactitude to worldly cocktail wanderings—each level a distinct mood, a rhythmic realm unto itself. Inventive libations plunder global arcane, honed to flawless equilibrium with unyielding detail, unfurling in spaces that hum with poised futurism. Relaxed yet boldly sculpted, it courts both languid evenings and profound mixology quests, where ingenuity and mastery entwine in effortless grace.
Address: 1 Chome-7-8 Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81 50 3138 2618
Opening Hours: Daily 17.00 – 2.00
Singapore
Atlas
An Art Deco colossus thrusting from Singapore’s vibrant core, Atlas exalts eternal elegance in soaring splendor—its legendary gin tower a towering pantheon of the world’s rarest botanicals, curated with erudite devotion and classical piety. Beneath gilded vaults and operatic interiors, cocktails materialize through impeccable ritual, attended by service as graceful as a sonnet. Theatrical yet tempered, it whisks patrons into a golden age of glamour, every flourish a whisper of quiet supremacy.
Address: GF, 600 N Bridge Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 6396 4466
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 12.00 – 24.00 / Fri – Sat 17.00 – 2.00
Jigger & Pony
A perennial titan among the globe’s elite bars, Jigger & Pony masters the contemporary classic—where thoughtful alchemy fuses bold invention with effortless accessibility. Cocktails emerge as paragons of precision, impeccably wrought yet invitingly approachable, cradled in an ambiance that’s refined sans rigidity. Warmth envelops the aficionado and novice alike, as exacting technique and understated swagger transmute modern mixology into a haven of comfort, crystalline clarity, and lasting allure.
Address: Amara Singapore Hotel, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 9621 1074
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 18.00 – 24.00 / Fri – Sat 18.00 – 2.00
Together, these sanctuaries distill Asia’s nocturnal soul at its most sublime, where masterful craft, enveloping aura, and deliberate intent converge in exquisite harmony. Each pulses with its own singular grace, beckoning the night to unfold in unhurried splendor, one transcendent sip at a time.
