by Alia Akkam
No. 50
Spirit of Virtues
EICHARDT’S BAR AT EICHARDT’S PRIVATE HOTEL, QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND
Created by Shaun White
INGREDIENTS
30 ml (1 fl oz) Maker’s Mark bourbon
30 ml (1 fl oz) Amaro Montenegro
10 ml (⅓ fl oz) Aperol
2 dashes of hopped grapefruit bitters
2 pared strips of lemon zest
twist of lemon zest, to garnish
METHOD
Add the bourbon, amaro, Aperol, bitters and 1 strip of the lemon zest to a mixing glass and stir gently for 10–15 seconds. Strain into a chilled Martini glass or coupe. Express the oils from the other strip of lemon zest over the drink. Finish with a twist of lemon zest.
Queenstown, on the South Island of New Zealand, is where the adventurous come out to play, getting their kicks from bungee jumping, paragliding and abseiling. In the 1860s, that adrenaline rush was achieved in another form: prospecting for gold. During that prosperous era, a woolshed was converted into a hotel; by 1869, when tourism replaced the dispersing miners, Albert Eichardt was sole proprietor. Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Eichardt’s Private Hotel remains in the embrace of tourists, except they now embark on yacht cruises, dig into lamb shoulder with pinot-noir jus for two at the Grille, and consider Eichardt’s Bar their living room. This is where they lean back in banquettes against mirror-lined stone, grazing on pork-cheek croquettes rolled in wild thyme breadcrumbs. Often, the cocktails will have a culinary bent. Woodford Reserve bourbon might get smoked with Manuka honey, or rye whiskey infused with dates. Topped with homemade blood orange and thyme sorbet, the ‘Sangroni’ (gin, Campari, thyme syrup) is a merry excuse to sit by the fire just a tad longer.
THE AMERICAS
Belmond Copacabana Palace
Avenida Atlântica 1702, Rio de Janeiro
belmond.com
The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel
35 E. 76th Street, New York
rosewoodhotels.com
Country Club Lima Hotel
Calle Los Eucaliptos 590, San Isidro, Peru
countryclublimahotel.com
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City
Av. Paseo de la Reforma 500
fourseasons.com
The Hollywood Roosevelt
7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
thehollywoodroosevelt.com
Hotel Commonwealth
500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
hotelcommonwealth.com
Hotel Monteleone
214 Royal Street, New Orleans
hotelmonteleone.com
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Calle 21 y O, Vedado, Plaza, Havana
hotelnacionaldecuba.com
InterContinental The Willard Washington, DC
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
ihg.com
The NoMad Hotel
1170 Broadway, New York
thenomadhotel.com
Rockhouse Hotel & Spa
W End Road, Negril, Jamaica
rockhouse.com
St Regis New York
2 E. 55th Street
marriott.com
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa
845 Hornby Street, Vancouver
wedgewoodhotel.com
EUROPE
Badrutt’s Palace
Via Serlas 27, St Moritz
badruttspalace.com
Belmond Grand Hotel Europe
Mikhaylovskaya Ulitsa 1/7,
St Petersburg
belmond.com
The Connaught
Carlos Place, London
the-connaught.co.uk
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, Venice
marriott.com
Hotel am Steinplatz, Autograph Collection, Berlin
Steinplatz 4
hotelsteinplatz.com
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Place du Casino, Monaco
montecarlosbm.com
Hotel de Russie
Via del Babuino 9, Rome
roccofortehotels.com
Le Meurice
228 Rue de Rivoli, Paris
dorchestercollection.com
Nimb Hotel
Bernstorffsgade 5, Copenhagen
nimb.dk
Pulitzer Amsterdam
Prinsengracht 323
pulitzeramsterdam.com
Ritz Paris
15 Place Vendôme
ritzparis.com
The Savoy
Strand, London
thesavoylondon.com
The Stafford London
16-18 St James’s Place
thestaffordlondon.com
The Thief
Landgangen 1, Oslo
thethief.com
The Westin Palace, Madrid
Plaza de las Cortes 7
marriott.com
THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, SOUTH ASIA, INDIA
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Jumeirah Street, Dubai
jumeirah.com
Çırağan Palace Kempinski
Çırağan Caddesi 32, Istanbul
kempinksi.com
La Mamounia
Avenue Bab Jdid, Marrakech
mamounia.com
The Norman Tel Aviv
23-25 Nachmani Street
thenorman.com
The Oberoi, New Delhi
Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, Delhi Golf Club
oberoihotels.com
The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara
Mosi-oa-Tunya Road
anantara.com
Sarova Stanley
Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi
Street junction, Nairobi
sarovahotels.com
The Silo Hotel
Silo Square, Victoria & Alfred
Waterfront, Cape Town
theroyalportfolio.com
W Maldives
Fesdu Island North Ari Atoll,
Marriott.com
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Eichardt’s Private Hotel
2 Marine Parade, Queenstown,
New Zealand
eichardts.com
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
97 Saemunan-ro
fourseasons.com
Halcyon House
21 Cypress Crescent,
Cabarita Beach,
Australia
halcyonhouse.com.au
Hilton Kuala Lumpur
3 Jalan Stesen Sentral
hilton.com
Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
1 Chome-1-1 Uchisaiwaicho
imperialhotel.co.jp
Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong
Supreme Court Road
shangri-la.com
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
48 Oriental Avenue
mandarinoriental.com
Park Hyatt Tokyo
3-7-1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku
hyatt.com
QT Melbourne
133 Russell Street
qthotels.com
Raffles Singapore
1 Beach Road
raffles.com
Regent Singapore
1 Cuscaden Road
regenthotels.com
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
176 Cumberland Street
shangri-la.com
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai On the Bund
2 Zhongshan East 1st Rd
waldorfastoriashanghai.com
About the Author
Alia Akkam’s fascination with hotels began as a child when her father returned home from his countless business trips to Asia with a slew of miniature shampoo bottles and Hilton-emblazoned towels.
Born in New York, in the vibrant, multi-cultural borough of Queens – a place for which she still harbours an intense love – Alia is most drawn to urban settings, wandering aimlessly through crowded streets, gorging on local specialties in small, boisterous restaurants and observing quir
ky characters along the way.
Her childhood and adolescent years spent on Long Island, then, were steeped in wanderlust-fuelled daydreams, spinning the retro globe stashed in the upstairs storage room and plucking the Funk & Wagnalls Hammond World Atlas off a shelf in the living room wall unit to pore over images of international flags.
With a penchant for writing short stories as a kid, Alia headed to the University of South Carolina’s journalism school with dreams of becoming an advertising copywriter and moving to Europe. The former goal morphed into a career writing about restaurants, bars, travel and design; the latter eventually happened in 2015. After years of working in New York, Alia adventurously moved to Budapest – a city where she knew no one and didn’t speak a lick of Hungarian. Now her days of writing are regularly interspersed with Danube strolls and copious amounts of sponge cake consumption in Old World cafés.
Both an architecture and culture geek, Alia is smitten with Art Deco buildings, London’s theatre scene, French New Wave films and street art. A devoted nostalgist, she’s happiest imbibing in a historic hotel lobby or eating baked ziti in a red leather booth at an old Italian restaurant, tunes by 1960s girl groups playing in the background.
Acknowledgements
So many people lent their time, their savvy and, in many cases, their recipes to this book, and I am indebted to them. To all the bartenders who generously shared their creations, particularly ms franky marshall and Julia Momose for whipping up delicious drinks specifically for this book, and the publicists who graciously answered my endless questions, I tip my hat to you.
To all the folks who lent their words, including the AvroKO team, Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry, Martin Brudnizki, Frank Caiafa, Ryan Chetiyawardana, Carlos Couturier, Alex Day, Meaghan Dorman, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Gabe Orta, Christy Pope, David Rockwell, Mike Ryan, Audrey Saunders, Chad Solomon and Elad Zvi, thank you for elevating this book with your industry expertise.
Without the help of bar whiz Dez O’Connell – one of the first friends I made in Budapest, fittingly over a Daiquiri – this book would not have been possible. He sourced ingredients, tested recipes and even lent one of his own to this collection, while offering smart suggestions throughout the journey, and for that I am grateful.
I would also like to toast the amazing Hardie Grant Books team, especially my editor, the sharp, patient Eila Purvis, as well as designer Claire Warner and illustrator Evi-O.Studio, who did a smashing job capturing the transporting magic and whimsy of hotel bars through their designs.
There are others who must be recognised, too: Molly Ahuja, without whom this book never would have seen the light of day; David Farley, Kayt Mathers and Maureen O’Hare, whose constant support added cheer to the more maddening days; Lisa Mendelson, for her inspiring encouragement; Zsófia Fischer and Krisztina Munkácsi, for getting me to the finish line with their wisdom and positivity; the bar staff at KOLLÁZS for planting that first glorious seed; Julie Besonen and David Bailey, for giving me fairy tale chances all those years ago; the late Bori Budaházi, for showing me how life should be lived; and, of course, Aaron Arrowsmith Taylor, for everything.
Index
1912 Museo Bar, The Westin Palace Madrid 1
36 Above Martini 1
A
Aberfeldy Fashion 1
Ace Hotel Portland 1, 2
The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, New York 1–2
The Amara Singapore 1
Amaro Montenegro: Spirit of Virtues 1
American Bar, The Savoy London 1
The American Bar, The Stafford London 1
Aperol: Spirit of Virtues 1
Apricot Sour 1
architecture 1–2
Artesian, The Langham London 1
Aspen Crud 1
Aviary Bar, The Hilton Kuala Lumpur 1
AvroKO 1
AYANA Resort and Spa, Bali 1
B
Bacchus Piano Lounge
Wedgewood Hotel Vancouver 1
Badrutt’s Palace St Moritz 1
Baker, Charles H. 1
The Bamboo Bar, The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 1
Bar 228, Le Meurice Paris 1
Bar All’Aperto, Hotel Il Pellicano Porto Ercole 1
Bar am Steinplatz, Hotel am Steinplatz Berlin 1
Bar Hemingway, Ritz Paris 1
Bar Inglés, Country Club Lima Hotel 1
Bar Longhi, The Gritti Palace Venice 1
Beautiful, Amore, Gasp 1
Bellini 1
Belmond Copacabana Palace 1
Belmond Grand Hotel Europe St Petersburg 1
Bemelmans Bar, The Carlyle New York 1, 2
Bénédictine
Singapore Sling 1
Vieux Carré 1
berries: The Remedy 1
Billy the Kid 1
bitters, homemade: Aberfeldy Fashion 1
Black Angel’s Bar, Prague 1
Bloody Mary 1
The Bloomsbury London 1
Blu Bar on 36, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney 1
The Blue Bar, The Algonquin Hotel Times Square New York 1
Blue Moon 1
bourbon
Aspen Crud 1
Billy the Kid 1
Mint Julep 1
Moods of Love 1
Spirit of Virtues 1
boutique hotels 1–2
brandy: Jamaican Manhattan 1
Broken Shaker, Freehand hotels 1–2
Brudnizki, Martin 1, 2
Burj al Arab Jumeirah Dubai 1
Burj Royale 1
C
cachaça: Carioca Iced Tea 1
Calabrese, Salvatore 1
Calorosa 1
Calvados: The Serendipity 1
Campari: Jungle Bird 1
Capasso, Felice 1
Captain’s Bar, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 1
Caravelle Saigon 1
Caribe Hilton San Juan 1
Carioca Iced Tea 1
The Carlyle New York 1, 2
Carousel Bar & Lounge, Hotel Monteleone New Orleans 1
Chambon, Alban 1
Champagne
Meurice Millennium 1
Passion Royale 1
The Chandelier, The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas 1–2
Charles H., Four Seasons Hotel Seoul 1, 2
chartreuse: Loisaida Avenue 1
Chateau Marmont 1
Chetiyawardana, Ryan (Mr Lyan) 1–2
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel 1
Çiragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul 1
Clarion Bedford Hotel San Francisco 1
The Club Bar & Cigar Lounge, The Oberoi New Delhi 1
Clyde Common, Ace Hotel Portland 1
cocktail menus 1–2
Cognac
Gilded Sultan’s Elixir Riff 1
Vieux Carré 1
Coleman, Ada 1, 2
Collins, David 1
Connaught Bar, The Connaught London 1
Copacabana Palace 1
The Coral Room, The Bloomsbury London 1
Cornflake Syrup: Blue Moon 1
The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas 1–2
Country Club Lima Hotel 1
Curaçao
Blue Moon 1
Mad Dog 1
Singapore Sling 1
D
Dandelyan, The Mondrian London 1
Danini, Paolo 1
Death & Co., The Ramble Hotel Denver 1
Delano South Beach Miami 1
Design Hotels 1
The Dewberry Charleston South Carolina 1
The Drake Hotel Toronto 1
The Driftwood Room, Portland Oregon 1
DUKES Bar, DUKES London 1
E
Eaton Hong Kong 1
Eichardt’s Bar, Eichardt’s Private Hotel Queenstown 1
Electric Lemon Restaurant, Equinox Hotel New York 1
Equinox Hotel New York 1
Esperanto 1
Exchange Bar, Sarova Stanley Nairobi 1
Experimental Cocktail Club Grand Pigalle 1
Fairmont Hotel San Francisco 1
Fairmont Royal York Hotel Toronto 1
Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Montreal 1
Fifty Mills at Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City 1
Fleming, Ian 1
The Fleur Room, Moxy Chelsea Hotel New York 1
Four Seasons Hotel Budapest 1–2, 3
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City 1
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul 1, 2
Fragrances, The Ritz-Carlton Berlin 1
Freehand Miami 1
G
George’s Bar, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel 1
Gilbert Scott, George 1–2
gin
Calorosa 1
Hanky Panky 1
‘Madame President’ 1
Mount Fuji Riff 1
My Heart Beets For You 1
Not For Everybody 1
Passion Fruit Gin Cocktail 1
QT G&T 1
Ramos Gin Fizz 1
Raspberry Calling 1
The Remedy 1
Rose Ginvino 1
Singapore Sling 1
White Mouse 1
Grand Pigalle 1
The Gritti Palace Venice 1
Guarino, Sam 1
H
Halcyon House Cabarita Beach 1
Halekulani, Hawaii 1
Hanky Panky 1
happy hour 1
The Hawthorne, Hotel Commonwealth Boston 1
The Hay-Adams Washington DC 1
Heissen, Arnd 1
Hilton Kuala Lumpur 1
The Hilton Sydney 1
The Hollywood Roosevelt Los Angeles 1
honey water: Raspberry Calling 1
Hotel am Steinplatz, Berlin 1
hotel bars 1–2, 3–4
lighting 1–2
menus 1–2
unique experiences 1–2
with views 1–2
Hotel Commonwealth Boston 1
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo 1
Hotel der Russie Rome 1
Hotel du Cap–Eden-Roc Antibes 1
Hotel Habita Mexico City 1
Hotel Il Pellicano Porto Ercole 1
Hotel Jerome, Aspen Colorado 1
Hotel Metropole Brussels 1
Hotel Monteleone New Orleans 1
Hotel Muse 1
Hotel Nacional de Cuba 1
Hotel Nacional Riff 1
Hotel U Prince Prague 1
hotels 1–2
and historical events 1–2
luxury 1–2
and the performing arts 1
