Edinburgh
Polished, precise, civilised. Edinburgh's best hotel-bar drinking — picked for craft, not concierge buzz.
New Town · $$$$
The Glasshouse Rooftop Bar draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$
No.1 The Royal Mile draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$
The Roof at the Radisson draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
New Town · $$$
The Roof at Cheval draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
New Town · $$$
The Cafe Royal Circle Bar draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$
The Caves draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$$
The Cellar Door draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Leith · $$$$
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society draws a steady local crowd in Leith. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$
The Devil's Advocate draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Old Town · $$$
The Doric draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Hotel bars solve specific problems. You need a bar near your room. You need somewhere quiet to take a meeting. You want the drink right the first time and you don't want to negotiate a wait. Every recommendation below clears those three bars. Most are open to non-guests; we've flagged any that aren't.
Best for: business travellers, late-checkout drinks, hotel-room negotiations made civilised, anniversaries that deserve a hotel jacket. Pricing skews higher than the city average — that's the trade. The rooms below justify it.
Civilised, polished, not pretending to be a club. Pick by neighbourhood and proximity to where you're sleeping.
Looking beyond Edinburgh? See our guide to the best hotel bars worldwide, or compare hotel bars city by city.