Taipei
Polished, precise, civilised. Taipei's best hotel-bar drinking — picked for craft, not concierge buzz.
Da'an · $$$
Mike the Bar draws a steady local crowd in Da'an. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Songshan · $$$$
Marco Polo Lounge at Shangri-La draws a steady local crowd in Songshan. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Da'an · $$$
The Tofu Bar draws a steady local crowd in Da'an. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Xinyi · $$
The Public House draws a steady local crowd in Xinyi. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Da'an · $$$
Bar Mood draws a steady local crowd in Da'an. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Zhongshan · $$$
Bar Pun draws a steady local crowd in Zhongshan. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Zhongshan · $$$
Blue Note Taipei draws a steady local crowd in Zhongshan. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Da'an · $$$$
Chamberlain draws a steady local crowd in Da'an. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Zhongshan · $$$
COA Taipei draws a steady local crowd in Zhongshan. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Da'an · $$$$
Cohiba Atmosphere draws a steady local crowd in Da'an. 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 Taipei? See our guide to the best hotel bars worldwide, or compare hotel bars city by city.