I’m a big fan of hotel bars, both at home and abroad. There’s a certain romanticism to sipping a cocktail among wandering strangers. Some of my favourite bars in Vancouver are housed in local hotels. For the length of time it takes to sip an Old Fashioned, I’m transported outside of my city to a world of travelers sitting down for a business meeting or debriefing a full day of sightseeing. And when I’m on the road, I love being the traveler myself, sidling up to the lobby bar for happy hour while I pour over a long wish list of restaurants I want to hit up before my trip comes to an end.
So I thought I’d take you on a little tour of some of my favourite hotel bars locally. And to spice it up just a bit, I decided I’d take these cocktails to the next level (literally) and see what kind of views these hotels have to offer. This week we’re heading to H Tasting Lounge at The Westin Bayshore where we had the opportunity to enjoy a couple of cocktails while taking in a gorgeous view of the North Shore mountains.
Redemption Sour
2oz Gin
1oz Lemon Juice
1oz Sea Buckthorn Syrup
5 drops of vegan foamer*
Shake all ingredients over ice. Double strain into a large coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.
Alaska Cocktail
2oz Tanqueray 10
3/4oz Luxardo St. Antonio
1/4oz Orange Elderflower Syrup
1 dropper of Orange Tree Bitters
Stir all ingredients over ice. Strain into a large rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with gold flakes.