Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Photo Courtesy of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts LLC
Consider what made your last trip memorable. Sure, you’ll likely talk about the sunrise, the incredible day you had horseback riding or the company — but we guarantee that a memorable cocktail or meal made its way into your recounting.
In fact, dinner and drinks are reasons that many return to a destination — to recreate that perfect “something” that you can’t get anywhere else. Here are six savvy hotels and resorts that have curated exclusive bottles, brews, spirits and cocktails to give guests yet another reason to return.
WHISKEY
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Spend your days exploring the wilds of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and your nights in the Anasazi Bar and Lounge, where the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi serves up its own single barrel whiskey. Developed in partnership with Santa Fe Spirits, you won’t find this pour anywhere else.
Herons, Photo Courtesy of The Umstead Hotel and Spa
Don’t care for your spirits straight? Try the Anasazi Manhattan, which features the hotel’s Colkegan Single Barrel Whiskey, vermouth, Angostura bitters and cherries, highlighting the whiskey’s smoky apple flavor.
WINE
The Umstead Hotel and Spa
A visit to the Five-Star Umstead Hotel and Spa isn’t complete without a trip to its Five-Star restaurant, Herons, a favorite of Raleigh-area visitors and locals alike. But make the evening even more enticing with a glass or bottle of the Umstead Cuvée, a special pinot noir blend developed by the hotel and Oregon’s Alexana Winery. Executive chef Steven Greene visited the winery last June to create the blend that he felt would best complement Herons’ regional American cuisine and the hotel setting. The result? A wine that is silky and velvety in texture with acidic notes and lush aromatics.
BOURBON
21c Museum Hotel, Louisville
Kentucky is known for its bourbon, and Louisville’s 21c Museum Hotel maintains the tradition. The hotel’s restaurant Proof On Main offers exclusive barrels of Woodford Reserve and Van Winkle, which are brewed just an hour away from the hotel. Sip it straight, or try a bourbon-infused drink from the ever-changing cocktail menu inspired by the season and current museum exhibits.
BEER
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Now, visitors to Orlando have much more than Disney World to look forward to. The Four-Star Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, a property that houses both the Ritz-Carlton and sister hotel the JW Marriott Orlando, treats guests to exclusive sips from onsite venue Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen and The Brewery. The in-house nano-brewery produces approximately 28 gallons of beer each week in five styles: dark, amber, IPA, wheat/light and seasonal special brews.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Photo Courtesy of Marriott International Inc
On any given night, try a Maple Bacon Stout, a Ghost Pepper Wheat, or the unique “Soup of the Day” IPA. They even have a signature beer, developed in collaboration with Cape Canaveral–based Florida Beer Company. Surplus, a signature honey-citrus ale, is available in all of the resort’s outlets year-round and is made from honey sourced from the resort’s apiaries.
COCKTAIL
Mondrian London
While most luxury hotel guests expect mini bottles of high-end spirits in their minibar, Mondrian London has gone a step further, crafting pre-bottled cocktails made by the hotel’s in-house mixologist just for guests.
Ryan Chetiyawardana, who has A-list fans like Beyonce and was named the Spirited Awards 2015 International Bartender of the Year, created the menu for the hotel’s bar, Dandelyan. and developed the signature libations available in the hotel’s minibars. Try his spin on a Tom Collins, a “frosted” martini made with gin, vermouth, citrus and white flower bitters, and a new old fashioned that has an unexpected ingredient — beeswax.
MEZCAL
Hacienda Encantada Resort & Spa
Having an agave spirit while in Mexico is practically a trip prerequisite, but true fans know that it is best when sipped, not taken as a shot. That’s all the more reason to enjoy a serving of Hacienda Encantada’s branded bottle of mezcal while looking out over the cliffs of Los Cabos.
The smoky agave liquor made just for the resort is bottled in Oaxaca, the official home of mezcal. The hotel’s mezcal sets itself apart from the rest by being roasted longer in underground wood-fired pits to soften the taste, making it palatable for all taste buds. Try it topped with a slice of orange, neat or on the rocks. You can even take a bottle home, if you desire.
