Below you’ll find descriptions, contact info and photos from the world’s coolest rooftop nightlife.
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1. Sirocco
Bangkok, Thailand
No night out in Bangkok is complete without a couple cocktails at Sirocco. Perched on top of The Dome at State Tower, 64th floors above the hectic streets of Bangkok, this sexy rooftop bar boasts 360 degree views of the city with city lights in every direction, as far as the eye can see. If you’re looking for a picturesque place to dine, they also serve dinner.
The Dome at Sate Tower 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
photo by www.anotacionesviajeras.com
2. The Penthouse
Madrid, Spain
The Penthouse is an ultra-chic rooftop bar owned by Rande Gerber, celeb nightlife entrepreneur and husband of Cindy Crawford. It’s located on the roof of Hotel ME Madrid Reina Victoria, in Plaza Santa Ana, and has a great view of central Madrid. The crowd is dressed to kill, the waitresses are smoking hot the drinks are pricey and the place is often frequented by Spanish celebrities. Best to get here for happy hour, because although it’s open till 3am, the line to get in is insane after midnight.
Hotel ME Madrid Reina Victoria / Plaza Santa Ana / Princesa, 27 / Madrid Spain 28008 / Tel: (34) 91 5418200
photo by grantthai
3. Luna Bar
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This super sexy rooftop and poolside bar is a hang out for the twenties and thirties nightlife scene in Kuala Lumpur. It’s got a long indoor bar with a chic design leading you out onto the breezy rooftop for the best views of the lights of KL. For a romantic night out, be sure to get there early to snag a private little enclave up against the glass.
Menara PanGlobal 34th Floor / Jalan Punchak (off Jl P. Ramlee) / Kuala Lumpur / Tel: +60-3-20262211
photo by spin spin
4. Rooftop Bar
Melbourne, Australia
An ultra cool venue for music, cinema, or just sunny boozing, this bar sits atop the Thai bar and restaurant, Cookie, on a six story 1920’s building in central Melbourne.
Rooftop Bar / Curtin House, Level 3, 252 Swanston Street / Melbourne, Australia
photo by OneDanShow
5. Gravity
Dublin, Ireland
Although not an open air bar, Gravity boasts an unobstructed 360 degree view of Dublin. It’s got a swanky style and comfortable seating right up against the glass to sit in while you enjoy the view from the highest bar in Ireland.
Top of The Guinness Storehouse / St James’s Gate / Dublin 8, Ireland / Tel: + 353 1 408 4800
photo by FoolishVanity
6. Top Floor Bar
London, United Kingdom
Looking for the perfect place to throw a swank party in London? The Top Floor Bar, the final floor of the Gherkin, London’s newest architectural darling, is available for private parties. The ultra modern venue sits under the spectacular glass cone roof and has stunning views of the city.
Top of the Gherkin / 30 St. Mary Axe / London, United Kingdom
photo by silentway
7. Moon
Las Vegas, Nevada
The Palms teamed up with the Playboy Club giving revelers in Vegas a sexy place to blow their money on the 53rd floor of the palms Hotel. The sound system here is rockin’ and although it can be tough to get in, it’s a great place to check out on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights.
The Palms Hotel 53rd Floor / 4321 W Flamingo Rd / Las Vegas, NV Tel (702) 940-7246
photo by jennywong
8. Captain Bar
Shanghai, China
This cool rooftop bar has a wide variety of cocktails and a great view of The Bund and surrounding city lights. It’s usually a cool mix of locals and travelers which makes for a diverse and thirsty crowd.
6/F, 37 Fuzhou Lu / People’s Square / Bund,Metro Line 2 Nanjing Dong Lu Station / Shanghai, China
photo by Martin Callum
9. Hudson Sky Terrace
New York, New York
This super chill rooftop bar has great service, amazing sangria and everything else you could want on a hot New York afternoon. From an air conditioned game room to a hammock with a view of the river, the Hudson has you covered, but like many of NY rooftop hot spots, you must be a guest in the hotel to enjoy it.
The Hudson Hotel / 356 W. 58th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves / Tel 212-554-6317
10. Condesa DF Rooftop Bar
Mexico City, Mexico
This is an awesome bar in an all-around cool hotel. The Condesa DF is decked out in extraordinary design, from the table cloths to the couches. This super-chic hotel only has 40 rooms so make sure to get a reservation, and make sure to hit its rooftop paradise for some cocktails as the sun goes down over Mexico City.
Condesa DF / Avenida Veracruz 102 / Mexico City DF 06700 Mexico
Do you know any rooftop bars that should have made the list? Share in the comments!
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130 Comments... join the discussion!
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Another very classy rooftop bar to check out would be the Sky Bar, on the top of Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil. The hotel itself is very contemporary and has a really cool design- it looks like a boat (or a watermelon depending on who you are talking to)` and the rooftop bar serves killer martinis with some unusual flavors – my drink of choice is the cucumber martini. By the pool outside beautiful views can be had of the city of São Paulo and the multicolored ‘Eiffel tower’-like radio towers that line Paulista Avenue.
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Great to see Condesa DF on the list. I spent many of nights there when I lived in the city and can vouch for its scene. One night I was even interviewed on the roof top bar for a TV show (Discovery Latin America). The show was about the top ten hottest places / best scenes in Latin America.
Mexico City is clearly one of those places, and Condesa DF is one of the best in the city.
stay adventurous,
Craig
@stayAdventurous↵ -
Wonderful! Really beautiful ~~~
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Hi, there is another roof top bar in Kuala Lumpur which has the excellent view of the Petronas Twin Towers (was the tallest building in the world). It is at the 33rd Floor of Traders Hotel (part of Shangri-la hotel chain) … It has the amazing seats by the window, romantic but definitely need to be careful after few drinks cause it is just too near to the swimming pool!!
After few visits I still find it my favourite bar in Kuala Lumpur.. My hubby (then boyfriend!) and I even flew all the way from Australia to celebrate his 30th at Skybar! Google up the photos really amazing view and cosy place
Regards,
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Skybar Beirut!
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Skybar beirut by far is one of the best bars in the world.
White in beirut should probably be on the list as well.
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Hey Ross,
You missed one: the bar in Bolivia at the Adventure Brew Hostel and Brew. It looks out at Illimani which is somehow lit up past sunset. Tons of travelers, good beer, and a great view. If you ever make it down there to Bolivia…
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I’m with Leila and Costa…Skybar Beirut is epic. It needs to be on the list!
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I help run promotions and marketing for the four clubs at the Palms Hotel in Vegas, including Moon, which is one of my favourite places in the city. Everyone there is wonderful.
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Hi Daniela,
Moon sounds special, especially if “Everyone there is wonderful” we arrive in Vegas for the first time on wed 4th Nov from the UK, Would like to visit Moon at the weekend, whats the door policy & age range of the customers? Is it tough to get in? whens the best time to go?
Would appreciate your advice
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Paramount @ the top of Centrepoint, Tottenham Court Rd, W1, London.
Its a private members club 33 floors up. Not a roof top but amzing views of london. Every month there are Superfreq parties there. Superfreq being an amazing london based house and techno party run by Mr C of then End club and the Shamen band.
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Definitely Sirocco on the 64th floor of the State Bldg in Silom, Bangkok (#1 on this list) is the most sophisticated rooftop bar I have ever been to – absolutely stunning and dripping with classy chic. Drinks are extremely expensive, as is the food. Plus you can’t sit at the Moon bar. Have your first drink there, then a short taxi ride to Vertigo on 61st floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel where the vibe is more casual than opulent but views are equally as good, the drinks a little cheaper, and there are tables and couches surrounding the bar. One of the things that sets the Bangkok bars apart from others in the world is that they are extremely high and absolute rooftop – no winidows, only low glass walls and rails. A Bangkok must do!
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I’m surprised that there’s not a Chicago bar on the list considering it is one of the best skylines in the world. The Roof at the Wit Hotel is a beautiful new space and although it’s not an open rooftop bar the Signature Room in the John Hancock provides spectacular, surreal views at 96 floors up.
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Re Bangkok —
Sirocco (restaurant section) and the attached Sky Bar are on the rooftop of the State Tower / Lebua Hotel. It’s the Sky Bar here that you CAN’T sit at.
Vertigo (restaurant section) and the attached Moon Bar are on the rooftop of the Banyan Tree Hotel. You CAN sit at the Moon Bar here.
Two more fabulous places (not on the roof but very high up with incredible, sweeping city views) —
City Space, Moscow (at the Swissotel)
Aqua Spirit, Hong Kong (One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui)↵ -
Hotel Doña Maria in Seville, Spain offers a beautiful view of the cathedral…especially at night!
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There are lots of great bars in Istanbul, and a few great rooftop bars, but the absolute best are on the fringe of Sultanahmet, on the fringe of the old city. From there, you can take in the Bosphorus, the Blue Mosque and, my favorite, the Hagia Sophia. A cold beer is the perfect complement to the coolness of hearing the Call to Prayer while looking over the dome of that 6th century masterpiece. Check out the Hotel Yasmak Sultan’s rooftop bar, uphill about 100 feet from the outer walls.
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Red Sky @ bangkok
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Fail, you forgot the #1 Rooftop bar – Top of the Mark in Beautiful San Francisco, California.
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Check out the Lebanese RoofTops
Amazing, Shaking and pumpy
http://www.beirutnightlife.com/category/photo-gallery/rooftops/↵ -
your post is interesting,Yajing
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A place that’s going to be making a lot of noise on these type of lists in the very near future is Muzique in Montreal. 2 rooms, one playing house with modern decor and one playing old school that looks like a victorian sitting room with a hollowed out grand piano dj booth and a rooftop patio overlooking the city
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Kensington Roof Gardens?
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What ?! Where’s SkyBar -Beirut- ?!!?
It was elected number one bar in the world !!↵ -
There is a copy of Bangkok bar Sirocco….Surabaya, Indonesia at the top (nearly) of the Java Paragon hotel. Excellent bar, sights, but not the atmosphere of Sirocco. Worth going to if you end up in Surabaya though.
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