The predecessor of The Connaught Hotel was established in London’s Mayfair in 1815. The Patina Hotel is not only home to the best bars in London, but also one of the most elegant in Europe. Every moment at Connaught makes you feel special, and the staff is focused on one thing: impressing everyone with the drinks they make.
The hotel also has two great bars. Visitors’ attention is first of all attracted to the Coburg Club, which is very similar to a real English club. The Connaught Hotel, on the other hand, is “hidden” at the back of the hotel lobby. It’s all about elegance and glamour: full of mirrors, glossy black arches, subdued lighting, use of silver and plush seating, all of which provide comfort and exceptional moments. The interior of the bar was designed by David Collins, and its Art Deco decorations evoke the 20th century. The atmosphere of the first decades of the twentieth century, so that it does not seem old or outdated at all.
Photo: The Connaught
Connaught: Connecting People
According to the poetics of the bar, the purpose of the cocktails they make is for the guests to connect not only with themselves, but also with the people around them. The Connaught, which seems very elegant and rugged at first, is actually a very straightforward place, where, of course, one of the hardest tasks is finally finding a drink from the dizzying array.
The mixers – in keeping with the environment of the place – prepare drinks with the elegance of matching ‘suites’, but without any superfluous antics, which, whether we’re talking about the classics or not, are pulled together with a kind of ‘Connaught twist’, so whether it’s a Bloody Mary Or the always great Tom Collins also arrives in this case as Faraway Collins, and an unexpected item is collected from several continents.
Photo: The Connaught
Perhaps the most photographed Connaught cocktail, however, is the Vieux Connaught, a smoky and aromatic Vieux Carré, a London version of the classic New Orleans aperitif with Benedict’s Abbey jam, Cuban rum, various dry wines and saffron smoke. Best of all, if you’d like, guests can take the recipe home on a rice paper recipe card.
Photo: The Connaught
The martini experience at its best
The other most talked about Connaught Bar product is the “Martini Cart”. It’s a pretty black party trolley that actually looks more like a magician’s stage prop than a bartender’s trolley, but works to prepare drinks at the guest table.
Visitors can choose from five to seven different flavors that change depending on the season. Grapefruit, vanilla, cardamom, coriander, and lavender are also featured. After the drinks cart arrives, guests can smell the various scented ingredients, and the chosen one will taste the dry martini: with the help of a few drops of flavoring, the convex glass is thoroughly infused with the essence, then additional optional ingredients, such as lemon or olives, come.
Photo: The Connaught
Visitors to Connaught’s relationship with these drinks and the minivan is sure to reach a new level: it would be difficult to experience this kind of variety anywhere other than at Patina Pub in London’s Mayfair.
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