Of course location, room size, bedding thread-counts, and spa services are important considerations when choosing a hotel. But the South is blessed with a bevy of properties whose offerings extend above and beyond a comfy, stylish place to rest your head. At these seven hotels, easy access to the on-site bars—ranging from moody, intimate hangs to a mountainside retreat with a sweeping view—are reason enough to book a getaway.
Atlanta
A 2018 renovation of Atlanta’s iconic Hotel Clermont gave the space a rooftop bar outfitted with Astroturf, picnic tables, fringed umbrellas throwing shade, and big-batch cocktails on tap—like the fruity, rum-based Island Ting—served cold and quickly in plastic cups. “The idea was a backyard cookout feel,” says general manager Grace Mendez. If it’s the casual cousin of the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Tiny Lou’s, downstairs, the original Clermont Lounge is the building’s fun, crazy aunt. Opened in 1965, the basement dive bar isn’t part of the hotel but rents its space from the property’s owners. “We love the lounge and are really like one big family,” Mendez says.
Oak Steakhouse Bar, Skyline Lodge
Highlands, North Carolina
At Oak Steakhouse, classic lodge looks—dark leather, rich wood, two massive granite-block fireplaces—and sleek midcentury-modern furnishings meld to honor the building’s Appalachian location and architectural pedigree. (A student of Frank Lloyd Wright designed it in the 1930s.) “It’s new and old and harkens back to a simpler time when you would come to the mountains and be truly disconnected from the everyday hustle,” says chef Matt Weinstein. But the rounded, forest-covered peaks in the distance hold even more appeal, and while barstools face an expansive window framing the scenic vista, Weinstein suggests ordering a classic Manhattan and taking it to the deck. “No other bar in Highlands has our view, and it opens up more outside.” Plus, the scene really sparkles after dark. “We have amazing stargazing because we’re away from town lights.”
The Elysian Bar, Hotel Peter and Paul
New Orleans
Housed in a former Catholic church and school, Hotel Peter and Paul’s towering exterior pulls gazes heavenward, while inside, drinkers enjoy divine times in the fabric-festooned parlor, glassed-in garden room, or amber-washed lounge of the property’s Elysian Bar. “The atmosphere is both buzzy and serene,” says Nathalie Jordi, cofounder of the hotel. The layered vibe draws residents and visitors during daily aperitivo hour. One local even has his own barstool, where he joins patrons sipping effervescent Aperol spritzes or a gin-and-white-vermouth-based Leaves of Grass, its notes of celery and cucumber putting the fresh in refreshment.
Bucky’s Lounge, the Grand Hotel
Point Clear, Alabama
Coastal Alabama scenery—sprawling live oaks, a profusion of azaleas, and glass-surfaced Mobile Bay—soak the Grand Hotel in tranquil charm. But Bucky’s Lounge is the true “grand” experience at this historic waterfront resort. Named for the late and longtime “hospitality ambassador” Bucky Miller and his renowned service with a smile, it boasts an indoor piano bar and an expansive bayside terrace. After a bell toll announces each day’s end, guests gather there and sink into wicker chairs around firepits to sip Alabama Bourbon-ades (a sweet-tart blend of Camellia State–made Clyde May’s brown water, lemon, and fresh strawberries) while watching the sun slip into the bay.
Maryville, Tennessee
During the day, the Morningside Room at tree-ringed RT Lodge lives up to its moniker (which honors the 1932 structure’s name when it was a private home), its lacquered sage green walls and ceiling brightened by a flood of sunlight from multiple windows. But in the evenings, the hue mellows. “It gets really moody and cozy, especially by the fireplace, my favorite spot,” says chef Trevor Stockton. Rockers on the patio, with its massive firepit and s’mores fixins set out each afternoon, are other popular perches for noshing on Stockton’s casual bar bites (the dill-laced smoked trout dip is a must) and drinking one of bar manager Randi Savage’s seasonal creations, like a fresh pear martini enriched with thyme simple syrup.
Macon, Georgia
Thanks to the friendly bartenders and patrons of Quill, a little literary-themed bar tucked into the Woodward Hotel, guests feel like they’ve stepped into a house party. “We have people walk in on weekends, and we know their name and their drink and we pick up on the chat from last week,” says general manager Ashley Glassman. “We encourage out-of-towners to jump in the conversation.” The space is welcoming but also slightly secretive, with no sign marking its entrance off an alleyway. But once you find it, you’re invited to savor such cocktails as the bourbon, black tea, and blueberry “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” (named for Georgia author Carson McCullers’s novel). Sip in the dimly lit nook, or head to the side patio or roof deck to hang with larger-than-life murals of Peach State writers Flannery O’Connor, John Oliver Killens, and Alice Walker.
Fredericksburg, Texas
Opened just this past spring, the Saloon at the Albert Hotel is brand new (as is the hotel; it will welcome its first guests in January 2025) but housed in a historic building that began its life in 1888 as the White Elephant Saloon. The space then served as a feed store for decades before the Albert restored it to its original use as a watering hole. Today, an original carved-stone elephant still watches from above the door as patrons enter the handsome interior outfitted in worn leather furniture and funky vintage beer steins. The bourbon list is robust, but don’t skip the margarita (made with seasonal local fruits) or a Still Austin bourbon and Coke slushy. “There’s no $25 martini here; it’s a no-frills kinda place,” says Albert’s director of outlets, Autumn Miller. Further evidence comes via food options—like Frito Pie, a spicy Texas-style chili spooned into a small Fritos bag and topped with sour cream and jalapeños. According to Miller, the spot “rocks on weekends,” but she suggests sliding onto a barstool on a Tuesday “locals night” for a dirty dog (a hot dog blanketed in chili and house-made queso) and a Frostee (a Coors Light poured into a frozen mug that studs the brew with tiny, crunchy ice crystals). “We feature area singers and songwriters,” she says. “And often, other folks randomly join in with a harmonica or a mandolin. It’s just authentically cool.”
