We tried cocktails at two new lavish bars in Edinburgh’s W Hotel

Some of the latest additions to Edinburgh’s ever-thriving hospitality scene can be found within the bronze swirled feature in the city’s skyline - the ‘walnut whip’ as it is affectionately known. Around a 50-minute train journey from Glasgow Queen Street Station the W Hotel can be accessed from the third floor of the St James Quarter, a luxury 289-room venue with an array of amenities. We headed over to visit its Rooftop Bar and speakeasy style cocktail diner Joao’s Place. 

The Rooftop Bar is on the hotel’s 12th floor - an entirely open space ringing around the building and offering a 360 degree view of city centre landscape. This sight is astounding from initial entrance opening up with detail as you move deeper into the vast stone terrace, especially on a clear day. It holds an array of seating options including thick cushioned couches for lounging placed around fire pits, dining tables within sheltered globes and bar stools, each area assigned sharp and attentive table service. The setting is lavish and leisurely. 

There is a classic selection of drink options here, suitable to the surroundings and atmosphere. We enjoyed a margarita and negroni, socialising with lo-fi ambient music playing in the background cautioned by a live DJ. 

Moving to Joao’s Place we travelled down a floor and walked through a row of diners before meeting an industrial mirrored door where we rang a bell and were granted entry. The general idea of a speakeasy is that of a bar out of sight, which from my experience in Glasgow’s nightlife typically translates to underground. Speakeasies first came about in 1920s America when their government prohibited the sale of alcohol, and thus secret clubs opened in premises out of plain sight, much of the time in rooms behind and below street facing businesses and only accessible through hidden doors sometimes disguised as mirrors in barber shops or bookcases in libraries so as not to raise suspicion among authority. 

Speakeasies today are an ode to the past, a novelty experience unique from that of the usual pub or bar. While I doubt anyone visiting these places has first hand experience in the era, many of us have seen a reimagining in film, illustrating glamour, extravagance, indulgence. They are somewhere a bit special, a place to visit for a an occasion or celebration when you wish to honour a moment and escape the ordinary. 

Joao’s Place may be guarded away, separated from other lounging spots in the hotel but it is not a basement bar. If you arrive during daylight hours the intimate room radiates a plethora of natural light emitting from the floor to ceiling windows on its exterior wall. The interiors are warm, vibrant and comfortable, with an art deco design tastefully alluding to the era in which the foundational concept tastes inspiration. There is direct access to a terrace, which similar to the upstairs venue, offers a panoramic view of the city. 

The cocktail menu was ambitious and extensive, taking Japanese culinary influences and merging them with locally produced ingredients. Our mixologist patiently and passionately guided us through the options and directed us to options aligned with tastes. What we were served was of exceptional standard. 

These bars are great ‘destination’ spaces, a great way to enjoy Edinburgh’s luscious and historic scenery.