While Frankfurt has its share of stand alone bars, there are some interesting venues worth a visit inside the city hotels. Neha Gupta Kapoor lists hotel bars in Germany’s financial hub
Autorenbar
The website describes this space beautifully: “The Autorenbar, or ‘Authors’ Bar’, is like a good novel: its own little world and unendingly timeless.” Autorenbar has a cosy feel with leather sofas, wooden interiors and wall-to-wall carpeting. It is usually quiet and makes for a nice unwinding venue post-dinner with the piano playing in the background. It gets especially crowded during the annual book fair held in Frankfurt.
• Open Monday-Friday 8am-1am, Saturday-Sunday 9am-1am; tel: +49 69 21502; at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof; steigenberger.com.
Champions – The American Sports Bar and Restaurant
This casual destination is where one can enjoy American junk food, sports, and beer, wine and cocktails. All day games are broadcast on the bar’s 23 HD screens. During important matches the place gets exceptionally crowded and so it is best to arrive early to ensure a seat for yourself. The decor includes trophies, sports stars’ autographs from around the world, and foosball tables for additional fun.
• Open Monday-Friday 5pm-1am, Saturday-Sunday 3pm-1am; tel: +49 69 79558305; at Frankfurt Marriott Hotel; marriott.com.
Daxx Mainhattan’s Bar
It’s a dim space that lights up post working hours when corporate executives grab a drink or two before heading home. One can either grab a sofa chair by the bar or occupy one of its low table seatings. It helps that the hotel in which it resides is designed for the business traveller and is located next to the city’s business hub. The menu has pages filled with wines from the region and the rest of the world, as well as whiskies, aperitifs and digestifs, beer, champagne, liqueur and cocktails.
• Open daily 3pm-1am; tel: +49 69 26050; at InterContinental Frankfurt; ihg.com.
Ember Bar and Lounge
The website says casual, but the vibe is more formal and guests do dress accordingly. Ember Bar and Lounge is “designed in partnership with the renowned champagne brand Veuve Clicquot”, and is one of the more popular champagne and cocktail bars in Frankfurt. There is live music every Wednesday from 9pm-11pm. Those looking to indulge on a weekday, late afternoon, will find respite in its Candy Bar and Cake (open from 3pm-6pm) that serves a variety of sweets and snacks.
• Open daily 8am-1am; tel: +49 69 2972370; at Jumeirah Frankfurt; jumeirah.com.
Fleming’s Club
Sitting next to the windows, or in the balcony during summer, one can enjoy an uninterrupted panorama of Frankfurt. The local and international wine selection is impressive here — 2014 Riesling Spätlese fruchtsüß, 2015 Picpoul de Pinet, 2016 Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC and Reims – Champagne Barons de Rothschild are some examples. It has been put together by Fleming’s wine experts who have made an effort to pair them with most of the dishes served at the resto-bar. Business travellers will find that it is a relaxing venue to spend a quiet evening with a small group, or even alone with a glass, while looking over the city below.
• Open Monday-Saturday noon-11pm; tel: +49 800 3737700; at Fleming’s Selection Hotel Frankfurt-City; flemings-hotels.com.
JFK Bar
It is named after the late American President John F Kennedy. Of the more than 120 cocktails, cognacs, malt whiskies and wines on its menu, most concoctions get their names from something that is significant to the Kennedy family. For example, “The Equestrienne” is how JFK Bar describes Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and has thus named one cocktail after her, in addition to “Jacqueline” and “First Lady”. When the weather warms up, its Villa Garden offers al fresco seating where guests groove to live DJs and entertainment. Until March 31, JFK Friday’s Jazz night starts at 8pm every week.
• Open daily 9am-1am; tel: +49 69 717121210; at Rocco Forte Villa Kennedy; roccofortehotels.com.
Roomers Bar
The interiors are dark in the poetic sense, with black chandeliers hanging over tables, padded walls, and a dark bar top with gothic-looking, yet chic soft furnishings. The dim lighting adds to its lounge-like interiors. Cosy booths are lined along the walls — a preferred spot for an intimate night out. In 2016 it was awarded the “Best Bar of the Year” by Mixology Bar Awards in Berlin. To date its cocktails are much sought-after. Post dinner, it turns into a wild party venue, especially during the weekends. There is live music every Wednesday and on other days a DJ spins beats through the night.
• Open Monday-Saturday 11am-4am, Sunday 11am-2am; tel: +49 69 271342815; at Roomers; roomers.eu.
