Hotel bars are often a convenient spot for a nightcap or a quick after-work drink (anything to take the edge off!) while on a business trip -- but not...

Picture this: Crisp French bartenders pouring velvety wines and classic cocktails, a jazz trio tinkling in the corner, a chic crowd engaged in scintillating conversation, and couples curled into softly lit nooks for romantic tête-à-têtes.

Legend has it that when Dom Perignon first discovered champagne, he called out, "Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!" It's hard to disagree with the Frenchman -- a cool glass of bubbly can make even the most stoic person let loose a giggle or a smirk.

Nothing squelches the holiday spirit like a few hours of mall shopping during the busiest time of the year. To pick yourself up again, here's a tipple: seek refuge in a hotel bar and quench your cocktail thirst.

Strip away the concierge, heated pool and freshly made beds. Lose the velvety bathrobe that "mysteriously" ends up in your luggage. In fact, pare the hotel down to one element: its bar.

The hotel bar scene in LA is truly a fixture on the city's nightlife scene, whether it's for pre-dinner drinks or nightcaps. But some spots go above and beyond with their cocktail menus, inviting Angelenos and visitors to sit back and stay awhile.

The views from this new breed of European hotel rooftop bar are so good, you could even call your afternoon drinks "sightseeing."

You won't have to worry about falling off the stool.

At this point in the summer, every city in the U.S. is gearing up to the July 4 celebrations with plans for parades, fireworks, performances and street fairs. But few can match what New York has up its sleeve this year to mark Independence Day.

With summer in full swing, what better way to enjoy the endless warmth and sunlight than atop the world's most extraordinary hotel rooftops?

If you're daydreaming about sipping on a perfectly made cocktail a few stories above street level too, check out our selection of the hottest hotel rooftop bars across the country now.

So we've shuffled through the clutter to find the top 10 hotel bars that, despite (or because) of being themed, are super cool.

Here are some of my best finds of the year.

A new bar that's opened on the 34th floor of Paris' Concorde La Fayette hotel is offering unparalleled views of the City of Lights. Appropriately c...

Maybe its because there is such a short distance between the drinks at the beds or because anyone could be from anywhere, but there is something speci...

This magical little joint at Chinatown's border evokes a Shanghai speakeasy circa 1930 -- or rather, a movie set of one.

Hotels can serve many purposes, from simple lodging to cool hangout and they can amp up their cool factor simply by installing swank drinking quarters...