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Best rooftop bars in the world
Is there anything better than sipping your favorite drink with the spectacular backdrop of a panoramic city view?
Good friends, delicious drinks and epic vibes are a must for any night out. Adding altitude and a twinkling city skyline takes the fun to a whole new level.
But choosing the best rooftop bar can be tricky and your reputation might be riding on it. Are you after the best view? Or is it more important to avoid bad service, over-priced drinks and big crowds?
To make life easier, we ranked rooftop bars from all over the world in seven different categories:
Whether planning your next night out or dreaming up a global bar hop, you’ll find inspiration in our list of the world’s best rooftop bars. Let’s check them out.
How we chose the best rooftop bars
To make our lists, these rooftop bars needed more than cold drinks and nice views.
Instead of a global bar crawl to decide the world’s top rooftop bars, we crawled the internet instead. Granted, it was a less fun way to go about it, but you can’t argue with the numbers.
Here’s the cream of the crop.
The world’s very best rooftop bars
This lot are the best of the best.
They had the most ‘excellent’ reviews, best cost ratings and most social shares of any rooftop bar in the world.
1. AkaAza Rooftop Bar
- Location: 26 th floor of the luxurious Amara Bangkok Hotel
- View: Panoramic views of the Bangkok skyline
- Vibe: Chilled out, relaxed lounge setting
- Don’t miss: Cocktails, bar snacks and techno beats
- Where?: 180/1 Surawong Road, Si Phraya, Bang Rak 10500 Bangkok
PHOTO CREDIT: Amara Hotels
2. The Rooftop at Serras
- Location: 6th floor of the Serras Hotel
- View: Spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea
- Vibe: Informal cocktail terrace that comes to life with DJs on weekends
- Don’t miss: Traditional Catalan meals
- Where?: Passeig de Colom, 9, 08002 Barcelona
PHOTO CREDIT: Serras Hotel
3. Rooftop La Terraza
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Location:
7th floor of the Principal Madrid Hotel -
View:
Landmark buildings around central Madrid -
Vibe:
Stylish garden setting with olive trees and live music -
Don’t miss:
Cocktails by a renowned mixologist -
Where?:
Calle Marqués de Valdeiglesias 1, 28004 Madrid
PHOTO CREDIT: Principal Madrid Hotel
Which cities have the best rooftop bars?
If you want to choose a holiday destination with the best rooftop bars, go to Bangkok or Barcelona (or both!).
It’s official. Bangkok and Barcelona have the most top-rated rooftop bars, with three bars each in our list of the world’s best 25 rooftop bars.
BEST ROOFTOP BARS IN BARCELONA
Rooftop bars with the best customer experience
If you want amazing service, these rooftop bars have the highest customer satisfaction in the world.
These rooftop bars had the highest percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews from customers.
1. The Rooftop at Serras
After taking second place in the best rooftop bar category, the Rooftop at Serras has won the top spot for best customer experience. Customers said the staff were ‘friendly, accommodating, gracious, professional, and helpful’ – who could ask for more?
PHOTO CREDIT: Serras Hotel
2. Yao Restaurant & Rooftop Bar
-
Location:
32nd and 33rd floor of the Marriot Hotel -
View:
360-degree views of the glittering Bangkok skyline -
Vibe:
Sophisticated and relaxing with modern Chinese food and decor -
Don’t miss:
Signature mocktails and cocktails -
Where?:
262 Surawong Road, Bangkok, 10500
PHOTO CREDIT: Yao Rooftop Bar
3. Gansevoort Rooftop
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Location:
14th floor of the Gansevoort Meatpacking Hotel -
View:
Magical views of the iconic Manhattan skyline and Hudson River -
Vibe:
Stylish, chic and modern yet relaxed -
Don’t miss:
Shareable bites and craft cocktails -
Where?:
18 9th Ave, New York, NY 10014
PHOTO CREDIT: Gansevoort Rooftop
Most affordable rooftop bars in the world
If you’re on a budget, these cheap rooftop bars are just the ticket.
We compared average prices for a bottle of wine, and these rooftop bars had the most reasonable prices in the world.
1. Hoptinger Bier Garden & Sausage House
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Location:
3rd floor rooftop bar -
View:
Bird’s eye view of the Five-Points District -
Vibe:
Modern American gastropub crossed with traditional Bavarian beer garden -
Don’t miss:
60 local beers on tap plus cocktails, burgers, hotdogs and foosball -
Where?:
1037 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
PHOTO CREDIT: Hoptinger Bier Garden & Sausage House
2. 1881 per SAGARDI
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Location:
On the 4th floor above the Museu d’Historia de Catalunya -
View:
Gorgeous views of the harbor and Barceloneta neighborhood -
Vibe:
Sun-drenched, sleek and modern with a DJ most nights -
Don’t miss:
Well-priced creative cocktails and traditional tapas -
Where?:
Pl.Pau de la Vila, 3, 08003 Barcelona
PHOTO CREDIT: 1881 per SAGARDI
3. La Isabela at Hotel 1898
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Location:
7th floor of Hotel 1898, located on the famous La Rambla -
View:
Magnificent 360-degree views of central Barcelona -
Vibe:
A calm oasis to escape the hustle and bustle of the city -
Don’t miss:
Top-class cocktails and tapas made from local ingredients from the Boquería marketplace -
Where?:
La Rambla, 109, 08002 Barcelona
PHOTO CREDIT: La Isabela at Hotel 1898
Most Instagrammable rooftop bars in the world
Pics or it didn’t happen, right?
If you’re looking for the selfie of the century, these rooftop bars make a stunning backdrop. They also have the most social shares of any rooftop bar worldwide.
1. 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
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Location:
20th floor at 230 Fifth Avenue -
View:
The iconic Manhattan skyline and Empire State Building -
Vibe:
New York’s biggest rooftop garden, seating over 1,000 patrons -
Don’t miss:
The famous brunch buffet or a Bailey’s Boozy Hot Chocolate -
Where?:
230 5th Avenue, New York City, New York, 10001
PHOTO CREDIT: 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
2. Coogee Pavilion Rooftop
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Location:
The iconic Australian beachside suburb of Coogee -
View:
Magical sea views from the wraparound balcony -
Vibe:
Hip, fun and relaxed with four separate bars to try -
Don’t miss:
Mediterranean menu, exotic cocktails and refreshing beers -
Where?:
169 Dolphin Street, Coogee, Sydney
PHOTO CREDIT: Coogee Pavilion
3. Sky Bar Bangkok
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Location:
On the 63rd floor of Bangkok’s lebua at State Tower, at 250 meters high, it’s one of the highest bars in the world -
View:
The views of Bangkok are so breathtaking it’s featured in movies -
Vibe:
A busy bucket-list rooftop bar with an electric atmosphere -
Don’t miss:
Order Hangovertinis from the glowing circular bar while taking lots (and lots) of pics -
Where?:
Dome, 63rd Floor State Tower at The, 1055 Si Lom, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
PHOTO CREDIT: Sky Bar Bangkok
1. Ellipse Rooftop Bar
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Location:
On the 12th floor of the Hyatt, a few blocks from the White House -
View:
Impressive panoramic views of the US capital -
Vibe:
Relaxing rooftop lounge with plush sofas and cozy firepits -
Don’t miss:
Signature cocktails, comfort food and attentive staff -
Where?:
1522 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005
PHOTO CREDIT: Ellipse Rooftop Bar
2. Beatnik Palma by Puro
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Location:
On the 5th floor of the Puro Hotel in Palma -
View:
Impressive panoramic views of the US capital -
Vibe:
Contemporary, vibrant and distinctive with comfy lounges and day beds plus live music or DJs each night -
Don’t miss:
Lobster tacos and chicken lollipops -
Where?:
Carrer de Montenegro, 10, 07012 Palma, Illes Balears
PHOTO CREDIT: Beatnik Palma
3. Level 27
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Location:
On the 27th floor in the heart of Warsaw -
View:
Intoxicating city skyline views and unforgettable sunsets -
Vibe:
Stylish rooftop club with popular DJs and killer views -
Don’t miss:
Late-night parties in the sky -
Where?:
al. Jerozolimskie 123A, 02-017 Warsaw, Poland
PHOTO CREDIT: Level 27
Best rooftop bars in the UK
Is the UK a mecca for rooftop bars?
Rooftop bars are synonymous with warm weather and let’s face it, Britain isn’t exactly known for its sunshine. These bars have defied the odds (and the weather) to deliver a world-class experience and the UK’s best rooftop bars.
1. 20 Stories
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Location:
On the 20th floor of No. 1 Spinningfields -
View:
The beautiful backdrop of Manchester’s skyline -
Vibe:
Cozy lounges under a canopy of trees with al fresco fireplaces -
Don’t miss:
Modern, locally-sourced British food and drinks -
Where?:
NO. 1, 1 Hardman Square, Manchester M3 3EB
PHOTO CREDIT: 20 Stories
3. Madison
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Location:
On the 6th floor of the One New Exchange in London -
View:
Up-close and personal with St. Paul’s Cathedral -
Vibe:
Renowned as one of the top rooftop bars in London with its views, vibrant atmosphere, DJs and live music -
Don’t miss:
The eclectic New York inspired menu -
Where?:
Rooftop Terrace One, New Change, London EC4M 9AF
PHOTO CREDIT: Madison
3. Roof East
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Location:
On the 7th and 8th floor of an old rooftop carpark -
View:
Great views over Stratford, but this bar is more about the activities -
Vibe:
Ultimate adult playground for grownups with an open-air cinema and games like mini-golf and lawn bowls -
Don’t miss:
Sip wine, craft beers, mocktails or cocktails, and indulge in global street food from their many food stalls -
Where?:
7 & 8 Stratford Multi Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Rd, London E15 1XE
PHOTO CREDIT: Roof East
Ready to get a taste of the high life?
Let’s raise a glass to our winners for creating these top spots for sipping cocktails in the sky.
Now that you’ve experienced the best rooftop bars in the world from the comfort of your sofa, it’s time to take to the skies and experience them IRL. Enjoy!
The index
The complete list
Below is an interactive version of our index of the best Rooftop bars in the world. You can sort the data by each column, so you can see what had the most Instagram shares or which was the best value for money. You can also switch the currency and see the data in dollars, euros or pounds.
Methodology
Individual ranking data for each rooftop bar was taken from the following sources:
Customer Experience — data was based on the percentage of reviews that rated the establishment as ‘excellent’ on the Tripadvisor platform.
Wine Prices — the lowest price for a standard-sized bottle of wine was obtained from the website and menu of each rooftop bar.
Instagram Shares — data was obtained by analysing the number of hashtags mentioning the rooftop bar on Instagram. For each bar, the hashtag with the highest number of posts was used.
The website TheRooftopGuide.com was used to compile the list of rooftop bars and all data for the index was collected in June 2022
Full data is available upon request.