Cocktails in Paris

I had the opportunity to attend the The 50 Best Hotels 2026 awards ceremony in Paris, a landmark edition of the prestigious ranking as it was held outside London for the very first time.

Bringing together some of the most influential names in global hospitality, the event celebrated the hotels, people and brands shaping the future of luxury travel.

Living in Paris, I naturally took the opportunity to attend. Beyond the awards themselves, I was particularly interested in exploring a topic that continues to gain importance across the luxury hospitality industry: hotel bars.

Over the past decade, hotel bars have evolved from convenient amenities into true destinations. They attract local communities, international travellers and cocktail enthusiasts alike, while often serving as the most visible expression of a hotel’s identity. In many cases, they have become some of the strongest ambassadors of a brand, shaping guests’ perceptions long before they ever check into a room.

Throughout the conversations I had during the event, and in the months leading up to it while researching the world of hotel bars, one theme surfaced repeatedly: exceptional hospitality is no longer defined solely by rooms, restaurants or wellness facilities. Increasingly, it is the hotel bar that creates the first emotional connection with guests and locals alike.

To better understand this evolution, I sat down with Benjamin Nolf, recently appointed Director of Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, to discuss the role hotel bars play in shaping guest experiences, building a hotel’s reputation and creating memorable moments through genuine hospitality.

About Benjamin Nolf

Since April 2026, Benjamin Nolf has served as Director of Bars at Les Ambassadeurs, the iconic bar of Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel. With 18 years of experience in luxury hospitality and the drinks industry, he has built a career spanning palace hotels, renowned cocktail bars and international spirits brands.

A graduate of the Lycée Professionnel Hôtelier d’Orchies, where he earned both a BEP and a Bac Professionnel in Hospitality, Nolf developed a strong foundation in service excellence and guest experience. He also holds WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Spirits and speaks French, English and Spanish.

His career began at Plaza Athénée in Paris before progressing to leadership roles including Head Bartender at Le Patio and Bar Manager at Jeffrey’s Bar. In 2020, he joined Bacardi Martini as a Brand Ambassador, working with more than 150 luxury hospitality clients across France.

Prior to joining Rosewood, he served as Director of Bars at Le Gaspard at La Réserve Paris, where he contributed to the venue’s development and reputation. Today, Nolf leads the team at Les Ambassadeurs, bringing together operational excellence, luxury hospitality expertise and a passion for creating memorable guest experiences.

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What role does the hotel bar play in the overall guest experience today?

Benjamin Nolf: Today, the hotel bar is more than a place to have a drink. It is often where guests slow down, observe their surroundings and truly connect with the spirit of a hotel. It is a social space, a place of discovery and a destination in itself. In a luxury hotel, every interaction matters, but the bar offers a unique opportunity to create emotion.. That gives us the chance to build genuine connections and create memorable moments.

Do you see the hotel bar as one of the main touchpoints between guests and the hotel brand?

BN: Absolutely. The bar is one of the most compelling expressions of a hotel’s identity. Through its atmosphere, design, music, cocktail craftsmanship and, above all, the people who bring it to life, guests experience the spirit of the property in a uniquely immersive way. 

More than a venue, it serves as a living embodiment of the hotel’s character, where every detail and interaction contributes to shaping a lasting impression.

In many luxury hotels, guests may spend more time interacting with bar staff than with any other department. Do you see the bar as a primary stage for hospitality?

BN: A luxury hotel bar is one of the rare spaces where meaningful connections unfold naturally. Guests linger, return throughout their stay, and engage with the team on a more personal level.

As true ambassadors of the hotel’s art of hospitality, the bar team goes beyond technical expertise to anticipate needs, understand individual preferences, and make every guest feel genuinely recognized. In luxury hospitality, creating that sense of belonging is what transforms a simple visit into a memorable experience.

Many people may discover a hotel through its bar before ever staying there. How important is the bar as an ambassador for the hotel brand?

BN: At Rosewood, this vision is deeply embedded in the group’s DNA. Across many of our properties, the bar is a defining part of the hotel’s identity and international reputation. Whether it is Scarfes Bar in London, Advocatuur in Amsterdam, or Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, the bar often becomes one of the most visible expressions of the property’s character and storytelling. It is frequently the place through which local residents, travellers and the global bar community first discover a hotel.

Can an outstanding bar elevate the perception of an entire hotel? Conversely, can a weak bar leave a gap in an otherwise exceptional luxury experience?

BN: An exceptional bar can generate visibility, attract new audiences and strengthen a hotel’s positioning well beyond its guest rooms. It can become a destination that contributes significantly to the reputation of the property.

On the other hand, luxury is about consistency. Guests remember the weakest part of an experience as much as the strongest. If every aspect of a stay is remarkable but the bar feels generic or uninspired, it inevitably creates a disconnect

As hotel rankings and awards continue to gain visibility, do you think hotels can still afford to overlook their bar offering?

BN: Today, a hotel bar is far more than an ancillary amenity. It is a strategic pillar of a luxury property, shaping its reputation, desirability, and overall guest experience.

As guests become increasingly discerning and influenced by global cocktail culture, expectations continue to rise. The most prestigious hotels are therefore investing heavily in distinctive bar concepts, innovation, and craftsmanship.

Within Rosewood, bars are an integral expression of each property’s identity. Venues such as Scarfes Bar, Advocatuur, and Les Ambassadeurs have become destinations in their own right, demonstrating how an exceptional bar experience can elevate the prestige and appeal of an entire hotel.

Luxury hotel bars welcome hotel guests, local regulars and international visitors at the same time. How do you create an experience that serves all these audiences successfully?

BN: For me, luxury hospitality is not about creating different experiences, but about delivering the same exceptional level of care to every guest. From welcoming an hotel resident, a loyal local client, or a visitor discovering Paris, the essence remains the same: genuine hospitality, elevated through thoughtful personalization.

Do hotel guests and external guests have different expectations of a hotel bar?

BN: Hotel guests often seek the comfort of a seamless extension of their stay, while local are drawn by the promise of discovery and a sense of destination. Our role is to intuitively understand each guest’s expectations and tailor the experience accordingly, while remaining true to the distinctive identity of the bar.

Is there a point where the popularity of a bar can becomes challenging for the hotel experience itself?

BN: Yes, absolutely. A successful bar should enhance the energy and prestige of a hotel while preserving the sense of exclusivity and impeccable service that defines luxury hospitality.

Striking this balance is essential: creating a vibrant destination while ensuring every guest continues to feel recognized, cared for, and seamlessly at home within the property.

With cocktail quality now consistently high across the industry, do you believe hospitality has become the true differentiator?

BN: More than ever. Today, technical excellence is a given. What truly defines a memorable bar experience is the quality of the welcome, the sense of care, and the emotional connection created with each guest.

Exceptional hospitality, thoughtful attention to detail, and intuitive service are what elevate a great cocktail into an unforgettable experience. Long after the last sip, it is how guests felt that remains with them and inspires them to return.

What do you think independent bars could learn from luxury hotels when it comes to guest recognition, service culture and creating memorable experiences?

BN: Luxury hospitality is defined by the art of personalization. Anticipating preferences, recognizing returning guests, and creating a seamless sense of continuity are subtle gestures that make individuals feel genuinely valued.

Ultimately, what leaves a lasting impression is not only the quality of the product, but the quality of the welcome. Attentive, intuitive service and genuine human connection are what distinguish a truly exceptional experience.

This is precisely why palace bars continue to attract both international guests and discerning locals: they offer a level of care, refinement, and attention to detail that remains rare. In luxury, memorable experiences are rarely shaped by grand gestures, but by countless thoughtful moments delivered with consistency and sincerity.

If a guest leaves the Hôtel de Crillon with one lasting memory linked to its bar, what would you most want that memory to be?

BN: I would hope guests remember a person before they remember a cocktail.

While the drinks, the setting, and the experience are all important, it is the human connection that leaves the most lasting impression. Luxury hospitality is, above all, about making guests feel genuinely recognized and valued.

The greatest compliment is not that a guest remembers what they drank, but how they felt and the people who made them feel that way. When guests leave with a sense of belonging and the desire to return, we have truly succeeded.

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Personally, one of the reasons I wanted to focus on hotel bars is that their impact on the overall hotel experience is sometimes underestimated. Yet the more I speak with hospitality professionals, the more convinced I become that great bartenders are among the most valuable ambassadors a hotel can have.

Beyond crafting cocktails, they create connections, build loyalty, shape first impressions and often become the faces guests remember long after their stay. As Benjamin Nolf reminds us throughout this interview, the true value of a hotel bar is not only measured by what is served in the glass, but by the experience, the care and the human connection it creates.

This philosophy is also reflected in the success of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, whose bars have become integral to the identity of many of its properties. From Scarfes Bar in London to Les Ambassadeurs in Paris, Rosewood has consistently demonstrated how a strong bar program can enhance both guest experience and brand reputation.

The recognition received at the The 50 Best Hotels 2026 awards further highlights this approach. Rosewood Hong Kong was named the World’s Best Hotel for the second consecutive year, while the group received the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group Award, recognizing its outstanding contribution to global hospitality.

Perhaps that is no coincidence. The world’s leading hotels understand that exceptional hospitality is built through people. And, more often than not, some of the most memorable moments of a stay begin, and sometimes end, at the bar.

Cheers 🍸