When it’s time for that big countdown on New Year’s Eve, you need a place to pop the corks in style or add to your bucket list for the future.
Want a prime view of New York’s iconic NYE fireworks? Get in the thick of the action – but high above the street party crowds – at Moxy hotel’s rooftop bar, Magic Hour. Set 18 floors up from the throngs below, it has open views of the night sky as well as the nearby Empire State Building.
Sip fizz and cocktails in the indoor-outdoor space, enjoying the build-up to midnight in comfort and class. Be sure to dress to the nines and gear up for a late-night party – festivities go on until 4am, to be exact.
One of Shanghai’s finest bars, 14th floor haunt Sir Elly’s sits at the pinnacle of the classy Peninsula Hotel, on the historic Bund overlooking Pudong. And its 270-degree views over the Huangpu River and the district’s illuminated skyscrapers are even better on New Year’s Eve.
Ringing in 2022, you’ll snack on unlimited canapes and sip Perrier-Jouët Champagne as DJs spin until the wee hours. Order a rare whisky from the discerning list and toast to a Happy New Year on the terrace while watching the fireworks.
Clubbing in Berlin is legendary. And club nights don’t get much bigger than New Year’s Eve. Due to Covid, this year things in the city may be on ice, but you can start planning for December 31st next year at The Grand.
A classy restaurant, cocktail bar and club rolled into one, this spot near Alexanderplatz lets you kick off the evening with fine wines and upmarket dishes such as Tournedos Rossini. Afterwards, carry on with cigars and Manhattans in the bar before partying until the sun rises.
Perched at the very top of a skyscraper, with all of Bangkok glittering below, Vertigo is one of the world’s most picture-perfect rooftop bars, no matter the occasion. But as you might imagine, the energy is especially frizzante on New Year’s Eve, when patrons doll up in their finest and clink Champagne glasses in the warm Thai night air.
Be there before midnight to watch the colourful city fireworks, shot up in dazzling abundance. If celebrations carry on really late, crash in one of the Banyan Tree’s elegant hotel rooms, just a few stories down.
On New Year’s Eve at this slick restaurant and club in Lisbon’s central Baixa district, the party kicks off from 10pm, as guests begin to pour in ahead of a fizz-soaked toast at midnight. After the countdown is out of the way, a light dinner is served to give you the energy to dance until the very early hours. Covid restrictions being what they are, the dancing might be off this year but you can always limber up for 2023!
If you fancy a change of scene, head out to mingle with the partygoers in nearby Commerce Square, normally a hub for the Portuguese capital’s December 31st celebrations.
The epicentre of Brazilian New Year’s Eve celebrations is Copacabana Beach, where thousands gather to watch fireworks, catch up with friends and party to the sound of live bands. This rooftop bar has a prime view over the action, letting you enjoy all the buzz without the jostling crowds.
Sink a few caipirinhas – the classic Brazilian cocktail of cachaça, lime and sugar – then salsa the night away under a twinkling night sky. If you start running out of steam, book into a comfy white-washed room at the JW Marriott hotel below, drifting off as the party carries on outside your window.
