There are bars – and then there are hotel bars. Whether you settle into a deep armchair or perch yourself at an elegant counter, these are drinks that come with a side order of decadence. Often a hideaway, they’re somewhere to escape, somewhere that – in contrast to Boston’s most famous fictional bar – nobody knows your name. You can count on understated luxury, impeccable service and beautifully crafted drinks at these five spots that always have the mix just right.

Artesian, The Langham, London

When you take home the top prize at the World’s 50 Best Bars four years running, you’re clearly doing something right. Artesian at The Langham on London’s Regent Street features elegant high ceilings and chandeliers reflecting the hotel’s Victorian heritage, but it’s the drinks that continue to steal the show. Equal parts creative, humorous and delicious, they could be inspired by futurism or realism. If that sounds pretentious, one sip proves the doubters wrong. A case in point: the current minimalist menu where all cocktails have a maximum of two ingredients. St Germain elderflower liqueur and red carrots, anyone?