Luxury hotel bars have a fairly unforgiving reputation: beautiful rooms, expensive drinks, stiff service, and an overwhelming sense that you had accidentally wandered into somebody else’s tax bracket.
Too many are anonymous polished lobby accessories, designed by committee, built for tourists and expense accounts. And luxury hotels know it. They want bars that have cultural relevance. They want locals and the energy they bring, and for other bartenders to rate their cocktail chops.
Advocatuur at Rosewood Amsterdam is a luxury hotel bar, yes, trying to behave like a neighbourhood bar. Jamie Bokhorst, bar manager, and Carmine Marano, head bartender, join us to discuss how they make the experience feel human again.
Say hello to Carmine Marano and Jamie Bokhorst
“Luxury should never feel cold or distant”
According to Bokhorst, the hardest part of opening luxury hotel bars now is not simply creating a concept. It is building the right team around it.
“Beyond creating a concept that stands out in a crowded market and generating enough interest to get guests through the door, the real challenge is finding the right people”.
“A great bar is built by a team that believes in the vision and brings it to life every day. Your staff ultimately become part of what differentiates you from everyone else, making recruitment, culture, and retention just as important as the concept itself”.
The right staff are an antidote to the emotional frostbite of bad hotel bars, where refinement is confused with removal. Too much space, too little warmth, staff drilled so heavy on formality they forget to be people.
Bokhorst is clear: a luxury hotel bar must feel personal rather than transactional.
“It comes down to the people. Luxury should never feel cold or distant. A welcoming, personal approach from bartenders and servers can transform the entire experience. By being approachable, engaging, and genuinely interested in guests, the team creates an atmosphere that feels relaxed rather than formal”.
“The key is finding the balance between exceptional service and genuine human connection. When staff build relationships, remember preferences, and make guests feel comfortable, a luxury bar becomes a place people want to return to, not just because of the drinks, but because of how they felt while they were there”.
“Less is more”
Marano says the biggest change over the last five years is that guests have become more confident in their own tastes.
“I think the biggest change over the last five years is that guests have become much more comfortable with their own tastes. People aren’t ordering drinks because they’re trendy or with sophisticated techniques, they are ordering what they actually feel like drinking and flavours that they can understand”.
“Guests are also more knowledgeable compared to some years back. They have travelled, visited great bars, and they know the difference between a good experience and a great one”.
There will always be a place for technical drinks, rare ingredients, unusual preparation, and serious craft. But the market has moved. Guests have seen the smoke, the dehydrated something clipped to the side of the glass.
Now many of them simply want a great drink that makes sense. That is a useful warning for the trade. The guest is not necessarily less interested in cocktails. In many cases, they are more informed. They have travelled more, drunk better, and built a sharper sense of what feels authentic.
Bokhorst makes a similar point. Complexity is often more important to the industry than it is to the person at the bar.
“I think the industry can sometimes become too focused on chasing the next trend, whether that’s a specific ingredient, technique, or social media-driven concept. Innovation is important, but guests don’t always come to a bar looking for the newest thing, they come for a great experience”.
“Sometimes we overestimate how much guests care about complexity and underestimate how much they value genuine hospitality, consistency, and connection. A perfectly executed classic cocktail served by someone with personality will often leave a stronger impression than the most technically advanced drink on the menu. Less is more”.
That looks like a speakeasy distillery through that door…
The menu does not close the sale. The bartender does.
The current drinking mood is not anti-cocktail. It is anti-forced, where mood, occasion, and preference trump trends. Marano says 2026 drinking habits reflect that wider confidence.
“Martinis and classic cocktails in general are still having a big impact, some more than others. Agave spirits remain strong and more popular, and of course alcohol-free cocktails have become a must, with either techniques or flavours. Guests look for non-alcoholic drinks the same way as alcoholic ones”.
“But if there’s one trend, it’s that people are less concerned with trends or crazy techniques. They’re drinking based on the occasion, their mood, and who they’re with, and they are very open to letting the bartender guide them after sharing their preferences of style of drinks”.
Bokhorst sees the same thing, with quality and familiarity leading the way.
“Guests are increasingly looking for drinks that offer both quality and a sense of familiarity. Classic cocktails remain incredibly popular, but there is a growing appreciation for well-executed, uncomplicated serves rather than overly complex creations. Drinks with a story, a local connection, or a personal touch tend to resonate strongly”.
“We’re also seeing continued demand for lower-ABV and non-alcoholic options, with guests expecting the same level of craftsmanship and experience as they would receive from a traditional cocktail. Ultimately, the drinks that connect most are those that fit the occasion and the guest”.
That final sentence is where the bartender becomes more important, not less. If people are ordering trust, then the team needs confidence in their product knowledge and emotional intelligence to be advocates not just for their bar, but the drinks on it.
Atmosphere beats theatrics
Marano does not dismiss theatrics entirely. He simply puts them in their place.
“I’d say atmosphere wins every time. A bit of theatre can be fun and can definitely create a memorable moment, but guests have seen a lot over the years. What keeps them coming back is the feeling of the place; great hospitality, good music, a room with energy, lighting and drinks that are consistently well made”.
“The best bars get the balance right, they don’t rely on theatrics, they use them when it makes sense. At the end of the day, people might post the cocktail on Instagram, but what they talk about afterwards is whether they had a wonderful night and a memorable experience”.
Social media has distorted how bars talk about success. The most shareable drink is not always the most profitable, practical, or memorable in the right way. A bar can go viral and still feel dead. It can photograph beautifully and make nobody want to stay for a second round.
Atmosphere is harder to fake than theatre. It requires hiring, training, music, pacing, lighting, floor awareness, host confidence, and a team that actually likes dealing with people. A tough break for anyone hoping marble would do all the work.
Making a good drink is one thing, being an impassioned advocate for it is another
Personality is not optional
The most cutting point from Bokhorst is also the simplest. Hospitality needs personality.
“For me, personality is the most important thing. Technical skills can be taught and developed over time, but personality is much harder to train. Hospitality is a people business, and guests remember how someone made them feel far more than they remember how perfectly a drink was made”.
“Of course, technical skill matters, but I’d rather have someone with great energy, warmth, and a genuine ability to connect with people. The skills can be learned; personality is something you either have or you don’t. The best hospitality professionals combine both, but personality is always the foundation”.
Hospitality is a people business that sometimes pretends to be a drinks business, and guests remember how someone made them feel.
When asked what makes somebody remember a bar, Bokhorst gives the answer any operator should pin to the office wall.
“The only correct answer for me is the team. They are the foundation of any bar. They make the memories with the guests and at the end make the guest come back or not”.
The lesson for luxury hotel bars
Advocatuur at Rosewood Amsterdam points towards a more human model for luxury hotel bars: polished but warm, serious but not stiff, creative but not desperate to show off.
The trade lesson is clear. Guests may post the cocktail, but they come back for the people who made the room feel worth returning to.
We’re always interested in hearing about new launches, producer stories, category insight, venue news, and trade ideas worth sharing. If you’ve got something our buyers, bartenders, retailers, or drinks industry readers should know about, get in touch by emailing content@masterofmalt.com.
