Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
This towering hotel looks out to Singapore’s skyscrapers and the strange man-made “supertrees” of the Gardens by the Bay park. Inside, it hides 2 561 guest rooms, a museum, two theatres, seven celebrity-chef restaurants, an ice rink and a Banyan Tree spa.
The jewel in the crown is the Sands SkyPark on the 57th floor, home to an infinity pool, a team of mixologists rustling up everything from milkshakes to margaritas at the Ku De Ta cocktail lounge and the Asian-inspired Sky on 57 for all-day dining up in the clouds.
l Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (en.marinabaysands.com). Doubles start at S$399 (R3 220); cocktails S$22 (R177).
Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi
The rooftop of this glitzy hotel looks down on the Emirati capital’s Formula One circuit, with an undulating LED-lit canopy that reflects the hairpin twists and turns of the track.
There are two bars up top: Longitude, an informal poolside pitstop that serves snacks, drinks and light lunches; and Latitude, which mixes sundowners with a chilled soundtrack and views of Yas Marina. A third space, Skylite, reopens in September once the heat of high summer has ebbed.
l Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi, UAE (viceroyhotelsandresorts.com). Doubles start at 750 dirham (R2 100), room only; cocktails from 48 dirham (R134).
Four Seasons, Mumbai
To find peace amid the bustle of India’s most populous city, ascend up to the 34th floor of the Four Seasons. Here, you’ll find the AER bar, which replaces the maelstrom of Mumbai’s streets with a nightly DJ playing upbeat jazz, funk and house.
A light menu of calamari and prawn dumplings is served alongside signature cocktails such as the whisky-based Elevate, with minimalist decor and spell-binding 360º views.
l Four Seasons, 114 Dr E Moses Road, Mumbai, India (fourseasons.com/mumbai). Doubles start at 16 325 rupees (R2 800), B&B; cocktails from 1 020 rupees (R175).
Condesa DF, Mexico City
What this bar lacks in stature, it makes up for in style. Raised only four floors up, it is part of a hip hotel by Mexican architect Javier Sánchez and Parisian designer India Mahdavi. Standing atop the V-shaped building in the trendy Condesa district, it glances across to the sacred Aztec site of Chapultepec Hill and the leafy canopy of Parque España. The menu blends Latin flavour with Asian accents in dishes such as shrimp tempura with chipotle mayonnaise.
l Condesa DF, Veracruz 102, Mexico City, Mexico (condesadf.com). Doubles start at $230 (R2 365), B&B; cocktails from $10 (R100).
ME Reina Victoria, Madrid
This lavish Meliá hotel stands sentinel over the Plaza de Santa Ana, in the heart of the Spanish capital. A lift whisks guests up to The Roof, where a spacious wooden deck offers tapas, tempting cocktails and secluded booths lit by flickering lanterns at night. It’s all wrapped up in dreamy, cream-coloured stone, with views down to a statue of Federico García Lorca in the square below and the oldest theatre in Madrid, the Teatro Español.
l ME Reina Victoria, Plaza de Santa Ana 14, Madrid, Spain (melia.com). Doubles start at e145 (R1 971), room only; cocktails from e12 (R160).
Delano, Marrakesh
The Sky Lounge looks out past the bushy palms and ancient walls that encircle Marrakesh’s medina. Located on the upper reaches of the Delano, it has a circular infinity pool that skims the circumference of the roof, with Balinese daybeds and a Japanese-inspired Namazake restaurant that dishes up delicious sushi, sashimi and tempura dishes. By night, see the Red City illuminated with a chilli mojito in hand.
l Delano, Angle Av Echouhada et Rue des Temples, Marrakesh, Morocco (delanomarrakech.com). Doubles start at 2 700 dirham (R3 284), B&B; cocktails from 140 dirham (R170). – The Independent