Have you ever thought about going behind the counter and helping yourself to a drink at the bar? We have! At our hotels you’ll find an Honesty Bar in each of our drawing rooms and they are open 24 hours a day for our wonderful guests. They include a huge variety of delicious drinks and snacks, from tea and nuts to cocktails and Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
So what actually is an Honesty Bar? Honesty Bars are completely unstaffed, relying instead on guests using an ‘honour system’, where they pour their own drinks and can either leave an appropriate amount of cash or make a note of what drinks were taken. The concept of Honesty Bars has grown greatly within the last 20 years.
In this secret room there’s a large kitchenette where we encourage guests to make themselves at home by fixing themselves a cocktail, coffee or a nightcap. There is also a round table where you can dine, drink and chat late into the evening!
We believe this approach makes our guests feel like they are at home. Here in the Library at Ham Yard Hotel we have our largest honesty bar, which we like to call, ‘Tim’s Snug’. It sits behind a painted wooden pocket door.
At Haymarket Hotel we have an outside area designated for our guests which is called the Honesty Bar Terrace. You will find this quiet secluded space on the first floor of the hotel. This is a place where guests can relax and entertain as if they were in their own garden at home. It’s the perfect spot for a morning coffee or late afternoon drinks.
So next time you stay with us, don’t be shy and jump behind the bar! Now discover our best tips and tricks for setting different atmospheres for a bar and all through the art of lighting with our blog: How to Light a Bar.