The new hotspot of London’s East End is the new Town Hall Hotel and its restaurant and bar. It’s located in the former Bethnal Town Hall, an imposing building now offering 98 spacious and stylish rooms and apartments, with each apartment having been given its own Scandinavian-inspired look.
But more than its accommodation, it is its food and beverage services that have made this one of the most talked-about spots in the city. The restaurant, “Viajante,” serves creative cuisine in a space designed by an award-winning team, with tasting menus made up of flavors inspired from all corners of the globe.
Also attracting London’s young and smart crowds is the bar, with an extensive wine and beer list as well as a choice of ten excellent cocktails.

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Take a look at any newspaper lately and you’ll likely see the words “Greece” and “Athens” within the first pages. Those reports of the economic crisis and street protests will have some thinking twice about a visit to the country this summer, but they should not have to. In Athens life goes on as usual despite everything, and judging from the city’s most high-profile openings, things even look better than ever.
There is the recent Matsuhisa Athens, the latest from celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa providing views of the Saronic Gulf and a martini bar listing creations by mixologist Dale DeGross who gave the world the Cosmopolitan, plus the same tasteful interiors and expert Japanese cuisine found at the other Nobu restaurants, including the first one in Greece, in Mykonos.
Also hot is the new Salon de Bricolage, the city’s first members’ club. Located in upscale Kolokani, it will be accepting just 350 members but each member can always bring three friends along. Its aim is the promotion of gastronomy, art, well-being, and entertainment in an exclusive environment.
These are just two perfect places to check out this summer in Athens, together with the recent (and Uward-nominated) Acropolis Museum before hopping on a ferry to Mykonos or Santorini. Who said anything about a crisis?

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When UCityGuides first reported on the opening of the controversial W Barcelona Hotel, it still didn’t have one of its star attractions which is the Eclipse Bar on its 26th floor. Designed by Ricardo Bofill, it’s become one of the hottest night spots in the city, in an exclusive ambience and stunning views of the sea through panoramic wraparound windows.
DJs spin upbeat and chilled-out sounds as attractive crowds sip on cocktails and share sushi or other light bites.
This is the first “Eclipse” outside London, you may already be familiar with the bars in Chelsea and South Kensington. What all three have in common is an emphasis on inventive cocktails and trendy crowds.
Complete W Hotel information here: W Hotel Barcelona

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There are private clubs and members-only bars, and then there’s the new Grey Goose Bar in Brussels’ Barcardi-Martini headquarters. Officially open to employees only, it has also unofficially been adopted by a lucky few of the city’s most sophisticated crowds as a favorite hotspot. While the drinks and exclusivity are the most obvious attractions, it is the spectacular Puresang-designed interior that truly stands out. The Antwerp designers created a wall of triangular blue mirrors that add depth to the relatively small area, and since it is also to be used as a meeting room, the high gloss bar extends into a conference table. The atmospheric lighting was made to reflect ice sparkles, and bottles were strategically placed to look like an ice wall.

There is no website but you can see what it all looks like on the photo above by photographer Frank Gielen, and find it all in Brussels on Rue Vandenboogaerde 108.

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The creators of London’s Mahiki club have now also given that city a new, classic cocktail lounge in Knightsbridge — Tini Bar. It’s already a major destination for after-work, pre-dinner drinks and the buzz may be due to Guy Pelly, known as Prince Harry’s best friend, who’s one of the people behind the project. The sophisticated Chelsea set go through the unmarked door and find an interior that’s less clubby than similar bars in the neighborhood, and just perfect for chilling out. It’s essentially an aperitivo bar, and judging by the cocktail list, it is very much inspired by Italy.
And although that’s not the only apparent Italian inspiration, don’t think the “i” at the end of the name suggests anything from the boot-shaped country. The name is pronounced “teeny” athough the space isn’t exactly small. It is filled by low sensual lighting and dark tones, while the crowds sitting around are local, attractive, well-dressed professionals and not celebrities to see and be seen (in fact, the snootiest group is likely to be the staff!).
The cocktails are very good, and you may accompany them with Italian snacks (olives, bread…). Martinis are the clear favorites on the list, and there are plenty of concoctions for a taste of la dolce vita that make this a welcomed opening in the British capital.

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Another excuse to go to the Czech capital now is the special “Andy Warhol – Motion Pictures” exhibition organized by New York’s MoMA together with Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum. You’ll find the American artist’s screen tests and non-narrative films produced between 1963 and 1973 in the Galerie Rudolfinum until April.

Also new in Prague is the recent opening of the Buddha Bar Hotel, the first hotel of the famous Buddha Bar restaurant. This boutique hotel features a contemporary Asian interior design with French colonial influences and offers a wide rage of services which have already earned it a 2 U_Star rating in UCityGuides’s U_Star awards. You’ll find state-of-the-art fitness facilities, spa treatments, the trendy Siddharta Café, and of course, the legendary Buddha Bar restaurant serving a blend of Asian and Pacific-Rim cuisine.

Another option is the one U_Star-rated Andel’s Hotel, a very reasonably priced design hotel that seems to be the favorite of Hollywood film crews who’ve used Prague as a backdrop.

When it comes to dining, Czech out the local cuisine at V Zátisí, which also mixes some international flavors and features an elegant and sophisticated design to match the fine cuisine.

For after-dinner drinks head to Barego, the bar in the Mandarin Oriental for its signature champagne cocktail.

Detailed information about all of these places is found in UCityGuide’s complete Prague City Guide.

But Vienna is much more than a classical and imperial city, and a visit to the Museumsquartier will show you that it’s very much a city of today. Home to a number of museums showcasing everything from modern art to architecture, that huge cultural site contains both Baroque and modern buildings. It’s also a major hangout for the city’s hippest youth, thanks to its cafes, public spaces, and temporary exhibitions.

From there head to the MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) to follow the history of design through its exhibits, and for a meal at its Österreicher Im MAK restaurant. It serves both classic and modern Viennese cuisine in a stylish minimalist interior that equally balances some classic touches in a contemporary space. Smaller, lighter dishes are served at the bar, one of the city’s top choices for after-work snacks.

For cocktails, the place is the Onyx Bar inside the Do & Do Design Hotel facing the city’s landmark cathedral. But you don’t have to stay at the hotel to enjoy the bar’s drinks, its views, and lounge music together with some of the city’s most fashionable crowds, and can choose to stay at the equally stylish Levante Parliament Hotel instead.

Before you go to bed you may want to hit the dancefloor at Passage, a super-club often hosting Europe’s super-DJs. There are very little furnishings here — the lighting fills the space.

All of the places mentioned above, together with all of Vienna’s best attractions, are covered in UCityGuides’ complete Vienna city guide.

The beginning of London’s “The End” was in 1995 when it soon became one of the city’s hottest clubs. With a minimalist industrial look, this West End hotspot has been the site of mega parties to the sound of major guest DJs and live acts for over a decade. Many London clubbers feel this is one of the best weekend destinations in the city, usually with drum and bass on Fridays and house on Saturdays. But The End is coming to an end in a few days, closing its doors after 13 years.

The closing party will be on January 24th, and it will be the party of all parties. It will last until Sunday afternoon, and West Central Street will be closed to traffic on that night. There are no advanced tickets available, so it’s first come first serve at the door — at 40 pounds (20 pounds after 6AM).

This has been a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art space when it comes to dance music and showcasing the best underground music. Others have followed it, and a few other mega-clubs have opened and closed recently (one of them was the iconic Astoria, closing today after having hosted legends such as Nirvana, U2, and the Rolling Stones). A great substitute is Matter, opened last September from the same team behind Fabric, another legendary club in the city. This new space is London’s most futuristic, with a bodykinetic dancefloor shooting base waves up your body, and serving as a club and a live venue.

Better known among international visitors is Ministry of Sound, the country’s first ever “superclub.” You’ll find the big-name DJs there, and if they’re not there they’re probably at Heaven, a usually mixed gay-straight club. But if you’re looking for a more exclusive atmosphere, there are the Cockoo Club and Mo*vida, two hangouts for the city’s most fashionable crowds. You can spend the night in style there, or if you simply want to chill out with a cocktail, there’s Trailer Happiness or the Mandarin Bar.

The best part of going out at night in London is knowing that no matter how many bars and clubs come and go, there will always be several choices to fit your style and the ambience you’re looking for. UCityGuides helps you with that in its complete London city guide.