Is there anything actually cooler than drinking specially-distilled gin on a rooftop in Ohio? Or how about a Florida hotel group that brews its own craft beers?
That’s not all. There are also some incredibly beautiful Latin American properties that offer a lot more than just great views. Get a little tipsy in Costa Rica with beer made on site and get in the spirits (get it? ‘spirits’) with tequila—neat or in cocktail form—in Mexico.
AC Hotel Columbus Dublin (Ohio)
Columbus might be considered the Midwest, but its newly opened AC Hotel in Dublin offers up a European flair on its rooftop. With its Spanish-inspired menu, hand-crafted cocktails and panoramic views of the Scioto River, VASO provides something even more unique than its views with a specially-distilled gin made exclusively for use at this Ohio hotel.
The restaurant partnered with local Watershed Distillery to create a new version of their Four Peel Gin that’s light and smooth-bodied, made with Sevilla oranges and Meyer lemons to add a twist to the traditional version of the spirit. This might be the best gin in America, in the most unassuming place. Give it a try and see for yourself!
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa (Costa Rica)
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, spread over 900 acres of lush rainforest near the Arenal Volcano and known for its incredible healing hot springs, is maybe the last place you’d expect to find a proprietary craft beer. But in response to a growing craft beer scene in Costa Rica, the hotel has partnered with local brewery 5inco Amigos Cervecería to create a special brew only available at the resort.
Produced in the nearby village of San Carlos, the beer was launched during this past summer’s World Cup and is made with wild flavors and tropical aromas characteristic of the rainforest and resort’s thermal springs.
Guests love the 5.2 percent ABV ‘IPAva’ brew so far and were even treated to a complimentary bottle each time Costa Rica scored a goal during the World Cup.
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa (Mexico)
At the epicenter of tequila culture, you’ll find Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa—one of the few resorts in the world that grows its own agave azul on site and produces a proprietary brand of tequila.
The Puerto Vallarta resort’s in-house Tequila Sommelier leads weekly tasting classes for guests as part of the “Secretos de la Familia,” which translates from Spanish to “family secrets,” program to help increase their knowledge of and appreciation for the most famous product of the resort’s home State of Jalisco.
Guests can also visit the new Ceviche & Tequila Bar to enjoy more than 180 different tequilas and 12 kinds of draft beer along with the breathtaking ocean views.
La Casona at Hacienda Patrón (Mexico)
One more in Mexico, but this isn’t your average hotel. In fact, it’s not really a hotel at all. If you ever get a chance to visit the Patron distillery in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco, available by invite only, don’t you dare say no!
The stunning Hacienda screams luxury and its super exclusive 20-room Casona guest house confirms it. Rooms here are made for kings and queens with amazing plush beds, incredible artwork, Paul Mitchell products and rainfall showers—some suites have Jacuzzi tubs, too.
The dining room is run by a chef who’s been trained by Thomas Keller and the bar is open until 1 a.m. daily. The best part? If you’ve been invited here, everything is free!
Tour the distillery and experience an ultra-premium tequila tasting. You can also just hang around the bar—cocktails, like the Tequila Old Fashioned, are must-haves., or you can sip the new Gran Patron Smoky (which is similar in taste to mezcal and debuted just a couple weeks ago) neat.
Sandpearl Resort, Opal Sands Resort, Lido Beach Resort (Florida)
OPL Hotels on the west central coast of Florida have got it going on. Not long ago, Sea Dog Brewery in Clearwater Beach partnered with OPL to create Deep Blue Brewing, a line of craft beers and IPAs specially made for the hotel group based in the Sunshine State.
Florida-inspired craft beers are now exclusively available at select properties including Sandpearl Resort and Opal Sands Resort, both in Clearwater Beach, and Lido Beach Resort in Sarasota. Top picks are the OPAL Tangerine Wheat Beer, which delivers a refreshing wheat malt flavor with a splash of tangerine, and the OPAL IPA, a medium body IPA perfectly blended with hints of citrus—both perfect for sipping beach or poolside.
