Cheers: Hotels debut new ways to make a toast

Drink up: Sheraton Hotels has introduced a new Social Hour and Wine Menu.

From creative cocktails to a new social hour, from private wine rooms to a new sparkling water lounge, hotels around the nation are finding new ways for guests to make a toast, whether they’re teetotalers or connoisseurs of the spirit world.

Among the most wide-ranging news comes from Sheraton Hotels, which has introduced a new Sheraton Social Hour at its properties worldwide. The new program features wines by the glass, from a new menu called Sheraton Selects, with varietals from wineries including Chateau Ste. Michelle, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Northstar, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and Eroica. At the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, for example, Social Hour takes place Wednesday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m., with wines rated 90-plus by Wine Spectator, priced at $5 per person.

Those looking for refreshments that are a bit less potent should consider the Hotel Diva, a decidedly cool boutique property in San Francisco that has unveiled a new sparkling water lounge. The new Perrier Lounge, operated in partnership with — you guessed it — Perrier mineral water, allows guests to sip from the iconic green bottles while relaxing in a swinging “bubble chair” designed by the modern furniture retailer Room Service.

The stylish James Hotel Chicago and The James New York, meanwhile, have introduced in-room mixology, allowing guests to sample creative custom cocktails without leaving their room.  Supplies include a pint glass printed with recipes for refreshments such as the Corpse Reviver 2 (gin, Cointreau, lime and simple syrup), which seems designed to bring even the most exhausted business traveler back to life.

Private wine rooms are an ideal option for business travelers looking for privacy while entertaining clients and colleagues. Hotels like the St. Regis Atlanta, Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, and the Fifteen Beacon hotel in Boston are among the properties with wine rooms available for private dining functions.

Cheers: Hotels debut new ways to make a toast