House Favorites

We gather at bars for stories—to share them and hear them, and to watch them unfold before our eyes, as bartenders muddle, shake, and stir their way into new imaginings. Some creations have become so beloved over the years that hotels and inns have embraced these as signatures—house favorites that remain on the menu for their ability to narrate a sense of time and place—and transport our taste buds along the way.

From the Scandinavian-inspired to the lake cabin-ready, here are four signature cocktails to try now.

The Copenhagen at The Landsby

Known as the Danish capital of America, Solvang, California is quick to capture hearts with its bakery-lined streets, year-round celebrations, and holiday-centric shops. The Landsby, a boutique inn situated in the center of town, reflects that storybook charm in its own detail—hand-crafted furnishings, natural interiors, and suites that open up into a serene village courtyard.

Dining at onsite restaurant Mad & Vin is a large draw, and guests often squeeze in at the bar for a drink from food and beverage manager Hannah Albrecht. The Copenhagen—an elegant, herbal ode to Denmark—has become a house favorite.

The Copenhagen

Ingredients

• • 2 oz. Krobar Gin
  • 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Honey Lavender Syrup*
  • 2 oz. Sparkling Wine

Directions

• • Shake the gin, lemon juice, and honey lavender syrup together with ice. Strain into a coupe glass or glass of choice. Top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a small sprig of rosemary.

*Honey Lavender Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

• • • Dried Lavender
    • Butterfly Pea Flower Tendrils
    • Honey
    • Water

Directions

• • • Brew lavender tea with the butterfly pea flower tendrils, and measure it based on the amount of honey lavender syrup you intend to make. (If you are using 6 cups of honey, make 6 cups of lavender tea—2 tablespoons lavender for every 1 cup of water). Strain the lavender and butterfly pea flower tendrils through a strainer into a bucket, and bottle once cool.

The Phoenix at Hotel Valley Ho

Entrance, Night, Hotel Valley Ho

Inspired to establish a signature cocktail for the city of Phoenix, Mayor Kate Gallego and Visit Phoenix launched the Spirit of Phoenix cocktail contest, inviting local bartenders to create a drink that best represented the city. Nicole Long’s recipe, The Phoenix, was crowned winner—and voted the most representative of the city and its cultural range.

“I knew I wanted to make something spicy, and that I wanted to use local ingredients,” says Long.

Find “The Phoenix” at venues across town, including Hotel Valley Ho, a hotel known for its mid-century modern design details and for its history as a longstanding destination for Hollywood celebrities.

The Phoenix

Ingredients

• • 2 oz. reposado Tequila
  • 1 oz. mesquite honey syrup (if unavailable, use hot honey syrup as a substitute)
  • 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 oz. prickly pear puree-infused syrup

Directions

• • Shake in tin and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with dehydrated lemon and Chiltepin peppers.

The Bloody Mary at Camp Wandawega

Channel your camp days with a visit to this Midwest getaway, where cabins, tents, and bunks await—not to mention the activities (from crafts to canoeing). The property rings in its centennial this year, and just one way the team is celebrating is with the debut of its very own cocktail line. The Bloody Mary—a nod to its role within Wisconsin supper clubs—is a no-frills throwback to the classic. Visit Camp Wandawega firsthand for a taste, or try your own version at home.

Camp Wandawega Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• • 2 oz. vodka
  • 4 oz. tomato juice
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon
  • 2–3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • A couple shakes of hot sauce (to taste)
  • Pinch of celery salt and black pepper
  • Celery stalk or pickle spear (for garnish)

Directions

• • Fill a vintage glass with ice. Pour in vodka, and top with tomato juice. Add lemon, Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery salt, and pepper. Stir, and garnish with a celery stalk or pickle spear. Sip slowly, preferably on a porch with the lake in view.

The Fouquet’s Fashion at Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York 

This Tribeca hotel exudes the same opulence as its Parisian sister property, with pristine guest rooms and multiple dining venues. In a jewel box of a space, Titsou Bar channels 1920s Paris with candlelit tables, a marble bar, and a dynamic drinks list bridging the old with the new. For the Fouquet’s Fashion, the team reimagines the Old Fashioned with a Fouquet’s twist—a large red ice cube, inspired by the hotel’s signature hue.

The Fouquet’s Fashion

Ingredients

• • 2 oz. Bourbon
  • .25 oz. Benedictine
  • 3 dashes of bourbon bitters

Directions

• • Combine ingredients over a homemade red ice sphere* (*substitute standard ice sphere) in a smoked rocks glass* (substitute standard rocks glass). Garnish with a lemon peel and orange peel, et voila.

Want even more One Adventures? Read our other issues: Issue 01; Issue 02; Issue 03; Issue 04; Issue 05; Issue 06; Issue 07; Issue 08; Issue 09; Issue 10; Issue 11

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