Upmarket London Bars

The Blue Bar

No prizes for guessing the colour of this chicer-than-chic lounge in the opulent Berkeley Hotel - although designer David Collins insists the correct description is "Lutyens blue". Collins has created boutique interiors for Vivienne Westwood and considers Madonna among his chums and now uber-hip fashionista John Galliano calls The Blue Bar his "favourite home from home". It's easy to see why. With a white onyx bar, a crocodile-print leather floor, over 50 whiskies and even a dedicated "grape and smoke" menu, enabling you to pair your cigar with a complementary plonk, The Blue Bar will leave you feeling anything but...

Vertigo 42

On paper, Vertigo 42's skyscrapingly scary location - it is, as the name suggests, on the 42nd floor of a tower block) - coupled with its speciality seafood and champagne menu (there are over 30 different varieties of the former to choose from) add up to a queasy experience. Brave it. This swanky bar offers an unparalleled view over London's fair city, and if you can't face the lifts, you could always take a parachute down. It's only 590ft to the pavement, after all.

Sketch

It's no coincidence that Sketch creator Mourad "Momo" Mazouz's initials spell "Mmm". The bar is a delicious casserole of creativity - a celebration of the musical, visual and culinary arts, housed in a converted 18th-century 2-storey building. The latter is the brainchild of Gallic gourmand extraordinaire Pierre Gagnaire. The Michelin-starred chef's imaginative menus keep the well-heeled ensemble guessing.

Loungelover

In contrast to the en vogue minimalism of London's choice hostelries, Loungelover is spectacularly eccentric. You'd expect nothing less from the creators of the decadent Les Trois Garçons. Giant anchors meld seamlessly into baroque and day-glo - and somebody's even hailed a taxidermist. If you can take your eyes off the surroundings long enough, the lick-your-lips à la carte menu and off-the-wall cocktails will tease your tastebuds into submission.

Lonsdale

For that all important wow factor, the ultrastylish Lonsdale thrashes most of the opposition. Since opening in 2002, Notting Hill's top cocktail bar has been wowing London's beautiful young people with its space-age decor and lighting. If NASA turned you down, Lonsdale offers the next best thing to stepping into a spaceship. As well as serving some exceptionally good cocktails, Lonsdale also has a restaurant. To ease the tough decision-making process, the menu is an upmarket mix 'n' match selection of international tapas.