For some of us, cocktailing is nothing less than a sport.  But when it comes to having a memorable night, libations are just part of the equation. For their part, today’s hotel bars are upping their games, from seaside libations to dancing under the stars (literally). Here are a few one-of-a-kind spots to check out:

To the Ends of the Earth
The Grace Bay Club in Turks & Caicos recently unveiled the longest bar in the Caribbean with its new Infiniti Edge Bar. The 90-foot bar, constructed of black marble, creates the illusion that the entire structure is floating above the sand and into the ocean. Guests can sip traditional Caribbean cocktails under shaded canopies while the waves lap at their feet. Now that’s what we call relaxation.

All That Glitters is Gold
If you’ve got an insatiable thirst for the bubbly, Gilt Champagne Lounge in London’s Jumeirah Carlton Tower should be your next stop.  The small bar simply reeks of luxury, from its gold-hued walls and white banquettes to its plush gold-trimmed chairs. The luxury doesn’t stop with the surroundings, though: A glass of champagne will run you 14 Euros at the very least; make that 17.50 if you fancy a Bellini.

Art House
In today’s worlds of art and hotel design, there may have been no greater meeting of the minds than Julian Schnabel and Ian Schrager. Schrager’s Gramercy Park Hotel recently underwent a major redesign, which included the opening of the luxe and eclectic Rose and Jade Bars, featuring custom-designed furniture by Schnabel, rich red-and-chocolate-brown color schemes, candlelight and artwork from the likes of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Schnabel himself. And lest we forget, reservations are required after 9 pm.

Star Power
As if Las Vegas wasn’t already known for its levels of excess, the new Moon nightclub on the penthouse level of the Palms Fantasy Tower, takes the “room with a view” concept to a new extreme. The club’s massive retractable roof opens to reveal a view of the nighttime sky. When it’s closed, the roof serves as a giant video screen, showing scenes from the dance floor and around the club from a series of moveable cameras and projectors. Whatever happened to “what happens in Vegas…”?

Water World

A name can say a lot about a place, and Sao Paolo’s Hotel Unique is no exception.  The hotel, which resembles a modern, copper-hued boat, was designed by Brazilian architect Ruy Ohtake and features a striking rooftop bar and restaurant, Skye. A crimson-hued pool is the centerpiece; revelers can look out at a panoramic city skyline while sipping cocktails.

With gas prices skyrocketing and skylines growing smoggier, it seems everyone is trying to green things up. This includes the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers, a sprawling property filled with crystal chandeliers, half a dozen restaurants and nearly 1,000 graciously appointed rooms. Although the hotel dates back to the 1920s, it has certainly kept up with the environmentally conscious times, installing a state-of-the-art energy-management system, twisting in compact-fluorescent light bulbs and instituting a paperless check-in/check-out policy.

The hotel has also created a special “Hybrid Package” for its guests, ostensibly to reward those who have swapped their SUVs for fuel-efficient sets of wheels. The package’s contaminant is that it doesn’t help eco-friendly guests at all; in fact, it penalizes them for going green.

With the Hybrid Package, a standard, 300-square-foot room is $259 a night, and valet parking (normally $40) is free. But book the same room online, and it’s $199—or $60 less. So, even if you fork over $40 so a man in a white coat can park your car, you’ll still be ahead $20. And get this—if you upgrade to a deluxe, 375-square-foot room, it’s $219 a night. Add in $40 for parking, and you’re exactly where you would be with the Hybrid Package, only with a nicer room.

As Kermit the Frog wisely said, it isn’t easy being green…and this package doesn’t make it any easier. Do your part and drive your hybrid, but toss this package into the recycling bin.

Don’t worry about what to get Berlin’s Kempinski Hotel Bristol  for its 111th birthday—all it really wants is to be stayed in. So much so, in fact, that the flagship of the distinguished Kempinski brand is now offering its rooms to people like you and me for around $173 per night. (Hint…or well, solution: $173 is about 111 Euro, at least today).

I know, I know, there’s not even a name for the 111th anniversary of something (somewhere between “centennial” and “quasquicentennial”), but the Kempinski is getting proud in its old age and wants to show itself off. Before you write the joint off as senile, however, you should know that the “grande dame” of Berlin hotels has earned its bragging rights, and updates have kept it competitive in a city that has likewise reinvented itself since the Wall came down in ‘89.

The Kempi is located on one of Berlin’s most famous avenues, the Kurfürstendamm—call it the Ku’damm if you’re trying not to act like a tourist. This places the hotel smack-dab in the middle of the capital city’s leading upscale retail neighborhood—the Champs-Élysées of Berlin—where one can find shops by Bvlgari, Gucci and Lacoste, amazing restaurants and interesting architecture.

From July 1 through August 28, 111 Euros will allow you to stay in one of the Kempi’s individually-designed rooms, sleep on a Tempur mattress by request (go for it) and enjoy the hotel’s beautiful pool, sauna, steam room and fitness center, all while soaking up a piece of German history. The hotel’s famed breakfast buffet will cost you extra, but word is, it’s well worth it.

Take advantage of this rate while you can, since next year they’ll have to charge at least 112 Euros. Oh, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals worth celebrating delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

Checking In: Tallinn
Checking Out: Prague

Prague is so 2002. When I was in college, one of the pre-requisites for cool was a summer vacation to Prague, but like every other indicator of cool, Prague eventually lost its edge. It was as if the capital of the Czech Republic were an indie rock band that had finally made it to MTV. Sure, everyone knew about it, but it was no longer a secret between friends—something that the cool kids could claim for their own. Prague was co-opted by the man, and the young and hip were forced to find another place to hang their skinny jeans.

Tallinn, Estonia might seem like an unlikely home for cool, but its nightlife and restaurant scenes, combined with a killer conversion rate, have solidified it as the next destination for the international party set. The New York Times named it the “Party Capital of the Year” in 2006, and Laurence Shorter dedicated an entire volume of his Hedonist’s Guides to the city. Over the past few years, Tallinn has become known as much for its medieval architecture as it has for its club scene.

Brits and Finns pour in daily to take advantage of the nightlife here. The cheap liquor and anything-goes attitude have established the Estonian capital as the go-to party town of the Baltics. There are Irish style pubs like Molley Malone’s and O’Malley’s; lounges like Pegasus and R.I.F.F.; and dives like the bar in the experimental Von Krahl theater. There’s even a Depeche Mode themed pub, aptly named Depeche Mode Baar.

For those who like to cram a little culture between pints, Tallinn touts a UNESCO-listed Old Town and an impressive roster of museums and galleries. Along with a slew of medieval landmarks, the city is home to the Museum of Applied Art and Design, The Estonian Architecture Museum, and the Haus Gallery, which specializes in Estonian art from the 19th Century. It even has its own Opera House.

So if you’re dying to one-up all the folks who’ve sworn their party allegiance to Prague, hit Tallinn. It might not have the same name recognition, but isn’t that the point?