Review: Valentine's at The SkyLounge, Doubletree Hilton Hotel

Style Points: 3/5
Price: £££
Overall: 3.5/5

A stone's throw from Tower Hill station lies the luxurious 4 star Doubletree Hilton Hotel and sitting high up on the 12th floor is the SkyLounge. Offering a wide range of cocktails and bar food, SkyLounge looks out over the sights of London including Tower Bridge, The Shard and the Tower of London.

Would I Want Seconds?

The main reason to visit SkyLounge would be for the views and for the cocktails. An exciting winter menu serving cocktails for a 'Light Start', drinks 'With a Kick' and a few for 'After dinner' means that you can enjoy a variety of well-made drinks.

As Valentine's Day is fast approaching, we both decided to try their special Valentines drink called SimplyLove. The cocktail was pleasant, and didn't pack the punch of the others we tried. I liked this subtle flavour and the hint of cinnamon from the pretty hearts on the top of the drink.

For our second round of cocktails, we had the Winter Sloe (a prosecco topped vodka concoction) and the Problem Solver (an earthy whisky based drink). I thoroughly enjoy cocktails with prosecco as it adds something fizzy and special to the sweetness of the drink and my companion also also fond of his.

Whilst sipping on our beverages, we also ordered some food. As the menu was definitely not catered for vegetarians, but we asked for adjustments to be made to some of the items which the staff were happy to accommodate. I ordered the mushroom and pancetta bruschetta without the Pancetta and my companion ordered the red pepper and goat's cheese bruschetta. These were almost pizza like in their size and taste but the base was toast instead of dough. We also shared some cheesy fries without the bacon which were enormous and really delicious.

For our third and final round of cocktails, we thought that we would go for two of the 'After Dinner' drinks although by this point we were quite full from the large bar snacks. I tried the Flamingo Bay (described as a 'creamy spiced delight') and my companion had Almond and Honey which was a twist on an Amaretto Sour. My cocktail was fruity and flavoursome and felt like holiday which was similar to my companion's opinion as his tasted like a tropical sweeter Pina Colada.

Could I Afford Seconds?

The prices of the cocktails in SkyLounge are not cheap at £12-13.50 per cocktail. Yes, they are very well made and you are also paying for the luxury atmosphere but it would be nice if there were a couple of cheaper options on the menu. Although, it does make your visit seem like more of an occasion than going to your average bar meaning that it is not so bad to stump up more cash.

The bar food (which is the only food they offer) is mainly under £10 unless you are ordering a platter so the drinks will be your main expense.

Overall?

I had a good time at SkyLounge tasting the different flavours of the cocktails and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was as I didn't think much of the options.

Whilst the views from certain parts of the bar are good, it does depend on where you are sitting so if you can ask for a view of Tower Bridge or another landmark then they may be able to accommodate this. My view was not very impressive on my visit so if you are going to have a drink there for Valentine's Day to treat your loved one then maybe give them a call and see if you can reserve one of their better tables.

Website: www.doubletree3.hilton.com
Address: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London, 7 Pepys Street, London, EC3N 4AF
Closest Tube Station: Tower Hill