Cherry on the rooftop

Address: Le Gray, Martyrs Square, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: +961 (0)1 971 111

Review

This rooftop bar, on the sixth floor of Gordon Campbell Gray's boutique Le Gray hotel, comes from the same stable as One Aldwych, and it shows.

The cute pool on the terrace, with its white sofas and steel-frame chairs, runs right up to the windows of the indoor bar, a curving, pristine space, done out in white with pictures of the eponymous cherries.

Although swimming is only allowed during the day, there are panoramic views across Beirut and out to sea, and DJs most evenings.

Joe Mrad's short cocktail list is dominated by crowd-pleasers, but has some inventive drinks on it. A Backwards Cherry Mojito, with muddled cherries, white rum, mint, lime and sugar was delicious (if more of a Daiquiri than a Mojito).

Bonus points for creating a concoction using sage and pomegranate, two distinctively Middle Eastern flavours: we're told cocktails using arak are coming soon. During the winter months, guests and bar staff retreat downstairs to the warmth of Bar 360.