Where better to enjoy the summer sunshine than a beautiful rooftop bar with views to die for. We pick our top 5...
If you are passing through Bangkok to get to the Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa in Thailand then try to make time for a restaurant that takes alfresco dining to new heights.
Set on the 63rd floor of Bangkok's second-tallest building, the Sirocco at the Dome State Tower will make you feel as though you've stepped onto the set of Blade Runner. Below the hectic streets of Bangkok shimmer in silence, and views of the Grand Palace and the Chao Praya river accompany lobster carpaccio with foie gras or a chilled Daiquiri. Tables are laid with crisp, white linen and lit with candles, far enough away from the glass barriers surrounding the Sky Bar that could make you lose your appetite to vertigo.
Sirocco, The Dome at State Tower, 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tel: 00 66 2 624 9555. www.thedomebkk.com.
Open daily 6pm-1am
New Yorkers have always liked hanging out on rooftops - mainly due to the limited space of high-rise living, but this 14,000 sq ft terrace is immense, and will make you forget that you are lounging 21 storeys above the city. Until, that is, you look out through the palm trees and see the stunning view of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, the Hudson river and the Statue of Liberty - there is no mistaking which city you're in.
Owned by the art collector Steven Greenberg, this is a lavish enterprise and has hosted some of the finest parties in the city since its opening a year ago, including Meryl Streep's and Anne Hathaway's opening party for the Devil Wears Prada and Kevin Spacey's Broadway opening of Moon for the Misbegotten.
230 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 1001, USA.
Tel: 00 1 212 725 4300. www.230-fifth.com.
Open from 4pm to 4am daily.
If you've been hanging out at the Hilton San Diego Resort or the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, and fancy a night on the town and a chance to soak up the local atmosphere, then you must experience the Altitude Sky Bar in the Gaslamp Quarter.
When the visibility is good, you can see all the way to the Coronado Islands and Baja California. The best time to go is when the local baseball team the Padres are playing, as the pitch is close enough to watch the game, and experience the jubilation at home runs.
There is a party vibe here, with the resident DJ spinning chilled out music and an extensive cocktail menu. Eat honey cured chicken wings or salmon tacos and drink Sun Drop Margharitas and enjoy the 22-storey view of the city.
Altitude - Sky Bar and Garden Lounge, Gaslamp Quarter, 660 K Street, San Diego, CA 92101 USA.
Tel: 00 1 619 446 6086. www.altitudeskybar.com.
Open 24 hours.
If you are looking for some rooftop action, but cannot bear the vertigo, then the Coconut Bar at the Hilton's Dahab resort is the place for you.
Surrounded by the magical Sinai mountains, this fine Italian restaurant is located on one of the roofs of the many bungalows that make up the complex. The setting is idyllic, and you are so close to the glistening waters of a natural lagoon that you feel as though you are on the deck of a cruise ship.
Come here at sunset to watch the dying sun turning the mountains purple and the waters orange, while munching on some home-made risotto or pasta or sipping on a gin and tonic under a straw parasol. The Moorish white-washed walls stand out against the bright green palm trees and on Friday nights a local musician will serenade you under the stars. This is about as laid-back as you can get.
Hilton Dahab Resort, South Sinai, Dahab, 55, Egypt.
Tel: 00 20 69 364 0310. www.hiltonworldresorts.com.
Open from 7pm to 11pm daily.
Istanbul is currently the darling of the fashion set, and nowhere in the city is this more apparent than at Restaurant 360, a stunning venue set on the top of an old 19th-Century building. This ultra-trendy roof terrace has unparalleled views across the city from the Bosphorous to the Topkapi Palace. A glass and chrome affair, the walls are withdrawn in the summer to allow dining and dancing under the stars.
The food is Turkish fusion, offering modern takes on traditional dishes such as rice-filled courgette flowers and grilled sardines with a garlic and almond sauce. Try a Sashahfaction cocktail, made with Bacardi, Safari liqueur, raspberries and lime.
360 Istanbul, Istiklal Caddesi, 309 - Kat 6 Beyoglu, Istanbul, Turkey.
Tel: 00 90 212 251 1042. www.360istanbul.com.
