Opened: September 2008

The buzz: Every new venue at this hi-end hotel seems to top the last. The Centara Grand’s latest addition? A classy two-zoned martini and wine bar.

The décor: The martini bar is situated outside and the wine bar indoors. Outdoors, everything is derived from mahogany: floors, walls, the long counter top and the stools. Order their signature martinis as you overlook the traffic on Rama 1 from the 55th floor. Inside, the wine lounge has large cushioned dinner sofa sets and, as the name suggests, is splashed with lots of bright red, contrasted with cream and black. The instant eye-catcher is their two-story-tall wine cellar where they are able to store over 2,000 bottles. To add to the effect, “Wine Raiders”—Lara Crofts on harnesses—swing from side to side grabbing your bottles. Make sure you order that Bordeaux neither shaken nor stirred.

The music: Jazz, with the occasional live pianist.

The crowd: Around half are hotel guests, a fifth are expats and the rest are either big business execs doing deals or rich couples having intimate conversations over a glass of their favorite vino.

The price: Wines by the bottle B900-83,000, wines by the glass B250-B1,800, martinis B290, Champagne cocktails B950 and beer B230-B290.

Why you’ll come back: If the “Wine Raiders” aren’t enough to get you to check it out, then you’re just too hard to please.