Tian Bar, Four Seasons Hotel – Guangzhou, China

Posted on Oct 10, 2016 in Bars

Being on the 99th floor of the IFC building with views across Guangzhou, there was never a chance this wasn’t going to be jaw-dropping. The stunning bar dominates the entrance and inside the atmosphere is dark and moody (we arrived around 6.00pm on an overcast evening). Background music was well chosen and not too loud to prevent conversation.

Staff were lovely and very attentive. I did try to have a chat with two individuals but I think their English may only extend to the necessary – definitely not a complaint because it’s certainly better than my Mandarin! My husband ordered his standard Old Fashioned – his bar barometer. I’m told it was made with a good quality bourbon and not too sweet, however… there was no swizzle stick! We did ask and the young lady agreed (I think her words were “yes, stir” but she never did supply anything to stir with). I was a little disappointed in the cocktail selection as it was almost entirely classics. I found one slightly creative addition and opted for that (tequila, Chambord & lime) and it was lovely. We decided to stay for nibbles and chose to share some prawns and a cheese plate. The prawns were simple but fresh and tasty. The cheese plate was very disappointing. There were a few small cubes of very basic cheeses (not an impressive selection at all) and just as many large chunks of fruit paste – no cheese knife. On the plus side, the nuts were delicious and they kept a constant supply on our table.

As much as I try not to personalise my ‘reviews’ too much, I’ll include just a small judgment call here… what happened to dressing for the occasion? It’s the 99th level of The Four Seasons hotel… in the evening… it’s disappointing when some nationalities feel that shorts and a singlet are appropriate dress.

Although we weren’t overly impressed with the food, we did have a lovely evening here and will definitely visit again next time we’re in Guangzhou.

Visited: October 2016