Following World Cocktail Day, we share a collection of sensational sips from around the globe – from Botswana’s Okavango Delta to the canals of Venice and the shores of Sri Lanka.
With inventive serves inspired by safari sunsets, alpine evenings and island golden hours, these signature cocktails capture the spirit of some of the world’s most exceptional hotels, safari camps and retreats.
BOTSWANA
‘Duba Plains Camp Gimlet’ by Great Plains’ Duba Plains Camp
Set deep within Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta, Great Plains’ Duba Plains Camp offers an immersive safari experience surrounded by palm-studded islands, floodplains and woodland.
Located within a private 33,000-hectare reserve chosen by Great Plains co-founders Dereck and Beverly Joubert as their home base, the camp combines exceptional wildlife viewing with classic 1920s-inspired safari style.
The intimate Réserve-Collection property accommodates just 14 guests across luxurious tented suites, each with a plunge pool, shaded veranda and sweeping views across the floodplains. Guests can also opt for the exclusive two-bedroom Duba Plains Suite, elevated on recycled railway sleeper decking for added privacy and remarkable wildlife sightings. Days are spent on morning and night safari drives, mokoro excursions and boating adventures, while evenings centre around the interactive kitchen and bar.
As the sun sets over the Delta, guests gather around the campfire to enjoy the camp’s World Cocktail Day creation: the Duba Plains Camp Gimlet. Elegant in its simplicity, the cocktail balances crisp citrus with smooth gin for the perfect safari sundowner.
Ingredients
2 shots Aviation Gin
1 shot freshly squeezed lime juice
1 shot simple sugar syrup
Method
Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice until chilled. Strain into a cold martini glass and garnish with a thin wheel of fresh lime.
Nightly rates at Great Plains’ Duba Plains Camp start from $2,925 (£2,210*) per person sharing. The Duba Plains Suite starts from $14,040 (£10,612*).
For more information visit: www.greatplainsconservation.com/luxury-botswana-safari-duba-plains-camp/
FRANCE
‘Méribel Margarita’ by Purple Ski’s Chalet Lapin Blanc
Purple Ski’s Chalet Lapin Blanc sits in the heart of Méribel with ski-in, ski-out access and panoramic mountain views. Sleeping up to 15 guests across seven en-suite bedrooms, the chalet combines local wood and stone interiors with elegant British and French touches. Highlights include a cinema room with bar, sauna, outdoor hot tub and expansive sitting room centred around a log fire.
Created especially for World Cocktail Day, the chalet’s ‘Méribel Margarita’ adds a sophisticated red wine float to the classic tequila cocktail, resulting in a bold après-ski aperitif.
Ingredients
50ml tequila
15ml red wine
25ml fresh lime juice
12.5ml agave syrup
Salted rim
Lime wheel garnish
Method
Shake the tequila, lime juice and agave syrup with ice until chilled. Strain into a salted coupe or old-fashioned glass, then slowly pour the red wine over the back of a spoon to create a float. Garnish with a lime wheel.
A seven-night catered stay at Chalet Lapin Blanc starts from €43,330 (£37,510*).
For more information visit: www.purpleski.com/chalets/lapin_blanc
EGYPT
‘The Spicy Paloma’ by Vida Marina Resort Marassi
Located along Marassi’s lively marina promenade, Vida Marina Resort Marassi combines beachfront relaxation with vibrant nightlife, dining and waterfront views. The resort features 103 rooms and suites alongside 122 serviced apartments, with direct access to the marina and the private beach at Address Beach Resort.
Dining ranges from Mediterranean-Oriental fusion cuisine at Origins to French pastries at Blé café, while SoCal sunset lounge provides the ideal setting for cocktails overlooking the sea. The property also offers a marina-facing infinity pool, spa and fitness facilities.
Created for World Cocktail Day, ‘The Spicy Paloma’ is Vida Marina Resort Marassi’s fiery twist on the classic Mexican favourite. Combining blanco and añejo tequila with grapefruit and chilli salt, it is designed to be enjoyed as the sun disappears into the Egyptian coastline.
Ingredients
30ml grapefruit soda
25ml Tequila Blanco
25ml Tequila Añejo
25ml fresh grapefruit juice
15ml fresh lime juice
10ml agave syrup
Salt and chilli flakes
Grapefruit wedge
Method
Rim a highball glass with salt and chilli flakes and fill with ice. Add both tequilas, grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave syrup, stirring gently. Top with grapefruit soda and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Nightly rates at Vida Marina Resort Marassi start from $999 (£747*) for a double room.
For more information visit: www.vidahotels.com/en/resorts/vida-marina-resort-marassi
MALDIVES
‘Rosé Spritz’ by Gili Lankanfushi
Just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé airport, Gili Lankanfushi combines rustic eco-design with a laid-back ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll. The resort’s signature Overwater Bar, recently refurbished with extended decking and panoramic ocean views, is a favourite sunset spot where guests can watch reef sharks and rays glide through the lagoon below.
The resort’s World Cocktail Day creation, the ‘Rosé Spritz’, was designed by long-serving mixologist Bryan, who has spent more than two decades crafting drinks on the island. Inspired by the Maldives’ golden hour, the cocktail combines thyme-infused Aperol with prosecco rosé and citrus.
Ingredients
90ml Prosecco Rosé
60ml thyme-infused Aperol
30ml sparkling water
15ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Method
Infuse Aperol with fresh thyme for at least 24 hours. Add the infused Aperol and orange juice to a wine glass filled with ice, then top with prosecco rosé and sparkling water. Garnish with dehydrated orange wheels and fresh thyme.
Nightly rates at Gili Lankanfushi start from $1,440 (£1,074*) based on two adults sharing a Villa Suite with breakfast included.
For more information visit: www.gili-lankanfushi.com
ITALY
‘Giardino Midday Reflection’ by Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Occupying a restored flour mill on Venice’s peaceful Giudecca island, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice combines historic grandeur with contemporary luxury. The five-star hotel features 379 rooms and suites, one of Venice’s largest spas and the Skyline Bar – the city’s highest rooftop bar with panoramic lagoon views.
Created by Skyline Bar’s Valentina Mircea and Diego D’Angelo, ‘Midday Reflection’ is inspired by quiet Venetian afternoons overlooking the lagoon. The cocktail blends Stucky Gin, Lillet Blanc and grape and Italicus cordial, finished with aromatic bitters and pickled grapes.
Ingredients
35ml Stucky Gin
30ml Lillet Blanc
25ml grape and Italicus cordial
2 drops black pepper and cardamom bitters
Pickled grapes
Method
Mix the gin, Lillet Blanc, cordial and bitters over ice before straining into a low tumbler over a large ice cube. Garnish with pickled grapes.
Nightly rates at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice start from €240 (£203*) per night including breakfast.
For more information visit: www.hilton.com/en/hotels/vcehihi-hilton-molino-stucky-venice
ITALY
‘Sunset on the Lake’ by Grand Hotel Fasano, Lake Garda
Reopening for the 2026 season on 27 March, Grand Hotel Fasano sits on the shores of Lake Garda within the former hunting lodge of the Habsburg royal family. The five-star Leading Hotel of the World offers 86 elegant rooms and suites framed by lush palm and banana trees, alongside award-winning restaurants, bars and a luxurious spa.
Created by award-winning Head Bartender Rama Redzepi, ‘Sunset on the Lake’ pays tribute to Lake Garda’s spectacular golden hour. The cocktail combines chamomile-infused Campari with citrus and green apple flavours for a refined Italian aperitivo.
Ingredients
5cl Campari infused with green apple and orange peel
2cl orange oleo saccharum
2cl lemon juice
Cedrata Tassoni soda foam
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe or martini glass before topping with the soda foam.
Nightly rates at Grand Hotel Fasano start from €600 (£519*) for an Executive room with lake view and balcony on a bed-and-breakfast basis.
For more information visit: www.ghf.it/en/
ITALY
‘Smoked Negroni’ by Hilton Lake Como
Formerly a silk factory, Hilton Lake Como now offers contemporary lakeside luxury complete with rooftop pool, spa and panoramic cocktail bar, Terrazza 241. The property has become a stylish base for exploring one of Italy’s most glamorous destinations.
To celebrate World Cocktail Day, the hotel highlighted one of Terrazza 241’s most enduring signatures: the ‘Smoked Negroni’. Created by Head Mixologist Ludmila Samohin and her team, the cocktail offers a modern take on the Italian classic while remaining rooted in local flavours.
Ingredients
3cl thyme-infused Rivo Gin
3cl Campari Bitter
3cl Marini Red Vermouth
Grapefruit peel
Fresh thyme
Method
Combine the gin, Campari and vermouth in a chilled rocks glass over ice and stir well. Garnish with grapefruit peel and fresh thyme, then finish with thyme smoke under a cloche for added aroma.
Nightly rates at Hilton Lake Como start from €350 (£304*) per night including breakfast.
For more information visit: www.hilton.com/en/hotels/mxpcohi-hilton-lake-como/
SRI LANKA
‘Jungle Rose’ by Uga Chena Huts
Nestled close to Yala National Park in Sri Lanka’s far south, Uga Chena Huts offers an immersive wilderness escape with just 18 thatched cabins, each featuring a private deck and plunge pool. Surrounded by jungle, beach and saline lake, the property offers guests the chance to spot elephants, sea turtles and an abundance of birdlife.
The resort’s signature World Cocktail Day creation, ‘Jungle Rose’, was designed by mixologist Sathish Pramodya as the perfect post-safari sundowner.
Ingredients
100ml sparkling wine
50ml Keroff Vodka
25ml strawberry purée
10ml lime juice
20ml sugar syrup
Method
Shake the vodka, strawberry purée, lime juice and sugar syrup with ice until chilled. Double strain into a coupe glass, top with sparkling wine and garnish with rose petals.
Nightly rates at Uga Chena Huts start from $1,237 (£924*) based on two adults sharing a Luxury Pool Cabin on an all-inclusive basis.
For more information visit: www.ugaresorts.com/chenahuts/
SRI LANKA
‘Whispers of the Hermit’ by Uga Prāva
Opened in Tangalle in July 2025, Uga Prāva is an intimate beachfront retreat with just seven minimalist suites, a private beach and expansive infinity pool overlooking Sri Lanka’s southern coastline. Designed to connect guests with the surrounding landscape, the property pairs wellness experiences with surfing, ocean adventures and local cultural exploration.
The hotel’s World Cocktail Day creation, ‘Whispers of the Hermit’, showcases Sri Lankan arrack alongside tropical fruit, bitters and chilli.
Ingredients
50ml Old Reserve 47 Arrack
50ml pineapple juice
50ml watermelon juice
25ml Lemon Rantcho
15ml sugar syrup
Bitters, salt solution and Tabasco
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice until chilled and strain into a rocks glass with a chilli-salt rim. Garnish with dried pineapple and a pineapple leaf.
Nightly rates at Uga Prāva start from $462 (£345*) for a double room on a half-board-plus basis.
For more information visit: www.ugaresorts.com/prava/
All rates in pound sterling are accurate at the time of publication.
