Carbon

Everything at The Cumberland hotel is done on a grand scale – the lobby is huge, & its party bar, Carbon, is designed to hold a big crowd. Impressively proportioned, with walls formed from stacked barrels & hanging chain curtains, the look is industrial & a little intimidating. Mind you, when the DJ is spinning & the place is full of warm bodies, things tend to soften up. Drinks, procured at a long, heavy-wood bar or via table service, come from a list of classics & a selection of mortifyingly named house specials such as addict (honey vodka & apples) or god is a cocktail (honey vodka again, this time with Chambord & passion fruit). A simple menu is served until 10pm, & private hire of the Champagne bar makes sense for high-octane occasions.