New interiors and an exciting beverage menu add to the destination’s iconic status as one of the world’s best rooftop bars
Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai has long served as a preferred destination for luxury travellers. The crowning glory of this towering edifice is the iconic AER, counted among the best bars in the world with fabulous cocktails, impeccable service, chic ambience, and panoramic views. AER re-opens this weekend after a year of complete renovations, presenting a thrilling transformation. A fresh and exciting beverage menu by renowned mixologist Alexandre Renoue, also known as Alex, who takes on the mantle of Beverage Manager, is designed to delight the discerning drinker while the bar’s refined interiors make the perfect setting for lingering gazes at glorious views of South Mumbai’s skyline and glorious sunsets.
One of the most anticipated openings of the year, AER has now opened its doors in an exciting iteration as a yacht club invigorated by a new team and a novel approach to food and beverages. Hallmarked by an alluring mélange of modernity underscored by time-tested traditionalism, architect Phillip Pond has reimagined the space into a contemporary bar with a nautical undertone. The people-centric design places the essential touch points of service at the heart of its design, with an ergonomic layout that unfolds as a symmetrical dialogue between those points of service—the warm, welcoming air of the bartender and hostess—and the gathering spaces fashioned around the central bar that can be accessed from all four sides.
AER’s revamped menu, serves as a gastronomic voyage for gourmands and a masterclass in culinary artistry. “The beverage menu is an ode to its nautical ethos and thoughtfully curat as a sensory voyage through the changing patterns of the weather,” says Alex. The serene clarity of the tranquil Clear Skies cocktail line-up gives way to the brooding intensity of the Thunderheads, an assortment of bold spirits and alcohol-forward mixtures. On a sunny day, guests can immerse their senses in the whimsical frothiness of Cumulus, featuring frothy concoctions, or step into a monsoon reverie with rejuvenating carbonated beverages, along with well-balanced non-alcoholic cocktails to ensure that every guest enjoys the skilled craftsmanship. AER offers an extensive menu featuring handcrafted cocktails, delicious small and large plates featuring cuisines from all over the world and a vast selection of beers, wines and spirits. The delectable menu is inspired by cuisines of the coasts and is sure to delight the discerning diner. It includes an extensive vegan and vegetarian selection.
The conventional lexicon of Art Deco speaks a modern language of design from the rhythm of the latticework punctuated with arches to the smooth stone panelling running sinuously along the counters. The nautical mood reigns supreme, however not every fixture replicates a ship—it is instead the ambience that whisks one away to a quintessential yacht club. The focal point of the space, undoubtedly, leverages its status as the highest rooftop bar of the city with a retractable Wimbledon-style rain roof that offers patrons the chance to feast upon the unparalleled panorama of the cerulean sea through the monsoon.
AER will be operational seven days a week from 5:30 pm to 1:30 am. Tables will be available on reservation only in three seatings from 5:00 pm to 7:15 pm; 7:30 pm to 09:45 pm; and 10:00 pm onwards.
