Atmosphere

Atmosphere is the cocktail bar on the 80th floor of the China World Summit Wing, the Shangri-La hotel on the upper floors of China World Trade Center Tower III in Beijing's central business district. The World's 50 Best Discovery directory describes it as Beijing's highest cocktail bar, with a cool, sophisticated room whose ceiling is designed to look like a constellation of stars and a programme of live acts and DJs.

The building is part of the attraction. Tower III, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and completed in August 2010, stands 330 metres high at the junction of the East Third Ring Road and Jianguomen Outer Street, and is the second tallest building in Beijing. The hotel occupies the upper floors, with its lobby on the 64th, so the bar looks out across the towers of the CBD from well above most of the city.

Cocktails are the focus, and the directory lists an average price of around 20 US dollars per drink, which puts it at the top end of Beijing bars. Beijing's official tourism resource site also mentions a good choice of wine and a weekend afternoon tea buffet, and recommends arriving early to secure a seat by the window. It notes, sensibly, that the bar suits guests who are not afraid of heights.

The bar is a classic choice for a celebration, a date or a first night in Beijing, and for business travellers staying in the CBD. Window tables are the most sought after, so plan to arrive early if the view matters to you.

Getting there is simple, as the China World area is served by Guomao station on Lines 1 and 10. The listed phone number for reservations and enquiries is +86 10 6505 2299.

If you prefer a view of the old city instead, MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing has a terrace overlooking the Forbidden City. For something more casual afterwards, the Jing-A Brewing taproom in the CBD is one of the brewery's Beijing outlets. Atmosphere works well as the start of an evening in Chaoyang, with Rosewood Beijing and the Four Seasons in the same district.