Lounge Around in Style at One of Toronto's Top Lounges

From Fashion Week to TIFF to Hot Docs, Stirling Room is the rare lounge that can keep up with the changing face of Toronto. Located in Toronto's historic Distillery, even Prince Charles has walked past this hot spot. Elegantly appointed, the exposed brick, large wood beams and rusted chandeliers make the lounge feel grandiose. At the very least, it may inspire you to get gussied up. With live music and DJs, this lounge can feel like a club as it pulses into the wee night hours. There is the unique grand piano DJ booth, which has to be seen to appreciate upcycling at its finest. It is only open Friday and Saturday, so plan accordingly.

The rooftop lounge in the Thompson Hotel is not necessarily the easiest spot to secure a spot, but do attempt it. Go early and stay for awhile, loading up on sunblock and cat eye sunglasses to fit in with the Beverly Hills Hotel vibe. Situated on the 16th floor of the Thompson Hotel, an infinity pool overlooks the glittering lights of the downtown Toronto core. Many people insist this is one of the best views in Toronto (watch out, CN Tower). By night, cabanas open up. Sip seasonal cocktails or start a bottle service. It feels like a beach vacation right in the heart of the city.

With room for 60 people and earlier closing hours than many downtown lounges, Nikai attracts a mature and polished crowd. Hip, Asian-influenced decor includes a ceiling that looks like a giant Jenga game. To add to the irony, Jenga is available to play. Sleek cocktails are broken into categories like Sparkling, Shaken or Stirred. Drinks are inventive and well-executed, such as The Rutherford, with rum, beer, ginger and cardamom, or Spirited Away with bourbon, cynar, fig and cherry. The food menu changes daily and is perfect for those who have been dying to try Momofuku's acclaimed menu. There are many snack options, from lamb buns to snow crab to head cheese. If your hunger is fierce, there are always bowls of ramen or ssam lettuce wraps to help you with that.

Although most people may not think "lounge" and think "tequila" Reposado Tequila Bar may make you change your mind. If you and tequila haven't had a solid relationship yet, a reposado is a type of tequila that has been aged in a oak barrel. There are over 128 tequilas behind the bar, so you certainly have your choices. There is even an affiliated house band (named the Reposadists) to bring the party to another level on the weekends. Indoor and outdoor seating provide lots of atmosphere, while the tapas menu can help to soak up some of the excess liquor so that things don't get too crazy.

An opinionated cocktail bar that can be hard to find from the street, Hoof Cocktail bar is the drinking extension of the extinct, yet popular, restaurant The Black Hoof. You will find classic and clever drinks with bourbon, rye, cognac and more for the base. You may want to try a Guajillo Margarita, even if you don't know what guajillo infused tequila is. What you won't find as the base is vodka, which owner Jen Agg declared as "dumb" in a blog post. If you can do without your vodka, you will gain low lighting, smooth jazz and candles in mason jars as the backdrop to your drinking experience. The food menu is limited, but does include Black Hoof inspired meaty elements, such as duck wings or popcorn chicken hearts. If you are really hungry, go to the Black Hoof after or before your drinks.

The Drake Hotel Lounge describes themselves as "your home away from your home's living room...only better." That tagline is ideal for dedicated homebodies, and this eclectic Toronto space lives up to its promise. The Drake is a trendy and unique space that has everything from a dance club to a hotel to a brunch space. Boozy beverages are abundant, from $5 beer to mouth puckering sours to champagne cocktails. There are also charming boozeless beverages, such as the retro Root beer Float (the cast of Riverdale would surely approve). Check the website to find out the theme of the night, which could be live music or trivia night. Have a few drinks, and then wander around to see if you prefer the patio upstairs or the dark dance cave in the basement.

Wear something fancy and indulge in an equally fancy cocktail at the Ritz Carlton's elegant DEQ Terrace and Lounge. During the winter, cozy fireplaces and furnishings inspire patrons to hunker down. During the summer, the fireplace will follow you outside to the expansive patio which overlooks the CN Tower and downtown Toronto. Enjoy complementary kettle chips while you imbibe, or indulge in a lovely light menu that includes gems like truffle frites with pecorino and bacon wrapped dates with asiago cheese. Cocktails are one-of-a-kind, with luxurious choices such as "Les Fruits d'Amour" with grand Marnier, sparkling wine and fig pearls topped with grapefruit infused champagne foam. DEQ, you had us at champagne foam.

There is nothing shameful about craving a tiki room in Toronto. In fact, we would go as far to say that it is perfectly natural. After winter in excess, we could all stand to have a pineapple or two. Rod Moore is the Vancouver native behind the Vancouver restaurant that also opening in Toronto in late 2015. He claims that there is a "tiki revival" and we hope that he is right. Six foot totems are carved from pine to greet you and submerge you in an experience designed to be fun. Try a mai tai if you want to be classic, which comes served in a pineapple. Or go for the shareable mystery bowl if you are the kind of person who always went for the punch bowl at high school parties. You are sure to have an excellent time.

If you like hearing the word "exclusive," have we got the cocktail bar for you. The Toronto Temperance Society is a members-only cocktail lounge, so delightfully old fashioned you half expect Humphrey Bogart to saunter in. If you don't want to shell out $285 per year for the privilege of having fantastic drinks, you may be able to tag along with one of your friends, as each member can bring 3 guests. You can also email now, as Toronto's worst-kept secret now has a website. The majority of the drinks use "pre-prohibition" times recipes and have more alcohol than the sugary concoctions many of us are used to. Members agree to house rules, such as "Please do not speak to a lady at the bar without being spoken to. It isn't that kind of place." The ladies say collectively: it's about time.

Bar Raval has an aesthetic appeal so universal, most people start out their evening by taking a photo or two. The Gaudi-inspired panels appear like Swiss cheese that has turned into wood. Wine bottles balance precariously on the swirly wooden ceiling. It looks like a slice of Spain in Toronto's Little Italy, with cocktails that are all about their twists and takes on the classics. They are not trying to be like anyone else, and like the cool kid at school who doesn't try too hard, it works. Food ranges from tuna belly to charred octopus to doughnuts. A combination that would arguably only work in Canada.