27th Floor

Heaven on the 27th floor? I can only imagine what it's like to work in a hotel bar. On a good day, you're dealing with some heavy hitter with a sizable expense account who, after being over-served, might over-tip with the company credit card. But on most days, you're serving a bunch of loud conventioneers toting bags full of shwag, wearing "Hi, My Name Is..." stickers and asking for drinks without even looking in your face. And so I'm going to forgive my waitress at Peaks Lounge for boorishly asking me for a credit card to start a tab when there were only four people in the entire bar. I'm guessing that she was new to this gig, because every time I asked what was in one of the signature cocktails, such as the Colorado Rancher, she'd turn around and scream at the bartender, "Do you know what's in a Colorado Rancher?" To stop the shouting, I ordered the 27th Floor ($12) -- so named to remind bar visitors that they're 27 floors up from ground level, where the infinite views are unbelievably beautiful. This drink was something to behold, too. Made from Navan Cognac, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream, Nocello Walnut Liqueur and espresso coffee, it arrived at the table in a martini glass with a sugar-and-ground-chocolate rim and resembled the brown cloud that once hovered at this level. One too many, and you'd feel pretty foggy the next day, too. Going down?