Charles Bar

Charbel 2 months ago

A beautiful and elegant bar inside the Excelsior Hotel Ernst. The Charles Bar has a sophisticated atmosphere, excellent service and a great selection of cocktails, champagne and wine. The stylish setting and relaxed piano atmosphere make it a wonderful place to enjoy an evening in Cologne. A truly classy hotel bar and definitely worth visiting.

Lisa Cannon 5 months ago

Charles Bar!!! A hidden gem with a wonderful server named Elaine! My friend and I stopped in after a little shopping for a drink. Elaine served us and she was so friendly. We had some drinks and listened to Robin Meloy Golsby play the piano, then Robin came over and sat and chatted with us. Overall, we had a great experience and would go back!

Neha Mendon 8 months ago

Located within the legendary Excelsior Hotel Ernst, right across from the iconic Cologne Cathedral (the Dom), Charles Bar is the quintessential grand hotel bar. Formerly known as the "Piano Bar," it was recently rebranded and refurbished in 2024 to honor the hotel’s fifth-generation owner, Charles Roulet. Charles Bar manages to do something rare: it feels like a timeless, mahogany-paneled sanctuary of old-world luxury, yet it remains vibrant and "in the know" for locals. ​The Atmosphere: Sophisticated, intimate, and warm. It’s the kind of place where business deals are whispered over Scotch and romances bloom to live piano music. ​Piano Nights: One of the bar's most enduring features. The live piano sets create a mellow, cinematic backdrop that makes it hard to leave. ​The Smoking Lounge: For aficionados, there is a dedicated, well-ventilated cigar lounge offering a curated selection of premium cigars.​ The Price: This is 5-star luxury at the foot of the Dom. Cocktails typically range from €18 to €25, and champagnes go much higher. You are paying for the expertise of some of Germany's best bartenders and the unparalleled setting. Accessibility: It’s incredibly central—just a 2-minu

Shannon Tekelenburg 11 months ago

The Charles Bar is a hidden Gem tucked inside The Excelsior Hotel. This speakeasy offers creative cocktails and decadent decor situated in sumptuous surroundings. They also offer a “Davidoff type” cigar lounge which we enjoyed on two occasions. The seating in the cigar lounge is limited so I recommend you get there earlier (just at or before 10) during weekdays and even earlier on weekends. If you have large groups please keep in mind the space only holds about 15-16 total. You can order food from the bar however we did not since we had eaten earlier. The offerings however looked amazing!

Hussain Al-Ghamdi 11 months ago

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Charles Bar was honestly shocking especially considering it’s located inside a luxury 5-star hotel. The service and attitude were completely unacceptable. When I entered, I sat at the bar alone. There were two waiters on duty, and neither greeted me or even acknowledged my presence. The short blonde waitress spent several minutes talking on her phone like she was at home, completely ignoring customers. When she finally hung up, she walked away without a word. Another lady eventually came to take my order. I asked for a beer, which was served without the small bites or nuts that are normally offered to everyone else. The draft system seemed poorly maintained, producing too much foam — clearly not handled by anyone who knows how to pour a proper beer. From what I observed, the staff have no real knowledge of drinks or cocktails. To make things worse, the bar had an unpleasant smell, and it was obvious that cleaning and attention to detail are not a priority..