The Best Hotels for Sports Fanatics

This article published with permission from Oyster Blog.

It’s football season and the MLB playoffs are around the corner. These hotels accommodate the loudest, rowdiest, most competitive fanatics out there. Give us an outrageously over-sized flat-screen TV and dem’s fightin’ words, and we’ve got just the right atmosphere.

Ouest

The Lucerne

This isn’t your typical sports bar —

it’s a high-end French restaurant with a cozy, Old-School New York twist. Although the menu is a bit pricey, the food (by Tom Valenti) will not disappoint —

roasted salmon, braised beef short ribs and juicy pork chops. The interior is covered in red leather, dark wooden accents and white linen table cloths. With an outstanding bartender and fabulous drink menu, this place gets packed regularly, and (perhaps most importantly) a large flat screen TV perches directly above the bar —

making Ouest a great alternative from the typical sweaty, messy sports bar.

New York

Center Bar

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

With the diverse range of people that pass through this bar, you’ll surely strike up some interesting conversations during commercials —

that’s for sure. But while the game is on, full attention is paid to the five new flat screen TVs circling the bar. And it’s open 24/7, so no matter what time zone your game may be in, you can watch it here.

Las Vegas

City Bar

Lenox Hotel

Just because you’re watching the game doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your culinary instincts. City Bar offers guests an impressive, understated menu of a range of foods, from surf and turf tacos to glazed ribs to Maine lobster rolls. With stylish leather couches, low lighting and a big screen directly in front of the bar, this classy Bostonian bar is a great spot to throw back a martini and watch your sport of choice.

Boston

676 Restaurant

Omni Chicago Hotel

A great option for the lover of sports and the environment. With two large plasma-screen TVs at the bar, you’ll be able to catch this game while selecting delicious dishes and finger foods, like popcorn made with wild mushroom salt and cucumber and olive relish and grilled flatbread crackers. The best part is that the restaurant focuses on using fresh ingredients from Midwest and local farmers. All food is organic and sustainable. Not to mention, a killer drink menu —

blueberry martinis, pomegranate sparklers, Honker’s Ale and more.

Chicago

Ambassador Lounge

Millennium UN Plaza

Imagine sharing bar cashews and catching the Jets game with an international diplomat —

it can happen at Ambassador Lounge in the Millennium UN Plaza. Sleek, high-end designs and plenty of metallic surfaces give this midtown bar a classy, professional vibe while still maintaining a relaxed, hang-out flair. Large appetizers are perfect for sharing around the wide-screen TV, and a superb drink menu —

premium liquors lining the bar wall —

greets guests upon entering.

New York

Pool Plaza

Gansevoort Miami Beach

Five plasma wide-screen TVs rest above the sleek, blue granite bar lined with blocky steel bar stools. Guests can order some light fare, like grilled shrimp and pot stickers, and indulge in delectable desserts like Tahitian vanilla milkshakes. Of course, a full bar is available (and quite pricey), but the ambiance is what it’s all about. Although it may be all about the game, the beautiful views deserve some gazing at during commercial breaks, and the cool ocean breeze makes this area a great spot to relax, dine alfresco, and toss back a few adult beverages.

Miami

Lagasse’s Stadium & Bar

Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino

It has “stadium” in its name —

need we say more? With chef Emeril Lagasse’s signature cuisine and more than 100 HD TVs, is there a better place to catch the game in Sin City? Doubtful. The restaurant incorporates stadium-style seating, as well as fun extras like billiard tables and a massive 9’ X 16’ TV. It’s considered one of the best sports lounges in Vegas for a reason.

Las Vegas

The Veranda

Hotel Casa Del Mar

Frequented by some of the celebrity elites, this elegant bar manages to incorporate a relaxed beach vibe into the high-class, old money thing it’s also got going for it. Throw in a few flat screens over the bar, and you’ve got yourself a super classy sports night on your hands. But be aware, fans —

visitors of this bar favor flutes of champagne and a Darlinis (a raspberry, orange juice, and champagne mixture), if you catch our drift.

Los Angeles