Braving the elements on a very wet and windy Thursday evening last week, I headed to Bar Hütte with two friends for some après ski fun, ski shots, and some seasonal ‘Carol-oke’ at the pop up at St James Quarter.
Inspired by some of the coolest après ski bars in Europe and America, Bar Hütte combines super ski hüttes with a vibrant and fun atmosphere. Enjoy Christmas karaoke for up to eight people in one of Bar Hütte’s cosy Alpine hüttes (booking charge - Mondays & Tuesdays: £50, Wednesday - Sunday: £60) or in their infamous Party Lodges (£150 hire a minimum with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 people).
It’s the perfect location if you’re hosting a party, a works do or celebrating a special occasion, And if it’s family-friendly fun, Santa Claus Club includes a karaoke hütte for one-hour, hot chocolate and colouring pads for the kids, plus the chance to get a picture with Santa Claus (£30 for a minimum of two people, maximum of eight).
There are also wreath-making sessions to get involved in, complete with a complimentary glass of prosecco.
Bagging ourselves the cosy Alpine hut, named after ski-resort Zermatt, we got ready to belt our hearts out to some Christmas classics on the karaoke machine. Thankfully though for all parties concerned (the huts aren’t sound-proof), our machine wasn’t playing ball that evening everyone was spared our dulcet tones which certainly wouldn’t have met with approval from choirmaster Gareth Malone.
The attentive staff happily offered to move us somewhere else including the cosy ski bar but we were so engrossed in our catch up chat, the mulled wine and cocktails and tasty Neapolitan pizzas from Salerno Pizza, delivered by our delightful chalet hosts, that we opted to stay put.
Just a word of warning, while the atmosphere is guaranteed to heat up, you may want to ensure that you’re dressed for the inclement Edinburgh weather. I counted my lucky stars I’d worn a beanie, gloves, hat and a waterproof parka that evening. And be warned if you need to visit the little boys or girls room, there’s no loos on site and you’ll need to trek up a flight of stairs and down a couple of escalators into St James Centre.
Don’t worry if you haven’t planned ahead, Bar Hütte’s heated undercover courtyard is the perfect spot for a bit of winter spontaneity. Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week, simply rock up and step inside to enjoy festive food, refreshing cocktails and seasonal hot serves.
Weekends and key dates are filling up fast, so book to guarantee you don’t miss out. Visit: www.barhutte.co.uk/bar-hutte-edinburgh/
Find out more: www.barhutte.co.uk
Instagram: @barhutte Facebook: @barhutte
Bar Hütte Opening Times
NOVEMBER
Monday - Friday 12pm - 10pm
Saturday 11am - 10pm
Sunday 11am - 8pm
DECEMBER
Monday - Friday 12pm - 10pm
Saturday 11am - 10pm
Sunday 10am - 8pm
Christmas Eve – 2pm – 8pm
Christmas Day – Closed
Closing date: 2nd January 2023