Hotel QT Bar
125 W. 45th St., between Sixth Ave. and Broadway; 212-354-2323
Why fly to warmer climes for poolside drinking? The Hotel QT’s bar is conveniently located near a heated pool, steam room, and sauna. While only guests of the cheap-but-chic hotel are allowed to use the amenities, the rest can enjoy what feels almost like an MTV Spring Break party when D.J.’s spin.
The Delancey
168 Delancey St., between Clinton St. and Attorney St.; 212-254-9920
This Lower East Side rock den is offering two ways to warm up in style. The open fireplace on the club’s main floor beckons to those in search of traditional winter coziness. Meanwhile, the roof deck is covered, heated, and provides an opportunity to lounge by tropical plants at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge. Unlike in the summer, there’s no line.
BED New York
530 W. 27th St., Sixth fl., between Tenth Ave. and Eleventh Ave.; 212-594-4109
To discourage habitués like Oliver Stone and the Olsen Twins from winter hibernation, everyone’s favorite slice of Miami has raised corrugated steel above its popular roof deck, where fifteen beds are available for loungers splurging on bottle service. Overhead heaters keep the slender and scantily clad fashionistas warm, as do the luxurious linens, of course. A makeshift wall secludes the new VIP room, but the view of Chelsea is still intact and all the better when it’s snowing.
Croxley Ales
28 Ave. B, between 2nd St. and 3rd St.; 212-253-6140
Beer gardens usually wither in winter, but at this East Village brew emporium, a heated tent keeps the masses flocking to the patio for happy hours and ten-cent-wing nights. With plenty of tables, room to dance, and the same selection of beer and bar snacks as the permanent room, it’s a toasty place to enjoy a winter ale.
Union Pool
484 Union Ave., between Meeker Ave. and Conselyea St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-609-0484
Most bars shutter their backyards once the cold weather arrives; however this former pool shop keeps its large one open by heating it with an impressive bonfire. Whether you sit on the benches surrounding the pit or at the tables scattered about, the BQE looks surprisingly lovely fireside. The woodsy smell of burning logs and the bearded PBR-guzzling locals add to the illusion of wilderness in Williamsburg.
Camp
179 Smith St., between Warren St. and Wyckoff St., Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn; 718-852-8086
This Carroll Gardens indie-rocker favorite may be indoors, but a deer’s head on the wall, a fireplace, and s’mores snacks make it feel like an Outward Bound adventure. The drinks, named for camp-out favorites, are better than the moonshine that got passed around during your last foray into the wild.