The insipid lobby seating that you encounter at the entrance to Palette speaks of anything but color. The main bar area turns out to be a rather pleasant space where Chinese decorative touches, unobtrusive ambient music and fiery hues mesh for a suitably relaxing experience. The bar stretches back to an elevated seating area out of sight of the hotel reception; a relatively private spot for sipping beers including German import Bitburger (from RMB 30) or the “Holiday Inn Special” (RMB 50), a four-layered cocktail of vodka, Midori, lemon juice and Sprite. There’s a 15 percent service charge and a minimum RMB 20 spend per person.