Bar servers do more than just shake and pour when guests order drinks from room service at Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Once customers place their orders, trained cocktail concierges come to call, towing specially designed carts stocked with everything needed to mix the perfect drink: spirits, fresh fruit juices, ice, garnishes, glassware and even complimentary snacks. While preparing each beverage, the concierges share stories about the recipes.

“For many years, room service has been about fulfilling a need versus having an experience,” says David Cronin, director of food and beverage. “The standard has been that you order a cocktail, someone brings it upstairs and sets it down and that's it. Why not create a show?”

Most guests choose one of the hotel's eight signature mojitos and martinis, listed on a new stand-alone room-service menu. Drinks are priced at $14 plus a standard service charge—a price Cronin says is especially reasonable given the level of service delivered. The concierges can provide beer- and wine-pairing tips for guests, too.