Blockbuster

This is dead simple to make, and even easier to drink. Pour a mini bottle of rum into a tall glass full of ice cubes, almost topping it up with equal measures of cola and ginger beer (ginger ale is a good second best). Then squeeze the juice of a lime into the glass and stir.

Champagne Cocktail

If you manage to score some Angostura bitters from room service to make this glamorous classic, all the better. First, take a sugarcube and rub it firmly on the skin of an orange until the cube turns slightly yellow (picking up all those lovely bitter orange oils from the peel). Then place it in the bottom of a champagne flute and dash two drops of bitters over it. Pour half a mini bottle of brandy over the sugar and slowly top up with champagne.

Cuba Libra

This is basically a dressed-up rum and coke – but it comes from Cuba so it must be cool. Take a tall glass and fill it with ice cubes. Pour in a mini bottle of rum (aged, if you have it) and fill with cola. Then take a lime, cut it into wedges, squeeze them all into the drink, and drop them in. Give it a good stir.

Dandy Shandy

This is a contemporary take on the traditional beer/lemonade combo. Add half a mini bottle of Cointreau to a large glass full of ice cubes, then top it up with equal measures of lager and lemonade. Cut half a lime into wedges; squeeze, and drop them into the drink. Give it a good stir.

Dirty Martini

If you’ve got a jar of olives and some elegant glasses handy, this is a sophisticated tipple for two. Empty a gin miniature into a large glass or jug, and add a handful of ice and a splash of the brine from the olives. Give it a good stir and strain (perhaps with a fork) into the glasses. Pop an olive into each one.

Gimlet

A refreshing alternative to the good old G&T, perfect for a hot-climate sundowner. Stir together two parts gin to one part lime juice or cordial; serve on the rocks with a splash of soda water.

Godfather

This is perfect after a satisfactory three-courser, and it couldn’t be easier to make. In a tumbler half full of ice cubes, add half each of a mini bottle of whisky and a mini bottle of Amaretto and stir.

Mrs Smith’s Tea-Punch

Designed for larger social shenanigans, this refreshing punch will serve up to four people. It is tricky but rewarding to make. Measure two highball glasses of water into your kettle, and boil. Pour the boiling water over two teabags in an ice bucket, and leave to steep for a minute. Take out the teabags and squeeze in the juice of a lemon, then add two mini bottles of gin and a dozen or so sachets of sugar. Fill with ice to cool it down, and serve in small glasses garnished with slices of lemon.

Rusty Nail

One for the retro-lover, if you’re lucky enough to find a little Drambuie in your mini-bar. After putting ice in two glasses, empty one whisky mini into each, then divide the Drambuie between them. Add a twist of lemon, et voilà.

Suite Sangria

It feels as though you’re achieving some kind of greatness if you can knock up an impressive bedroom sangria. This is enough for two or three people. You will need to pour the following ingredients into an ice bucket: a small bottle of red wine (or two, ideally); half a brandy miniature; half a Cointreau miniature; the juice of half an orange; and three to five sachets of sugar (depending on taste). Stir until all the sugar has dissolved, then add ice if you want it cold; otherwise just serve it up with slices of lime or orange.

Tom Collins

The long, refreshing gin-based classic. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a tall glass. Dissolve four sachets of sugar into the juice and add a mini bottle of gin. Top up the glass with ice and sparkling mineral water or soda water. Stir well. If you have a lemon, garnish the drink with a wedge.