The world’s best hotel swimming pools
Marina Bay Sands
Is the iconic infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore the world’s best swimming pool? There’s no doubt that it’s “breathtakingly beautiful”, says Katie Machado of The Travel, but does it live up to the hype? In short, the answer is yes. Located 57 levels above the city-state, and spanning the hotel’s three towers, the 150m-long pool is “easily one of the world’s most Instagrammed watering holes”, says RTÉ. If you want to take an “epic poolside selfie”, you’ll need to check in for a night as pool access is reserved for guests of the hotel.
Zannier Hotels Omaanda
On arrival at the Zannier Hotels Omaanda luxury safari lodge, located a 30-minute drive from Namibia’s capital, guests are greeted by a shimmering, savannah-facing infinity pool. Overlooking a glorious expanse of desert, this one-of-a-kind pool provides the perfect spot for cooling off after an early morning safari.
Grace Hotel
“The only thing better than a cliffside infinity pool is a cliffside infinity pool facing Santorini’s caldera coast,” The Times says. Most hotels on the popular Greek island only have plunge pools or hot tubs, but the Grace’s “jagged gem of brilliant aquamarine” is an “instant upgrade on all other hotels on the island”.
Grand Ferdinand Hotel
The heated rooftop pool on the top of the Grand Ferdinand Hotel in central Vienna offers unrivalled rooftop views of the city’s historical architecture. It’s also right next to the hotel’s Grand Étage restaurant, allowing guests to enjoy fine wine and dining while relaxing poolside.
Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives
Located directly on a white sandy beach is the infinity pool at the five-star Atmosphere Kanifushi resort in the Maldives. Perfect for an early morning wake-up swim or a relaxing sunset paddle, this enormous pool overlooks the Indian Ocean horizon.
Lake Argyle Resort
The Lake Argyle Resort in Western Australia is known as the “jewel of the Kimberley” and its pool was named the world’s second best hotel pool in a list compiled by Big Seven Travel. At its “most magical at sunset”, the 35m infinity pool is “spectacular” and “overlooks some of the most awe-inspiring scenery in Australia”. It is open to all day guests, accommodation and caravan park guests.
NYX Hotel London Holborn
Guests at the new NYX Hotel in London’s Holborn (named after the Greek goddess of the night) can take a splash in an expansive, indoor 13m Greco-Roman swimming pool. Offering an urban sanctuary in the heart of the capital, the unique, quirky pool has been designed with dramatic black and white tiles, neon signage and bold splashes of artwork on its surrounding pillars.
The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe
The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe’s stunning heated lakefront swimming pool is the perfect place to unwind and relax after a day on the slopes during the winter or sightseeing during the summer. This pool overlooks Lake Tahoe, the clear-blue lake that’s surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Mango House Seychelles
LXR Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s collection of independent luxury properties, has recently opened Mango House Seychelles, an intimate and exclusive island oasis on southern Mahé’s unspoiled beachfront. The sea is always a tempting option, of course, but guests also have the choice of taking a dip in the main infinity pool (pictured) or an oval-shaped pool located next to Soley, Mango House’s vibrant poolside bar.
The Headland
The magnificent £10m Aqua Club, a new leisure complex at The Headland, a five-star clifftop hotel in Cornwall, features six pools including a 25m swimming pool, a hydrotherapy pool, a children’s splash pool and an outdoor vitality pool (pictured). The complex also features a sun terrace with impressive ocean views and a restaurant.
Terre Blanche
Nestled high in the hills of Cote d’Azur with striking panoramic views over the surrounding Provencal landscape, the 600m² infinity pool at Terre Blanche is the crowning jewel of the five-star resort. Overlooking perched medieval villages and rolling vineyards, the pool is heated to a warmth of 28C, producing an ethereal steam which rises in the mornings and evenings.
St Brides Spa Hotel
Positioned on a headland above Saundersfoot harbour and Carmarthen Bay, the St Brides Spa Hotel’s infinity pool overlooks a breath-taking view. The pool forms part of the hotel’s luxurious “marine spa” which includes aroma steam, rock sauna and treatment rooms, a sensation shower, a salt infusion room and an ice fountain.
Burj Al Arab Terrace
This freshwater pool spans 612sqm with a shaded swim-up bar at its centre, setting the perfect tone for relaxing and socialising. The Terrace also features an 828sqm salt water infinity pool and four jacuzzis, as well as a restaurant, beach and cabana space.
Villa d’Este
The elegant Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy is a favourite for the rich and famous and one of the world’s “most celebrated” hotels, The Telegraph says. Its Sporting Club boasts a gym, eight tennis courts and the hotel’s “most famous and ambitious project”, a floating pool on the lake. Luxury Explorer says the heated floating pool, with its own jacuzzi, is “a must” for hotel guests.
Gleneagles
Gleneagles, Scotland’s iconic five-star luxury hotel and sporting estate, has three outstanding pools for guests to choose from: a vitality pool (featuring a jacuzzi bench, hydro pods and a swan neck shower), a 31-degree leisure pool (pictured) and an adults-only, 18.5-metre lap pool (featuring heated loungers, a steam room and saunas).
TWA Hotel at JFK Airport
The TWA Hotel, the only on-airport hotel at JFK International Airport in New York, is a haven for AV geeks and swimmers alike. You can enjoy a dip in the rooftop “pool-cuzzi”, eat and drink at the pool bar, or lounge on the observation deck and watch the jets take off for far-away destinations.