There’s nothing that floats my hotel boat quite like an amazing pool. So I figured I’d share some of my favorites.
Up front I should say that I have a weird taste in pools, so I’m not for a second suggesting you guys should agree with me (though in the comments section I’d love to hear your favorite hotel pools). What makes a hotel pool great for me?
- Awesome views. This is why I’m slightly partial to indoor pools, since at many hotels they boast amazing views.
- Not too crowded. While pools have busier times and slower times, I’m really not a huge fan of resort pools with 1,000 people in the pool at the time, half of which are drunk out of their mind.
- People actually swimming in the pool. I’m not a fan of reflection ponds that “bros” use to show off their abs. If people aren’t swimming in it, it ain’t a pool as far as I’m concerned (yes, I’m looking at you, Andaz West Hollywood).
With that in mind, here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:
Park Hyatt Tokyo (my review of the hotel)
When I stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo in December, one of the things I was most looking forward to was visiting the pool and gym, given the screen time it got in “Lost in Translation.” The views are awesome, but “Lost in Translation” makes it even cooler.
Ritz Carlton Hong Kong (my review of the hotel)
Just about everything at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong is the “tallest in the world,” and that includes the pool, which is located on the 118th floor. The floor to ceiling windows make you feel like you’re swimming in the clouds. But it’s not just that the views are nice, but the pool itself is as well. There’s even an outdoor hot tub, also the tallest in the world.
Park Hyatt Shanghai (my review of the hotel)
Before the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong opened last year, the Park Hyatt Shanghai was the tallest hotel in the world. I really enjoyed my stay at the Park Hyatt in January, in particular the 85th floor pool, spa, and gym. The pool area is beautifully furnished and every time I used the pool I had it to myself. So I feel it’s the perfect balance between being a beautiful pool and not being over hyped.
InterContinental Hong Kong (my review of the hotel)
No hotel in Hong Kong can compete with the location of the InterContinental. It’s located right on the Avenue of Stars with an ideal view of Victoria Harbour.
Suffice it to say their rooftop pool has equally awesome views, especially from the whirlpool, which looks straight onto the Avenue of Stars. It’s the perfect location from which to view Hong Kong’s nightly “Symphony of Lights.”
Marina Bay Sands Singapore (my review of the hotel)
While these are all amazing pools, I saved the best for last. The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore features an outdoor infinity pool on the 57th floor. The pool is on the roof of the hotel, as you can see below:
And while the pool is a huge tourist attraction, it deserves the hype. The views are spectacular and the pool itself is huge. But here’s the trick, in my opinion. The pool gets incredibly crowded during the day, so I highly recommend getting there at 6:30AM when the pool opens. Not only will you more or less have it to yourself, but you can luck out with some pretty nice sunrise views as well. Swimming at the Marina Bay Sands at 6:30AM is one of my most memorable hotel experiences ever.
So, I’ve shared my favorites, and now I’m curious, what are your favorite hotel pools?
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