4 min readThere are few amenities that can truly make or break a hotel experience faster than the pool. The right ones immediately summon feelings of escape, glamour, and possibility—don’t you think your trip could be just a little bit better if you got to spend some time lounging carefree by the right pool? And nothing ruins the vibe faster than a sad, unremarkable rentable wedged next to the parking lot.
The best hotel pools are destinations unto themselves, where the setting, architecture, service, and fantasy of it all come together. They might spill toward a turquoise Mediterranean Sea or perch impossibly high over the futuristic Singaporean cityscape, but they all have one thing in common: the instantaneous feeling that you’ve truly arrived. If you’re a water sign planning your next trip around spectacular places to swim, or you’re just looking for a little travel inspo, these are some of the most stunning hotel pools in the world.
Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
One of the most photographed pools in the world, this rooftop stunner brings guests 57 stories above Singapore for surreal views of the skyline. Five-star hotel Marina Bay Sands’s famous infinity pool stretches like a ribbon suspended over the city, with palm trees and loungers softening the futuristic setting. From up here, the skyline seems to go on forever, and the pool’s vanishing edge creates the illusion that you could just swim straight into the sky.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Lake Como, Italy
At this Lake Como icon, there are not one but three pools, but the one you’ll remember is the floating pool—a glamorous little aquatic island tucked directly into the waters of Lake Como. Its aquamarine water creates a dramatic contrast against the deeper blues of the lake, with views of the surrounding mountains rising in the distance.
Amangiri
Canyon Point, Utah
There are pools that blend into their surroundings, and then there’s Amangiri, where the architecture appears to have been carved directly out of the southern Utah desert landscape. The main pool curves around a massive sandstone escarpment, and the effect is an affecting balance of cinematic and almost monastically quiet. Floating for an hour here feels less like swimming and more like a spiritual communion with the desert.
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
Antibes, France
Is there a pool on the Mediterranean with this much mythology? Carved into the rocks overlooking the sea, this pool has been part of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s glamour for over a century, and its setting—cliffs, blue water, umbrella-dotted terraces—is pure Côte d’Azur fantasy.
Le Bristol Paris
Paris, France
Le Bristol makes a serious case that indoor pools deserve attention, too. Hidden on the sixth floor, this indoor pool was designed by naval architect Cäsar Pinnau to resemble the bow of a 1920s luxury yacht. There’s teak underfoot, a trompe l’oeil stern, and even painted birds and butterflies overhead. Best of all are the views: floor-to-ceiling windows frame Parisian rooftops and the Eiffel Tower, while the adjoining solarium looks north toward Montmartre. C’est sublime.
Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I cannot make this up: the last time I was at the Hotel Fasano’s rooftop pool, I saw a barefoot Gisele Bündchen playing guitar. That’s the vibe here—elegant, unforgettable, yet unpretentious and approachable. Designed by Philippe Starck, this stark (get it?) pool lets the views do the talking: Ipanema Beach below, the Dois Irmãos mountains beyond. It’s the perfect architectural flourish for one of South America’s most fabulous hotels.
The Silo Hotel
Cape Town, South Africa
Perched atop a historic grain silo that has been turned into the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art as well as The Silo, Cape Town’s top luxury hotel, the pool here offers not only panoramic views of the Mother City but a real sense of history and gravitas.
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
The idea of a swimming pool usually conjures up sunshine, but here at The Retreat, the high-end hotel portion of Iceland’s famed Blue Lagoon, the pool makes a compelling case for steam, snow, and otherworldly blue water. Truly, it’s like swimming on another planet. This mineral-rich blue lagoon is framed by dramatic black volcanic rock, creating a strange yet beautiful contrast.
Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club
Surfside, Florida
The Surf Club understands that sometimes the best pool is the one that doesn’t try too hard. This adults-only pool is tucked into lush gardens framed by swaying coconut palms, creating a serene counterpoint to Miami’s typical party energy. This is Florida at its best: the ocean and the city within reach, but the privacy and purity of a perfect hotel pool.
Hotel Metropole, Monte Carlo
Monaco
We’d be remiss not to include the Metropole’s breathtaking pool designed by the iconic Karl Lagerfeld. It’s tucked behind a row of palms and cypress trees just steps from Casino Square—Monaco’s glittering, beating heart—and features 18 backlit engraved glass panels depicting the journey of Ulysses across the Mediterranean. It’s Monaco glamour, but with a Lagerfeld sense of drama.
Beaverbrook
Leatherhead, U.K.
You may have heard that elegant country house hotel Beaverbrook was the site for one of the wedding celebrations of Zendaya and Tom Holland. It’s known for its proximity to London, its sense of privacy, its Coach House Spa, fantastic dining, and illustrious political history—but Beaverbrook is also home to what some might consider one of England’s chicest pools. It’s tucked away among manicured grounds, with a checkered floor that’s simply begging to be (discreetly) Instagrammed.
Miramonti Boutique Hotel
Avelengo, Italy
Everyone is talking about the Dolomites lately, and Miramonti’s saltwater infinity pool feels like a private viewing platform for the Alps. This pool is heated year-round, so you can float in warm water whether that’s après-ski or après-hiking, and rest assured that a spritz or a Negroni is never too far off.