Nothing makes a vacation cooler more than a resort with a stunning pool. Whether you seek a refreshing reprieve from the intense summer sun, a tranquil place to lounge or a bass-thumping evening social scene, a beautiful hotel pool can do it all.
Admittedly, every resort worth its weight in chlorinating tablets offers its patrons a place for a quick dip. To separate themselves from the competition, some extraordinary luxury hotels and resorts around the world have taken their delightful deep ends to new heights—sometimes literally.
From Bali to Bermuda, these hotel pools are so breathtaking and enticing that they alone warrant a trip.
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
The world’s largest rooftop infinity pool stretches across the 57th floor of this futuristic-looking hotel, which was made even more famous in the final scene of Crazy Rich Asians. If you can take the dizzying height, the nearly 500-foot-long outdoor pool rewards you with breathtaking city views—especially at sunset.
The Joule, Dallas
This Adam Tihany-designed pool juts out eight feet beyond the façade of the Dallas boutique hotel. To make it feel even more death-defying, the cantilevered end has a glass wall so that you can teeter on the heated pool’s edge and peer 10 stories below.
Casa Chameleon at Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
Even though all 21 villas at this adults-only hilltop resort come with their own saltwater plunge pool, you won’t be able to resist the infinity-edge swimming hole at night. That’s when fire pits light up along the water’s surface in a fiery spectacle.
Ladera Resort Saint Lucia
Perched 1,000 feet above the Caribbean Sea, this Four-Star hotel puts you close to the famed Pitons. You’ll almost feel like you can touch them from the private pool, a standard amenity in every accommodation. Some pools even come outfitted with whimsical swings.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
From the ledge of the Five-Star hotel’s 2,650-square-foot Serenity Pool, you’ll spend the day gazing at neighboring Lanai island and the West Maui Mountains. If you can pry your eyes from the picturesque scenery, dive below the surface to hear the underwater music system.
Montage Laguna Beach
The massive Mosaic Pool serves as the focal point of the Five-Star Southern California hotel. A cheery tile sun shines from the bottom, large palms anchor the corners and the Pacific lies just beyond.
The Mulia – Nusa Dua, Bali and Mulia Villas – Nusa Dua, Bali
The Oasis is the longest oceanfront infinity pool in Bali and one of the most distinctive: it’s flanked by beautifully crafted, towering statues depicting the way in which Balinese women carry goods or the daily offerings on their heads, a tradition that goes back thousands of years. The artful pool has inspired celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o and Shay Mitchell to pose there for Instagram shots.
