The 36 Most Unique Hotel Pools in the World

You don't have to settle for an ordinary swimming pool with a slick of sunscreen floating on the water on your next getaway. Take the plunge into a fabulous hotel pool in a gorgeous setting instead. We've circled the globe to find the best pools, from Miami to the Maldives and Singapore to Sri Lanka. Read on to find your favorite.

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort is just a 10-minute walk away from the historic city of Hvar, Croatia. Set on a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the resort features a spectacular multi-level pool with cascading waterfalls. Guests can enjoy the Mediterranean-style gardens and order cocktails from the swim-up bar.

Sink into a double day bed sheltered by crisp, white curtains or take a dip in the beautiful adults-only pool or the two kid- and family-friendly pools at Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai, UAE. The architect-designed gardens at this chic beachside resort feature palm trees, hanging chairs and quiet, secluded paths.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, Atlantis the Royal will open next to Atlantis the Palm in Dubai, UAE. At 43 stories high, it will be topped by a 295-foot-long pool overlooking the Arabian Sea. Counting pools in the residences and the resort, this luxurious property is set to offer a grand total of 93 pools, including 44 infinity pools (38 in Sky Pool Suites and six in Signature Suites).

The view is breathtaking from the Marina Bay Sands Singapore, home to one of the world's largest rooftop infinity pools. At 492 feet long (about the length of three Olympic pools) and 56 stories high, the pool overlooks Singapore Strait and the city skyline. It's part of the hotel's Skypark, which stretches over three towers and includes an observation deck with 360-degree views.

Overlook the sapphire waters of the Aegean Sea and its black-and-red sand beaches while you swim at Grace Santorini Hotel. This boutique hotel is in Imerovigli, on the Greek island of Santorini, linked in legend to the Lost City of Atlantis. Visit the infinity pool for panoramic views of the island's half-moon-shaped bay.

Watch for ships in the distance, passing through the Panama Canal, when you're floating in one of the three infinity-edge pools at Panama's Westin Playa Bonita, a Marriott resort. The pools are just steps away from the Pacific Ocean, a lush rainforest and the beautiful, white sands of Playa Bonita Beach.

The Heritance Kandalama, an eco-chic hotel in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, is surrounded by a dense, green forest. The Kachchan Infinity Pool, shown here, blends into the view of Kandalama Lake. There are two more pools on the property: the Kaludiya Pool, a natural pool set in dark bedrock, and the Rashmi Pool. The Rashmi, which is equipped for sports like water polo, catches the rays of the setting sun and is ideal for an evening swim.

South Florida is famous for its sugar-white sands, and the stylish W Fort Lauderdale, a Marriott hotel, is known for its WET deck. Located five floors above the ocean, this rooftop deck is home to two pools, one on each tower of the hotel. The WET West pool offers Intracoastal views, queen-size daybeds and a whirlpool. The scene at the WET East pool is livelier, especially when DJs bring a party vibe on the weekends. Glass cut-outs in the bottom of the WET East pool let guests on the floor below glimpse what's going on in the water.

Escape to your own personal paradise at the Conrad Maldives Rangali . Enjoy two infinity swimming pools at this Maldives resort. One pool on Rangali Island is reserved for adults while the other, on Rangalifinolhu Island, is designed for families and kids. The family pool is the main pool. The adults-only pool, known as the Quiet Zone Pool, overlooks a lagoon and features open-air tented lounges.

This luxurious hotel and elephant camp sits on 160 acres in northern Thailand's legendary jungle. The Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort features a stunning infinity pool and panoramic views of Laos and Myanmar. After a swim, book an elephant adventure, learn to prepare Thai cuisine at the Anantara cooking school, spend a fascinating night in the Jungle Bubble Lodge or cruise along the Mekong River.

Welcome to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The hotel’s beautiful poolscape features a variety of cabanas guests can rent, some with wireless internet, 46-inch flatscreen TVs, butler service, stocked mini-refrigerators, ceiling fans and cabinets with safes for personal items. There are 11 different pool experiences, including small dipping pools for kids and an interactive children's waterscape.

It’s not a hotel or resort, but we had to include the famous Bondi Baths, aka Bondi Icebergs Club, in our list of best places to take a dip. Open year-round, the Bondi Baths include a large lap pool and a smaller kids' pool. See the website for details on becoming a club member or entering as a guest. (The members call themselves "Icebergs.") The clubhouse is located above the historic Icebergs Pool on the south end of Bondi Beach in New South Wales, Australia.

Enjoy the stunning architecture surrounding the outdoor infinity pool at Singapore's sleek, modern Fullerton Bay Hotel. The stunning 82-foot-long pool, set between majestic Doric columns, overlooks the Singapore River and the city's skyscrapers. Fullerton Bay is located on Marina Bay in the heart of the city.

One pool is actually many pools at Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria resort in Maui, Hawaii. The 2,000-foot-long pool is made up of nine individual pools on six different levels. A "river" with whitewater rapids and gentle currents carries swimmers between the pools. Guests can use the world's first water elevator, four jungle pools and much more. Shown here: a beautiful hibiscus flower on the bottom of the pool, made from 630,000 pieces of Mexican glass.

At Traders Hotel by Shangri-La, in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, guests can snuggle in a private booth or dance beside the indoor pool. Located on the hotel's 33rd floor, it's part of the Skybar, a popular rooftop bar and lounge that offers breathtaking views of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur skyline. There's no outdoor pool, but you can swim in this long, narrow indoor pool, which is partially illuminated by an oversized skylight.

Plunge into what was the world's deepest indoor swimming pool for 10+ years. NEMO 33 in Brussels, Belgium, is an attraction park that focuses on scuba diving, scuba lessons and freediving. At approximately 133 feet deep, this cylindrical pool is filled with non-chlorinated, filtered spring water and heated by solar panels to keep it at 86 degrees F. As of 2021, Deep Dive Dubai holds the title for the world's deepest dive pool, at 196 feet.

Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, Habita Monterrey is a design hotel that operates in partnership with Marriott Bonvoy. It's known for its contemporary architecture and all black-and-white interiors. This boutique hotel has a heated infinity pool and a bar on the rooftop with 360-degree views of the city and the Sierra Madre Mountains.

High above the Ayung River, this emerald-green, rectangular infinity pool seems to fall off into the jungle at Alila Ubud. Located on the Indonesian island of Bali, this eco-friendly resort encourages guests to explore the local Balinese culture by trekking through the countryside, visiting farmers' markets and taking organic culinary classes that help support local businesses and the community.

Head to Jordan to experience one of nine outdoor Celestial Pools at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar. The pools include an infinity pool, kids' pool, the Ashur pool (named for an Assyrian deity), a sunken pool and a lazy river. They're surrounded by gardens and lagoons and offer picturesque views of the Dead Sea. Don't miss the 108-square-foot Resense Spa, the largest spa in the region.

Feel the Caribbean sun on your face as you float in the infinity pool at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Framed by palm trees and other tropical plants, the outdoor pool overlooks historic Old San Juan. Just minutes away from the hotel, Old San Juan is known for its attractive historic architecture, high-end shops and colorful festivals.

Extending 328 feet into the Arabian Gulf, the terrace at Jumeriah Burj Al Arab, in Dubai, is an amazing feat of engineering. Built by 160 craftspeople in Finland and transported some 2,800 miles, it's home to a saltwater infinity pool, a freshwater pool with a shaded bar, four Jacuzzis and 32 air-conditioned cabanas with butler service. The terrace holds 400 sun loungers and 24 day beds. Look for gold and azure tile mosaics on the bottoms of the pools.

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, in Santa Barbara, California, sits on 78 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Guests can swim or relax by any of the three zero-edged, heated saline pools that overlook two miles of beautiful beach.

Visitors enjoy cocktails and spectacular sunsets from the Sandbar, a large outdoor deck at Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. The deck and its infinity-edge pool overlook the Arafura Sea. Guests can also visit the resort's tranquil lagoon pool, which features a swim-up bar.

Loloata Island Resort is a boutique property tucked away on a private island about two miles from the coast of Tortola. Its lagoon-style pool has multiple tiers, waterfalls, infinity-edge views, a swim-up bar and a waterslide. The resort's North Beach Pool, which is directly on the beach, is more secluded, and some villas have private pools. An important note: This unusual resort, billed as the best island luxury resort in Oceania and Australia, is completely cashless.

Sensei Lana'i, a Four Seasons Resort on the island of Lanai, Hawaii, features a gorgeous lagoon-style swimming pool. There are also 10 secluded, heated soaking tubs tucked into the resort's Onsen Garden; they're surrounded by pine-covered mountains and tropical plants. Private plunge pools and Watsu (therapy) pools are available in the resort's spa.

Mexico's Marival Armony Luxury Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only property. Located in Riviera Nayarit, Punta de Mita, it offers five outdoor pools with views of a lush ravine and the blue waters of Banderas Bay, one of the three largest bays in the world.

This freshwater infinity pool at La Casa Que Canta overlooks Mexico’s Zihuatanejo Bay and seems to overflow directly into it. Guests can get lost gazing at the amazing panoramic views from the perimeter of the main pool. La Casa Que Canta is a boutique hotel ranked as one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, a five-star property in the Knightsbridge district, has the largest naturally-lit swimming pool in London, England. Highlights of this 17-story hotel include a double-height glass ceiling and a world-class fitness center, the Peak Fitness Club and Spa. At almost 66 feet long, the pool is ideal for swimming laps.

Lush vineyards surround the luxurious infinity pool at Jackalope, a hotel on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. From the pool and large outdoor terraces, guests can take in views of the rolling green hills and the brilliant sunsets over Willow Creek Vineyard and Winery.

Splash into one of three sparkling infinity pools at Oil Nut Bay's luxurious villas in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. The Beach Club Pool is designed for young children. There are larger pools for adults, including one with a waterfall, grotto and in-the-water bar. Recycled glass beads, called beadcrete, surround the pool and reflect the sunlight.

The blue sky blends into the blue ocean, which blends into the blue pools at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. This $4.2 billion resort in Nassau, Bahamas, has six pools. The main pool has its own “blue hole,” where divers can explore manmade caverns and an aquarium-like enclosure filled with live sharks, fish and other marine life. Other pools have fountains, awnings that "rain" and a rock to jump off.

Fragrant plumeria and gardenias grow in the tropical gardens and around the waterfalls and ponds at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort in Wakiki. One of its six pools is reserved for kids, while others have stunning views of Diamond Head. The Paradise Pool has one of the longest waterslides in Waikiki. Guests can snorkel, surf, water bike or SUP at Duke Kahanamoku beach and its five-acre saltwater lagoon.

Dramatic lighting and music add atmosphere to the Aria Hotel Budapest pool where the hotel decor echoes the musical theme. This 35-foot heated, indoor pool also features aqua-bikes. This boutique hotel was designed to reflect the rich feel of a Hungarian palace.

Wake up to a sunrise over the Andes Mountains at Casa de Uco, a boutique resort in Mendonza, Argentina. It’s tucked into Uco Valley, where the soil and climate produce high-quality grapes for the region’s fine wines. As you float in the infinity pool, you'll have panoramic views of 790 acres of surrounding vineyards, open skies and jagged peaks. Patios on the first-floor rooms open to the pool area.


At Casa Palopo, on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, clouds drift over three distant volcanoes. The hotel’s infinity pool is part of a villa that sits atop a hill overlooking the magnificent scenery. A wood-burning fireplace near the solar-heated pool lets guests chase off the chill after a swim.

Il Salviatino, a resort in the rolling hills of Tuscany, opens its two-tiered, heated swimming pool to guests from around May to October. The resort boasts original frescoes, lush, organic gardens and spectacular views of Florence from its large terrace.