Top 10 most amazing hotel pools in the world

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (November 16, 2020): Top 10 most beautiful swimming pools in the world.

Swimming pools are the heart and center of action of every luxury hotel. It’s the place where guests can relax, socialize, see and be seen. So, it should come as no surprise that hotels go out of their way to make sure their pools represent idyllic escapes from the hectic pace of daily life and that they feature them prominently on their websites and social media to lure news guests. Here’s my round-up of the top 10 most beautiful hotel pools in the world (or at least those that impressed me the most during my travels around the globe).

There is more information (with reviews and YouTube clips) below the slideshow. Think I missed one? Share your favorite hotel pool in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. FOUR SEASONS SAFARI LODGE SERENGETI, TANZANIA

The Four Seasons Safari Lodge is located deep in the heart of Tanzania’s celebrated wildlife reserve, the Serengeti, where the Big Five – the lion, the leopard, the buffalo, the elephant and the rhinoceros – run free. Perched on a series of elevated platforms and walkways, the lodge sits next to an animal watering hole, where you can watch families of elephants stop for their morning drink as you take a dip in the magnificent free-form infinity pool. The latter also overlooks the endless, untamed landscape of the Serengeti plains, the ideal vantage point for thrilling wildlife observations.

FOUR SEASONS SAFARI LODGE SERENGETI, TANZANIA


9. ST REGIS LHASA, TIBET, CHINA

This is the only indoor pool in my list. Surrounded by the towering mountain peaks of the Himalayas, St Regis Lhasa Resort bills itself as “standing on the roof of the world”. Facing the jaw-dropping Potala Palace, it houses 162 guest rooms, villas, and suites, boasts 24-hour butler service, and owns Tibet’s first ever fine-dining restaurant. But what sets the St Regis Lhasa apart is its “Golden Energy Pool” lined with thousands of tiles plated in gold. The pool contains therapeutic salt water constantly heated to 28-32°C (82-90° F). An indulgent treat for anyone with a thing for bling!

ST REGIS LHASA, TIBET, CHINA


8. MARINA BAY SANDS HOTEL, SINGAPORE

The most expensive hotel ever built, the Marina Bay Sands hotel comprises three 55-storey towers, 2,560 luxury rooms and suites, and 18 different room types. Crowning the three hotel towers at 200 m (656 ft) in the sky, the Sands SkyPark rooftop stretches longer than the Eiffel tower or four A380 Jumbo Jets when laid down. The Sands SkyPark is also home to the world’s largest public cantilever housing a public observatory deck, lush gardens, exclusive restaurants and a stunning 150 m (492 ft) infinity-edged pool to complete the luxurious experience.


7. LEFAY RESORT & SPA, ITALY

Surrounded by natural terraces, woods and olive groves, Lefay Resort & Spa is a little-known gem designed to blend in with the magnificent Italian countryside. The property features 93 spacious suites, which all offer an amazing view towards Lake Garda. Situated on 27 acres of parkland along the lake’s western shores, this destination resort revolves around its guests’ total health and well-being. The wellness center’s pièce de résistance is its spectacular outdoor infinity pool: lined by a row of palm trees, it merges with the horizon, offering heart-stopping views of the lake and mountains.

  • Hotel websiteLefay Resort & Spa
  • Other accolades: Lefay Resort & Spa Lake Garda also features on my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels on the Italian Lakes.
  • Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, one complimentary lunch or dinner for two, and $100 USD spa credit).
  • Review: read my review of Lefay Resort & Spa Lake Garda here.


6. THE OBEROI UDAIVILAS, UDAIPUR, INDIA

Udaipur, in the heart of Rajasthan, is a city of majestic palaces and beautiful lakes. Here, adorning the banks of Lake Pichola and standing witness to the historic City Palace, the Oberoi Udaivilas captures the romance and splendor of a royal era. Conceived as a traditional Indian palace, the hotel showcases the rich heritage of Rajasthan with its rambling courtyards, gentle rippling fountains, and verdant gardens. In addition, the hotel is surrounded by two magnificent swimming pools, one facing the lake and one centering a large green courtyard.


5. AMANGIRI, USA

Overlooking starkly beautiful desert scenery and the Southwest’s iconic flat-topped mesa rock formations, Amangiri is located in the USA’s Grand Circle region. The resort’s stunning architecture blends seamlessly into its dramatic natural surroundings. Amangiri’s 34 suites are situated in two wings which sweep from each side of the resort’s main pavilion. The property’s amazing swimming pool is set within a sunken courtyard framed by a rock escarpment. Amangiri also features a high-end ‘glamping’ site – called Camp Sarika – which is linked to the main resort.

AMANGIRI, USA


4. BELMOND HOTEL CARUSO, RAVELLO, ITALY

Almost suspended between sea and sky, Belmond Hotel Caruso occupies a former medieval palace at the highest point of the village of Ravello, which overlooks Italy’s magnificent Amalfi Coast and Tyrrhenian Sea. With frescoed salons, arched stone vaults and just 50 rooms and suites, the property is an intimate retreat with an intriguing sense of history. But above all, with its rose arbor leading to one of the world’s most spectacular infinity pools, with sunlit or candlelit dining in the Belvedere Restaurant, and with a rich sense of its past as a retreat for presidents, writers and film stars, the hotel is almost impossibly romantic.


3. HUVAFEN FUSHI, MALDIVES

The Maldives is one of the world’s most beautiful beach destinations, and boutique hotel Huvafen Fushi was one of its pioneer hotels and still delivers. The stunningly beautiful and recently renovated property is located in a ridiculously clear lagoon, where you can relax on your own private stretch of sugar white sand or snorkel in one of the Maldives best house reefs. The large lagoon-like infinity-edged pool bleeds into the watery horizon of the Indian Ocean and is surrounded by four-poster day beds; by night, it’s romantically lit with fiber-optic lights and reflects the inky sky.

HUVAFEN FUSHI, MALDIVES


2. AMANKILA, BALI, INDONESIA

Mount Agung provides a dramatic backdrop for Amankila, a secluded seaside resort overlooking the Lombok Strait and managed by Aman, one of the world’s most exclusive hotel brands. The 34 free-standing thatched-roof suites offer exceptional views from their hillside locations, and are connected to the resort’s facilities by raised walkways. References to Balinese culture abound – in the motifs inspired by the water palace at nearby Ujung; in the paras stone decorating the stilted and thatched 33 suites (nine with private pools); and in the spectacular infinity pool that cascades in three tiers down the hillside, reminiscent of a rice paddy.


1. GRACE SANTORINI, GREECE

Perched high above Santorini’s world-famous caldera, Grace Santorini is an exclusive boutique hotel that offers breathtaking views. Crisp, minimalist and simply marvelous, the hotel skips the ornamentation for vast swatches of pristine white and sea views that stretch to infinity. The 21 innovatively refurbished rooms and suites showcase a contemporary style, combining cutting edge, bespoke design alongside traditional handcrafted piece. The exquisite infinity pool, the largest of its kind in Santorini, offers bathers stunning uninterrupted views across the caldera – the ultimate transporting experience that defines a holiday in Santorini.


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5 Comments

  1. Yes, Amankila has an amazing pool. Only downside is it faces east so no sunset view but has sunrise view. I’ll be interested in your review.

  2. on the glas tube of Santorini; You could have filled it with local sand or the volcano black Lava.

  3. Last fall on a Danube River cruise I stayed in the Corinthia Budapest. Budapest is known for its thermal spas and the pool at the Corinthia reflects that. It is a large pool with columns and balconies. Beautifully decorated and made me feel like I was in a different world, different era.

  4. Your great review is like a shot in the ten !
    Each hotel and its pool is beautiful and unique in its own way !
    Dear The Great Expert !
    Are You asking which is the best pool ?
    As wine and love , each pool intoxicates the soul : you get bliss and bliss is not the same , even a second glass from one bottle of wine will be as pleasant as the first glass , but it will be a different symphony of feelings .. .
    It’s like choosing one diamond from two , from three … or ten !
    I’m immensely grateful for this helpful and pleasant review !

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