Top 10: the world's most amazing indoor hotel pools

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (February 29, 2016): Top 10 world’s most amazing indoor hotel pools.

I previously published my list of the most spectacular hotel pools in the world. All but one in that list are outdoor pools, some of them coming with amazing views, and some of them enjoying a fabulous rooftop location. However, hotels that are located in regions with a less favorable climate offer their guests indoor pools for recreational purposes. And while indoor hotel pools are often associated with harsh chlorine smells and dirty water, that’s not the case in my pick of the 10 most stunning indoor pools in the world, which come with glamorous decors, luxurious amenities and amazing settings.

There is more information below the slideshow. Do you agree or have a favorite indoor pool that didn’t make my list? Leave it in the comments or take my poll below.

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10. ROSEWOOD HOTEL GEORGIA, VANCOUVER, CANADA

Rosewood Hotel Georgia, the most sought-after and legendary luxury hotel in Vancouver, blends an unmatched combination of legacy and luxury. It combines the grandeur of the Roaring Twenties with contemporary design in the heart of Canada’s most beautiful city. Guests can feel the refreshing power of water at the hotel’s heated indoor saltwater lap pool, located on the fourth floor of the hotel. Bathed in natural sunlight from the adjacent outdoor restaurant, this space is complemented by art deco inspirations. Perfect for an invigorating splash or a warm dip during all seasons.

Hotel website: Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Other accolades: Rosewood Hotel Georgia hotel also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Canada.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).

ROSEWOOD HOTEL GEORGIA, VANCOUVER, CANADA

9. THE CHEDI ANDERMATT, SWITZERLAND

Surrounded by the spectacular beauty of the Swiss Alps, The Chedi Andermatt nestles elegantly in the idyllic heart of Andermatt, a village of timeless charms in the Urseren Valley, about a two-hour train ride from Zurich. For GHM’s first European property, the Asian hotel brand synonymous with style and serenity chose renowned architect Jean-Michael Gathy to design the 105 guest rooms and suites. Here, guests can swim power laps in the temperature-controlled outdoor lap pool or cozy up with organic tea by the beautiful 35-metre (115 ft) indoor pool poised to look out upon the Alps.

Hotel website: The Chedi Andermatt
Other accolades: The Chedi Andermatt also features in my lists of the best luxury hotel openings of 2013 the world’s best ski hotels, the best hotels in Switzerland, and the best hotel spas in the world.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).
Review: read my review of The Chedi Andermatt here.

8. AMAN AT SUMMER PALACE, BEIJING, CHINA

Just steps from the East Gate of the Summer Palace grounds and only 15 km from the Forbidden City, lies Aman at Summer Palace – the ideal location from which to discover Beijing. The ultra-luxurious resort is a serene retreat, with peaceful internal courtyards and pavilions embracing traditional Chinese architecture. Beneath the resort, you will find one of its highlights: a unique 5,000-square metre, double level, underground recreational facility which features a beautiful and large indoor lap pool in Aman’s minimalist design.

Hotel website: Aman at Summer Palace
Other accolades: Aman at Summer Palace features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in China, the best Aman hotels in the world, and the world’s most luxurious, large city hotels.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and one lunch for two).
Review: click here to read my review of Aman at Summer Palace.

7. SHANGRI-LA HOTEL PARIS, FRANCE

Built in 1896 as the private home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, the hotel achieves a balance between Asian Shangri-La hospitality and French art de vivre. Most of the 101 rooms enjoy mesmerizing views of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine. The old-world elegance of the room, lovingly adorned with the fine work of craftsmen, is mirrored in the city that lies just below. Weary eyes and feet can refresh in the hotel’s pool, which is surrounded by the building’s classical French architecture and high vaulted ceilings, and which is the largest indoor option in Paris.

Hotel website: Shangri-La Paris
Other accolades: The Shangri-La Hotel Paris also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most luxurious city hotels, the best luxury hotels in Paris and Europe’s best hotel rooftops.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).

6. 7132 HOTEL, VALS, SWITZERLAND

Archaic mountains and modern architecture come together in the largest hotel in Vals. The complex features not only 33 hotel rooms designed by Zumthor, but also—in a separate building known as Selva—13 new rooms designed by Japanese starchitect Kengo Kuma, 17 by local architect Andreas Schmid, and 20 more by Peter Zumthor (called Stucco). The world-famous indoor thermal baths by Peter Zumthor are part of the hotel and are a definite highlight of any stay here: it was constructed from 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite and meant to resemble a cave or quarry-like complex.

Hotel website: 7132 Hotel Vals

5. PARK HYATT NEW YORK, USA

Park Hyatt’s new flagship hotel opened last year and occupies the lower 25 floors of a towering, brand new skyscraper in midtown Manhattan. Located on the 25th floor, the hotel’s 65-foot (20 meters) indoor lap pool features underwater speakers streaming music from Carnegie Hall. It’s one of the nicest pools in Manhattan, and it has a large jacuzzi and some loungers on the side. The high ceilings (where tens of glass panels are pieced together to create a cloud-like sculpture) and the floor-to-ceiling windows transform the pool area into a sun-drenched sanctuary.

Hotel website: Park Hyatt New York
Other accolades: Park Hyatt New York also features in my lists of the best new luxury hotels of 2014 and the top 10 best luxury hotels in New York.
Tip: enjoy exclusive VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).
Review: click here to read my review of the Park Hyatt New York.

4. TIERRA PATAGONIA, CHILE

Interior architects Alexandra Edwards and Carolina diPlano aimed to bring the outside in at the Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa. Nestled in the southernmost part of Chile, the hotel sits on a bluff where the South American pampa meets Lake Sarmiento. The 37 double rooms and 3 suites envelop guests in warmth amidst the wilderness. The indoor pool, with its jets and cascades, is on my list because of the breathtaking view over the deep-blue lake to the jaw-dropping peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, the centerpiece of Chilean Patagonia and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Hotel website: Tierra Patagonia
Other accolades: Tierra Patagonia also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most amazing hotel lobbies and swimming pools with stunning views.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, and $100 USD spa credit).

3. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SHANGHAI AT PUDONG, CHINA

In a city gleaming with confidence, power and high-octane excitement, the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel group responds with glamour, bespoke experiences and a pulsating energy found only in today’s China. Serene, sexy and exclusive, the Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai at Pudong offers an ambience inspired by Shanghai moderne, dialled up for hip, 21st-century tastes. The 187-room luxury property in the bustling business district surprises with a surplus of leisurely pursuits, including a phenomenal 41st-floor infinity-edge pool that comes with amazing skyline views.

Hotel website: Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai at Pudong
Other accolades: Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai at Pudong features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Shanghai.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SHANGHAI AT PUDONG, CHINA

2. LA MAMOUNIA, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

On some days during the three years it took to restore Marrakech’s undisputed Grande Dame hotel, more than 1,000 craftsmen were at work on the site. Parisian designer Jacques Garcia, entrusted with returning the 1923 property to its former glory, sought out the city’s most talented painters and wood carvers. Thanks to them, the palace is once again a vibrant celebration of the city’s past, present and future. The hotel is home to one of the city’s highest-rated spas, where guests can take a dip in the indoor pool surrounded by arched columns and elaborate Moorish mosaics.

Hotel website: La Mamounia
Tip: enjoy exclusive VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD food or spa credit, early check-in and late check-out).

1. ST REGIS LHASA, TIBET, CHINA

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 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 degrees Celsius. An indulgent treat for anyone with a thing for bling.

Hotel website: St Regis Lhasa
Other accolades: The St. Regis Lhasa Resort also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in China and the most beautiful hotel pools in the world.
Tip: enjoy exclusive VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).