While we’ve rarely chosen to stay somewhere solely because of the pool, some pools have greatly enhanced our enjoyment during our stay. Taking into account the pool options when choosing accommodations can be a worthwhile strategy to maximize your enjoyment during your stay, whether it’s for leisure or business. Some examples of reasons why you want to research the pool options are if you are travelling with children, staying at a beach resort and don’t like to swim in the ocean, and/or want to get exercise. In this post, we share some of our favorite pools based on specific characteristics.
1) Best Private Infinity Plunge Pool: Tejaprana Resort in Spa in Ubud Bali
We were looking for a play to stay in Ubud, and from past experiences, we have really enjoyed the convenience of having a pool within our villa due to how hot it gets in Bali. While this may sound a little extravagant, it is quite affordable to find accommodations with private pools in Ubud Bali compared to other places.
The main reason we chose to stay at Tejaprana was the private infinity pool with stunning views of the river valley and jungle. There are ledges to sit on in the pool, which makes it comfortable to enjoy an ice cold beverage as an intermission between excursions. In addition to the pool, there is an outdoor stone bathtub that you can fill with hot water to use a “hot tub” as well. The pool would be suitable for children if they have a flotation device (unsure if hotel provides this) as this resort is more geared to adults.
We stayed in a “Terrace View Villa” and stayed here in October 2016.
More information: http://www.tejaprana.com/
2) Best Private Pool for Family Vacations: The Crane in St. Philips Barbados
While this post is about pools, one should note how family friendly the One or Two bedroom suites with 28’ pools are at the Crane Residences and Resort. The Crane offers a number of rooms with pools but the best ones for families are the One or Two bedroom suites with 28′ pool. We’ve had great family vacation and memories here with our niece and nephew, and the rest of the family.
The outdoor space by the pool comes with 2 lounge chairs, 4 patio chairs by a table equipped with an umbrella to maximize shade. While in exposure is a concern in Barbados, our experience has been that most pools will get shade at one point or another during the day. There is also a shallow section of the pool for small children but we recommend bringing or buying flotation devices.
The one bedroom unit sleeps 4 people and comes with a fully equipped kitchen to make self-catering possible and even has a washing machine and dryer, which comes in handy when you are traveling with children.
We have stayed in One and Two Bedroom Suites with 28′ pool between 2008-2017.
More information: https://www.thecrane.com/accommodations/ocean-view/two-bedroom-suite-with-28-pool/
3) Most Relaxing Private Pool: The Resort at Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
We treated ourselves to a stay The Resort at Pedregal to relax after an exhausting work schedule. While the pool is small, it is very private and offers a great view of the ocean. As it was quite hot during this visit to Cabo, we enjoyed sitting on the bench in the pool and reading to stay out of the sun. The best part is that around 16:00, they bring you a bucket of chilled Coronitas to go with some delicious chips, salsa, and guacamole. If you are looking to have your own private pool to relax while still being close to San Lucas town, this is a great option for you.
We stayed in an Ocean View King Room in August 2015.
More information: https://www.theresortatpedregal.com/
4) Best Beach Resort Pools: The Grand Hyatt Kauai, Koloa, Kauai (Hawaii)
What makes staying at The Grand Hyatt Kauai worthwhile are the pools; from the adult pool and lazy river, to the waterslide, and the expansive saltwater lagoon, there is something for everyone and you never feel like you’re crammed (we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in Maui and while they have nice pools, it was very boisterous and crowded). As the beach is not really swimmable, the pools come in handy and justify the high price tag to stay here. Even at the busiest time, we were able to find a quiet spot to enjoy the saltwater lagoon in peace and quiet. In our extensive travels, we have to say that the Grand Hyatt has the best pools we’ve experienced at a beach resort in Hawaii.
Our favorite out of all the pools was the saltwater lagoon by the ocean where we got to float while watching the palm trees sway as the waves crashed on the beach. It is not recommended to swim the beach here due to the rocks, big waves, and rip currents, hence why the resort probably invested heavily into its pools. While we tend to prefer swimming in the ocean, with the salt water lagoon, we didn’t feel like we were missing out on ocean swims.
We stayed in March 2017.
More information: https://kauai.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
5) Most Unique Pool: Bambu Indah, Ubud Bali
Bambu Indah is an eco-resort in Ubud, Bali that combines luxury with nature; think jungle life in a hut equipped with the luxuries of a small resort. In designing Kolam, the swimming pond, Bambu Indah stayed true to their concept by building a sustainable pool that looks more like a swimming hole/pond with a swinging rope. As the pool is very natural, you can encounter some fish and a bit of slimy stuff on the lava stones, but it’s the setting that creates the experience.
We booked “Kolam House” which is further from the pool but “Padi House” and “Kuno House” are located close to the pool. We have have stayed in 2010 and 2013.
More information: http://bambuindah.com/
6) Most Surprising Pool for a City Hotel: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires
When we chose to stay at the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau, we didn’t know there was a pool. The pool is in the basement and it is not very crowded so it makes it a great pool to swim laps. It is also right by the gym and the change rooms for convenience. Unlike other hotels and resorts in South America, access to the pool is included in your roommate and so you don’t pay extra.
We stayed in April 2017.
https://buenosaires.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.htmlMore information:
7) Largest Infinity Pool: Fairmont Sanur, Sanur, Bali
While the large infinity pool is the hallmark of the fairmont Sanur, it should be noted that the Fairmont Sanur also has other pools, notably a few children’s pools. The pools at this property will appeal to adults and children alike. For the size of the resort, the infinity pool is huge and even if it is crowded, chances are you will still be able to find a quiet corner to swim for exercise or to hang out by the ledge to gaze out at the sea and the happenings of Sanur beach. In between dips, you can rest on the comfortable lounge chairs and enjoy small little treats like popsicles and fruit handed out by the pool staff. The pool doesn’t offer a lot of shade, so you’ll want to be mindful of sun protection.
We stayed in October 2014.
More information: http://www.fairmont.com/sanur-bali/
8) Nicest Pool for an Evening Swim: Park Hyatt, Dubai
The pool at the Park Hyatt Dubai truly is an oasis in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palm trees in a spacious courtyard, it’s the perfect place to lounge and swim after a long day of exploring Dubai. The pool can get busy during the day while people are sunbathing, but by night time it gets quiet. While we expected the water to be quite warm, it wasn’t and was very refreshing.
We stayed in October 2016.
More information: https://dubai.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
9) Indoor/Outdoor Pool: The Renaissance Bangkok, Bangkok Thailand
While there are so many great places to stay in Bangkok, we’ve incorporated The Renaissance in 2 of our trips because of the pool, how convenient the hotel’s location is. Located on the 23rd floor and is indoors but outdoors too as it is open air and you get great views of Bangkok throughout the day. This is a great pool for a morning workout to swim laps and also for to rejuvenate during the evening for a refreshing swim and with a cold beverage.
We stayed in 2015 and 2014.
More information: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bkkbr-renaissance-bangkok-ratchaprasong-hotel/
10) Best City Hotel Pool for a Workout: The Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, Washington, USA
While many visit Seattle as tourists to visit Pike Place Market and other sites, Seattle is a business city as well. While business trips can be tiring, staying at hotel with a good gym, and in this case pool to swim laps can help you to stay healthy while travelling.
We stayed at the Hyatt Olive 8 during a weekend trip to Seattle to go watch a concert and made sure to pack swimsuits to make the most out of the pool, hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas during our stay. While indoor pools at hotels can be overrun with children, thankfully the Hyatt Olive 8 blocks between 07:00-09:00 for adult swim only. On both days, I encountered very few people and did not have any problems finding a lane to swim laps. It was nice to relax in the eucalyptus steam room before showering. They also have a machine to wring the water out of your swimsuit to save time.
We stayed in November 2016.
More information: https://olive8.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
WeLeaveToday 
Really good blog
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