If you have a sense of adventure, and aren’t afraid of heights, head to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel infinity pool. The pool sits atop 55 stories of the world’s most expensive hotel, and when viewed from certain angles looks like it pours out onto the city of Singapore. Swimming the entire length of the pool would be beyond an athletic feat; the pool stretches across three separate towers of the hotel and its length is the equivalent of three Olympic-sized pools.
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Bask in the remote privacy of your own personal pool at Banyan Tree Seychelles, located in Mahe, the main island of Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. You can look out onto the ocean from the pool of your hilltop villa, which can also include a private outdoor jet pool. If one private pool isn’t enough, try the two-bedroom villas for double the pleasure—they feature two pools.
Courtesy of Banyan Tree Seychelles
Want to take a dip in the ocean but don’t want to deal with chilly waters? The Hotel du Cap in Cap d’Antibes, France, features a heated saltwater pool, built into a rock face, that looks out onto the French Riviera. In 2008, National Geographic deemed it the third best pool in the world. Another added bonus: You’re sure not to be bothered here—access to the pool is by private railcar.
Courtesy of Hotel Du Cap Eden Roc
The pool at the Burj Al Arab resort in Dubai is fit for royalty, with its glittering mosaic columns and spa-like environs. Located on the 18th floor of a majestic hotel, the infinity pool is tucked away into the hotel’s Assawan Spa & Health Club and overlooks the Arabian Gulf.
Courtesy of Burj Al Arab
One of Iceland’s biggest attractions is the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal bath resort where vacationers rejuvenate their mind, body, soul, and skin. Originally used by patients suffering from psoriasis, the Blue Lagoon became known for its healing powers. The seawater is refreshed every 40 hours, and sits above two tectonic plates. Now more spa than treatment center, visitors can also enjoy waterfalls, massages, and steam baths.
We’re not sure we can even call this a pool. The manmade lagoon at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Chile holds the distinction of being the largest swimming pool in the world. It stretches more than 1,000 yards, holds about 66 million gallons of water, and takes up 20 acres. The deep end stretches down 115 feet, but the water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom. The seafront pool cost more than $1 billion to construct, and requires about $2 million in maintenance costs every year. A circulation and filtration system continually pumps in fresh seawater from the ocean.
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Thankfully it’s not a mirage. Every cottage at the Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Tanzania boasts its own private infinity pool that looks out onto the vast plains of this East African nation. Don’t worry if you end up there in the cold season, where temps dip to a mild 50 degrees; each personal lagoon is also heated. Anyone game for a luxury safari should head straight there.
Courtesy of Singita Sasakwa Lodge
The Beverly Hills Hotel is where stars are known to bunk in style (or sometimes in scandal—Sandra Bullock allegedly camped out there during the peak of the Jesse James media frenzy). The hotel, owned by a subsidiary of the Sultan of Brunei and nicknamed the “Pink Palace,” certainly doesn’t skimp on the amenities. The poolside offerings include private cabanas, frozen towels, and sunglasses in case you forget your own. Other extras that go above and beyond: an underwater soundtrack and flat screen televisions in the private cabanas.
Courtesy of The Bevery Hills Hotel
Elsewhere in L.A. is Andre Balazs’ Standard Hotel. A regular host to weekend pool parties, the rooftop pool of the Standard offers sweeping views of the Los Angeles skyline. Surrounded by a bar/lounge/club, the pool is prime for evening social hours. The deck is lined with sleek chaise lounges and modern, red waterbed cabana pods.
Courtesy of The Standard
Of course one pool wouldn’t be enough in a city of excess like Las Vegas, which is why Caesars Palace has a collection of six in its Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. There’s the Apollo pool, which gets maximum sunning time, with canopied day beds if the desert heat gets to be too much to bear. At the Fortuna pool, guests can swim up to the blackjack table to place their bets while taking a dip. And the exclusive-level Venus pool will cost you an extra $20 in admission to gawk at the tanned and sculpted bodies of the Las Vegas elite.
Courtesy of Caesars Palace
Who cares if it’s fake? Down the strip from the Ceasars' six pools is the faux beach-pool at the Mandalay Bay, which offers a wave pool, a lazy river, and three separate swimming areas. There’s even 2,700 tons of real sand surrounding it all. Guests can rent anything from a modest daybed to a private villa, some featuring their own private pools. The “beach” covers 11 acres of Vegas desert and serves as the ultimate adult playground.
Courtesy of Mandalay Bay
You might be able to catch a glimpse of George Clooney while you’re sunning yourself at the pool at the Villa D’Este, where John Krasinski and Emily Blunt recently held their wedding. Located in the celebrity resort town of Lake Como, the villa’s infamous outdoor pool floats atop the glacial lake. Built onto a pontoon that extends straight out onto the Italian lake, the pool is surrounded by breathtaking views of mountains and grottoes.
Courtesy of Villa D'Este
