10 of the world's most incredible hotel swimming pools

If the hotel pool is the deciding factor in your holiday plans, we’re about to blow you away.

From sky-high infinity pools to intimate oases that shimmer gold, here are 10 of the best hotel swimming pools around the world. Dive straight in.

1. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

This incredible 150-metre-long infinity pool straddles the rooftops of three 57-storey buildings in the tropical city of Singapore and is the world’s largest. The stratospheric pool was described as an architectural feat when it opened as part of Marina Bay Sands Resort in 2010 and it boasts panoramic views of the city from the water’s edge.

The pool opens from 6am, giving early birds an incredible vantage point to catch the sunrise from behind the city skyline, and doesn’t close until 11pm, well after the sky turns to black and the city is illuminated with sparkling lights. Between dips, guests can lounge under palm trees and enjoy food and drinks from a rooftop dining menu designed by renowned LA chef Wolfgang Puck. Open to hotel guests only.

Plunge into the pool at sundown.

2. Hanging Gardens of Bali, Indonesia

Clinging to a hillside in the cultural centre of the Island of the Gods, the Hanging Gardens of Bali is a serene stay surrounded by rainforest and rice paddies. A breathtaking tiered pool lies at the centre of the resort, which was constructed using traditional materials by some 700 local craftsmen.

Get acquainted with nature.

The pool juts out over the verdant valley below, giving swimmers the feeling of floating above the treetops. As if that isn’t enticing enough, each of the 44 villas has its own plunge pool for a private dip. Located in north Ubud, the resort is a soothing respite from the hustle and bustle of Kuta and co. The main pool is for resort guests, but day passes are available to purchase – and the money is worth the Insta pics alone.

The pool is literally hanging on top of verdant greenery.

3. Aman Amangiri, Utah, USA

If there was ever a time to use the word ‘oasis’, then this is it. Aman Amangari is a luxurious modernist hotel nestled on a 364-hectare property in the Colorado Plateau of Utah – aka the Wild West.

The property is tucked in a secluded spot within the Wild West.

Surrounded by rugged canyons, mesas, ridges and gorges, this remote hideaway is made for luxe-loving adventurers who come to enjoy hiking and canyoning in a landscape that feels like the final frontier.

Dip beneath towering canyons.

This striking swimming pool is at the heart of the resort and its aqua hue punctuates the neutral palette of the arid desert and rocky terrain that it is built around. Open to hotel guests only.

The pool turns into a magical retreat at dusk.

4. St Regis Lhasa, Tibet

Dreams of bathing ourselves in gold don’t usually occur in the Holy City of Tibet. But here, in the centre for Tibetan Buddhism – just a stone’s throw from the towering Potala Palace and the 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple – the luxurious St Regis Lhasa houses a swimming pool that shimmers gold.

The golden pool seems fitting for royalty.

Aptly named the ‘Gold Energy Pool’, its unique radiance comes from the thousands of glittering mosaic tiles that line it. Part of the hotel’s expansive 11,700-square-foot day spa, the opulent pool is designed for rejuvenation and spiritual healing and is heated year-round.

Dive into spiritual healing.

Foot massages add to the indulgence and are available poolside while reclining on lounges surrounded by Tibetan art. Open to spa guests from noon to midnight.

A rejuvenating retreat awaits you.

5. The Siam Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Away from the chaotic streets of Bangkok, this private 39-room stay is an exclusive retreat that feels more like a home than a hotel. With a sophisticated Art Deco-inspired aesthetic, conceived by acclaimed architect, interior and landscape designer Bill Bensley, The Siam is infused with Thai antiques, art and traditions.

Lush greenery and a vibrant ambience surround the pool.

Guests can escape the year-round Bangkok humidity in the sophisticated 22-metre-long infinity pool, a monochrome beauty surrounded by manicured gardens right on the banks of the city’s lifeblood, the Chao Phraya River.

Relax and lounge by the main pool.

Poolside day beds make for the perfect spot to sip cocktails from the adjacent Bathers Bar while you indulge in people-watching, as locals and tourists alike bustle about on the river.

Spend a relaxing getaway at The Siam Hotel.

6. Viceroy Los Cabos, Mexico

The Baja California Peninsula or the end of Earth? At the Viceroy Los Cabos, it’s hard to tell, with views stretching across the ocean to the horizon from almost every angle of the hotel. Paying tribute to the subtropical locale, the resort comprises not just one but five pools: two on the beachfront, an adults-only option on the rooftop, and two in the central courtyard.

It’s the latter that catches our breath: these circular swimming holes are set within another vast body of water that stretches the entire space between the resort’s sleek white buildings, creating the illusion that they are floating. Guests can reach these refreshing pools via a teak boardwalk, which also leads to a unique nest-like structure that houses Japanese grill restaurant Nido.

The expansive pool is next to enormous structures.

7. COMO Laucala Island, Fiji

Reached by private charter only, this exclusive island off the coast of Vanua Levu is as close to paradise as you can get in the South Pacific. The island is wild with lush green vegetation, volcanic mountains, mangroves and coconut groves, all flanked by waters that transpose between emerald, turquoise and every shade of blue imaginable.

Take a refreshing dip beneath the palm trees.

The COMO luxury resort has a traditional design, constructed with local timber and thatched roofs, and an organic pool set among swaying palm trees and tropical gardens. There are multiple nooks to wade about, as well as a glass-fronted lap pool and sandy beach for small kids to splash about.

The resort gives off tropical vibes.

8. Hotel Villa Honegg, Switzerland

Whether you’re basking in sunshine or snowflakes are falling upon your shoulders, this pool is worthy of a dip. Located in the Bürgenstock alpine region in the heart of Switzerland, the 1905-built Hotel Villa Honegg sits at more than 900 metres above sea level and takes in sweeping views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains, as well as Lake Lucerne and the storybook villages that are nestled along its banks.

Soak up scenic views.

The pool is set to 34 degrees year-round, meaning you can take a soak even when the outside temperature dips below zero. It’s part of the hotel spa, which also includes a Finnish sauna, steam bath and relaxing treatments, and is open to the public for an entrance fee.

The cold won’t bother you here.

9. InterContinental Hayman Island, Australia

Australia’s largest swimming pool is equivalent to seven Olympic swimming pools. It can be found in the tropical Whitsundays on long-time holiday hideaway Hayman Island. Part of InterContinental Hayman Island, the pool laps at the doorsteps of the resort’s luxurious ground-level suites, inviting guests to dive straight in from their balcony.

Wrapping around the Aqua poolside lounge and bar, where there is another plunge pool, there are luxury cabanas available to hire poolside and boardwalks that connect the different lounging sections. But the hero? That view: a blissful scene of yachts sailing on cerulean waters, speckled with fringing reefs that hide the underwater wonderland of the Great Barrier Reef.

10. The Goodtime Hotel, Miami Beach, USA

It’s good vibes only at the Goodtime Hotel, a South Beach boutique stay owned by hospitality mogul David Grutman and musician Pharrell Williams. Channelling the city’s Art Deco style, this playful hotel is flanked by a 24,000-square-foot pool and lounge, named the Strawberry Moon Pool.

Goodtime Hotel is a blissful paradise in the city. (Image: Alice Gao)

Pretty in shades of sherbet and pastel green, the aqua oasis comprises twin pools and a deck lined with private cabanas and striped umbrellas, from which you can chill, sip cocktails from the al fresco bar and listen to upbeat tunes coming from the DJ booth. It’s open from sunrise to sunset daily but it’s only open to those aged over 21 on weekends, which is when the good times really roll on.

There’s plenty of space to lounge on. (Image: Alice Gao)