From infinity-edged to rooftop, no luxury hotel is complete without a fabulous swimming pool to cool off in, relax by or simply use as a prime spot for a little people watching. With this in mind we have rounded up five of our favourites that each take a daytime dip to the next level.
Lake Como’s iconic Villa d’Este is rich in history and glamour, dating back to the 1500s. In 1966, this gorgeous property became home to Lake Como’s first floating swimming pool, which has since inspired other lakeside hotels over the years. The pool was a trendsetting masterpiece when it first opened and, decades later, remains an icon on the lake and a peaceful place to read a book and sip an expertly mixed cocktail all the while enjoying soaring views of the mountains and neighbouring villages.
Located in the heart of Tanzania’s famous Serengeti wildlife reserve, The Four Seasons Safari Lodge is constructed on a series of elevated platforms and walkways. It also houses a stunning free-form infinity pool that overlooks the landscape and is the ideal vantage point for spying elephants, zebras and the myriad of other animals and birds that come to the adjacent watering hole.
Boutique hotel Grace Santorini combines its 21 innovatively refurbished rooms and suites with an amazing infinity pool which, at some 22 metres, is the largest of its kind on the Greek island. Offering guests uninterrupted views of Santorini’s awe-inspiring caldera, and framed by multi-coloured cliffs that rise skyward, it is hard to know where the pool ends, and the sea begins.
The essence of opulence, Udaipur’s 5-star gem, The Oberoi Udaivilas, captures all the romance and splendour of the royal era. Situated on the banks of scenic Lake Pichola, the property offers not just one but two elegant swimming pools. One of these offers direct access to the water from the rooms’ individual terraces and affords spectacular lake views, while the second, located at the back of the hotel, gives guests the option of taking a dip surrounded by gorgeous domed buildings.
Restored and reimagined as the luxury TWA Hotel, Eero Saarinen’s landmark 1962 TWA Flight Center at JFK airport is the epitome of retro-chic, sixties glamour. Nowhere is this more evident than its infinity pool overlooking New York City’s busiest runways. Here you can plane-spot, cocktail in hand, all year-round (the pool is heated up to 95 degrees throughout the winter). As an added bonus, the water purifies itself completely every 30 minutes!
