Pools are fairly standard on the modern-day hotel menu of features, but not all are created equal. From a 57-story outdoor infinity pool high over Singapore to another with glassy green water that mirrors the surrounding Balinese jungle, these ?eight hotel pools truly make a splash. This is by no means a list of the best pools, but each of these is unique, eye-catching or so fun we want to visit just to take a dip.
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1. Holiday Inn Shanghai
Shanghai, China
Don’t forget your goggles when visiting the Holiday Inn Shanghai in Pudong New District. The hotel’s cantilever pool (pictured above) juts out from the 24th story at more than 300 feet above the ground. With a glass bottom and walls, swimmers can look down on the city below as they do laps in this 98-foot pool.
2. The Library
Koh Samui, Thailand
Image via The Library
At first glance, you may think something is wrong with ??The Red Pool?? at Design Hotel’s The Library?; at Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui. ?Rest assured, the vivid red water? of the aptly named pool is as inviting as the white sandy beach just steps away. The color is merely a reflection of the sunset-hued mosaic tiles that line the bottom and sides of the pool.
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?3. B2 Boutique Hotel and Spa
Zurich, Switzerland
Image via B2 Boutique Hotel and Spa
It’s the rooftop spa that earns this hotel a spot on the list. The B2 Hotel and Spa is home to the Thermalbad and Spa Zurich, which has a mineral spring-fed outdoor pool overlooking the surrounding city. Even in winter, when temperatures drop to downright frigid, the pool’s water is heated to a steamy 100 or more degrees making it a year-round attraction. The hotel is housed in a former brewery and pays tribute to its industrial past with design features that are present from the lobby all the way up to the angular concrete rooftop pool.
?4. Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
Image via Marina Bay Sands
The ??SkyPark?? and the Marina Bay Sands; resort it calls home are arguably as recognizable a Singapore attraction as the Merlion or Esplande. At nearly 500 feet long and 57 stories high, the outdoor infinity pool that stretches atop this landmark hotel grants unmatched views of Marina Bay below and the surrounding skyline. Swim up to the ledge if you dare.
?5. Oberoi Udaivilas
Udaipur, India
?Image via Oberoi Udaivilas
The absolutely enchanting ??Oberoi Udaivilas?? is home to two pools both fit for a Maharaja. A verdant courtyard holds the main pool that is framed by black-and-white steps leading down to the turquoise water. The real gem, however, is the semi-private pool that comes with ??premier rooms?, which overlook Lake Pichola and portions of the 50-acre grounds of this resort.
6. Alila Ubud
Bali, Indonesia
Image via Alila Ubud
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The glassy green water of the infinity pool at the Alila Ubud in Bali mirrors the surrounding lush landscape of the Ayung River Valley and sits on a terrace ?hugged by jungle and rice paddies?. From the water ?or the stone sun deck, ?you’ll be treated to ?unobstructed ?and serene ?views of the Balinese countryside. ?
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?7. The Saguaro Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Image via The Saguaro
The pool at this Coachella Valley-located boutique hotel is simply wild. The Saguaro Palm Springs is bursting with color from inside and out and from the rooms to the sun deck. The pool itself isn’t grandiose by any means, but the colored balconies and bright yellow sun umbrellas give it a festive vibe and that’s only half of what we love about it. In the hotel’s own words it “offers uncomplicated fun with a splash of mid-century technicolor.” In fact, the pool regularly hosts weekly movies and parties featuring renowned DJs.?
8. Four Seasons Safari Lodge
Serengeti, Tanzania
Image via Four Seasons Safari Lodge
The infinity pool at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge not only looks out over the Serengeti, it practically promises you’ll be swimming next to the wildlife. The pool sits perched (safely) next to one of the lodge’s two watering holes. Wild elephants and water buffalo are among the animals you’re likely to see.
Paste Travel’s Bucket List columnist Lauren Kilberg is a Chicago-based freelance writer. Her travels have found her camping near the Pakistani border of India and conquering volcanoes in the Philippines.