For my entire life, a swimming pool has been an absolute must when booking a hotel for vacation. I swim like a fish, and a quick dip is perfect during the middle of the day when the weather becomes too hot to handle. While I’ve been to some beautiful hotel pools, there are some that are just in a league of their own.

I don’t have very high standards for my hotel swimming areas. From what I remember, my most extravagant hotel swimming experience occurred while I was staying at the Swan hotel in Disney World, where the outdoor pool had a slide. Being young at the time, I thought this slide was the equivalent of the Magic Kingdom itself. Being a huge fan of swimming, I thought it might be fun to look up some of the world’s most extravagant hotel pools. Let me tell you, a few minutes in any of these pools would put my Disney slide experience to shame.

Hotel Chocolat, St. Lucia: This infinity pool, reserved for hotel guests only, is lined entirely with black quartz. It also overlooks some beautiful tropical scenery. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I’d ever leave the poolside if I were to visit this hotel.

Qasar Al Sarab, Abu Dhabi: This size of this massive swimming pool could compete with that of a football field. It’s located in the middle of the Liwa Desert, which provides amazing scenery and a beautiful view of the night sky. 

San Alfonso del Mar, Algarrobo, Chile: Measuring two-thirds of a mile in length, this saltwater pool is literally so big that guests can bring small sailboats on the water. While I have some doubt about how safe that may be, I have to admit that the view of the ocean is pretty spectacular.

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas: Not only is this swimming area enormous, but bathers swim alongside 5 different species of sharks – 16 sharks in all! The hotel also features a water slide that goes straight through the 200,000 gallon shark tank, which contains stingrays and other fish. While I’m terrified of sharks, I think that a few hours in this pool would make for an unforgettable, if slightly terrifying, swimming experience.

The Joule, Dallas, Texas: This pool has glass walls and a glass bottom, offering swimmers a view of Dallas from the upper floors of the hotel. I would head down to this hotel just for that experience!

Hotel Caruso Belvedere, Carello, Italy: The pool is beautiful and the scenery even more so. Hotel Belvedere’s infinity pool overlooks Italy’s Almafi Coast and allows an unobstructed view of the coastline and Tyrrhenian Sea. My only problem with this pool is that it’s located in Italy, and consequently too far away for me to have a lunchtime swim.

 

Amangani, Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Located in the middle of the Grand Teton Mountains, this pool provides users with a one-of-a-kind swim. Have you ever gone swimming in a pool with a full mountain-range view? Neither have I, but now I really want to.

Perivolas, Santorini, Greece: This is what paradise looks like. It literally appears as though the pool leads straight into the water. Also, I have never seen water look this blue. Could it be Photoshopped? I’m willing to make the trip to see if this is the real deal!

Have any of you Lovelies ever seen pools like these? I don’t know about you, but I could use a trip to one right about now!

[Images: top photo, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]