Design hotels with pools

Tawala, Panglao $$$

South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao

Boholano craft shapes the architecture using salvaged boat timber and excavated limestone cladding. Multiple outdoor swimming pools including a beachfront oceanfront pool and garden pools set in coconut palm groves

Kangaroo Island 2023 $$$$

Southern Ocean Lodge

Max Pritchard's rebuild sets curved glass pavilions and local limestone along the windswept bluff. Outdoor wet-edge horizon lap pool on the central terrace, private plunge pools in select suites, and two infinity plunge pools in Baillie Pavilion.

Bowen Mountain, Blue Mountains From $1,400

Spicers Sangoma Retreat

Safari-inspired timber suites open onto private bushland decks with freestanding Philippe Starck baths. Solar-heated outdoor infinity lap pool cantilevered over the valley ridge, plus a private heated magnesium plunge pool in the Chief's Suite.

Stari Grad, Belgrade From $450

Square Nine Hotel Belgrade

Brazilian cumaru wood paneling, authentic Danish Modern seating, and limestone accents define the interiors by Isay Weinfeld. 18-meter indoor lap pool beneath natural daylight, maintained with 0.5% salinity without chlorine.

Temple, London $$$$

St. Clement, 180 The Thames

Eagle and Hodges interiors pair soft plaster walls and Brian Clarke stained glass with vintage mid-century furnishings. 25-meter indoor swimming pool overlooking the River Thames, alongside hot and cold plunge pools

Wan Chai, Hong Kong From $700

St. Regis Hong Kong

Soaring bronze screens and handblown Lasvit chandeliers anchor the residential-style interior spaces. Outdoor heated swimming pool on The Verandah

Vera, Tbilisi From $250

Stamba Hotel

A five-story jungle atrium beneath a suspended glass-bottom pool and brutalist concrete pillars. Glass-bottomed swimming pool set into the roof and suspended directly above the five-story central atrium

Franschhoek 2022 $$$$

Sterrekopje Farm

Restored Cape Dutch gables enclose Lamu four-poster beds and beaten copper tubs. Outdoor saltwater swimming pool shaded by olive trees, natural bathing pond beside the Bath House, spring-fed dam, and copper plunge tubs.

Stradom, Krakow From $200

Stradom House, Autograph Collection

Mineral plaster walls meet custom tapestry rugs and commissioned contemporary Polish paintings. 20-meter indoor subterranean lap pool finished with stone walls and green ambient lighting, alongside a cold plunge pool.

Bad Gastein 2023 $$$

Straubinger Grand Hotel Bad Gastein

Layered interiors by Viennese studio BWM balance exposed historic wall textures with crisp contemporary furnishings and fixtures. Outdoor heated rooftop infinity pool overlooking the Gastein Valley and waterfall.

Padang Padang, Bali From $250

Suarga Padang Padang

Soaring bamboo cathedral roofs, reclaimed Kalimantan ironwood, and sustainable stilt architecture set along the limestone cliffs. Two outdoor clifftop swimming pools including a 120-square-meter pool

Comporta 2014 $$$$

Sublime Comporta

Stilted suites and timber cabanas inspired by traditional Carrasqueira fishing huts. Heated indoor saltwater pool at Sublime Spa, plant-filtered biological freshwater swimming pool, and an Aqua Centre with heated indoor, heated outdoor, and children's pools.

Yangshuo 2020 From $350

Sugarhouse

Perforated concrete screens and board-marked gables contrast with preserved 1960s industrial brickwork. Outdoor riverside swimming pool located on the Li River bank directly beneath a preserved 1960s industrial gantry crane.

Obandito, Papagayo $$$

Suitree Experience Hotel

Teak and steel pods elevated nine metres above the Guanacaste jungle canopy. Suitree Stone Pool tiered natural stone river pools with waterfall features, plus private jacuzzis and plunges in select suites

Jawai Dam, Jawai $$$$

SUJÁN Jawai Camp

Custom monochromatic canvas suites pairing 1930s-inspired industrial steel and dark leather with vibrant scarlet Rabari textile accents. Main heated outdoor swimming pool overlooking granite hills, plus private heated plunge pools at select suites.

Jaisalmer 2018 $$$$

SUJÁN The Serai, Jaisalmer

Canvas pavilions mounted on yellow sandstone plinths with campaign desks, brass lamps, and stepwell-inspired heated pools. Outdoor heated sandstone swimming pool inspired by traditional Rajasthani stepwells, plus private heated plunge pools in select suites

Yanqi Lake, Beijing $$$

Sunrise Kempinski Hotel

A 97-meter rising-sun sphere clad in ten thousand glass panels reflecting the surrounding lake and mountains. Indoor heated swimming pool.

Wae Rana, Labuan Bajo From $950

TA’AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo

Balinese studio ANP Interiors shapes curved timber villas with antique phinisi wood, woven ceiling panels, and handcrafted indigenous textiles. Olympic-sized lap pool, resort leisure pool with a children's splash area, plunge pool at Di'a Spa, and direct ocean access from overwater villas.

Vathia 2014 $$$

Tainaron Blue Retreat

Vaulted stone walls and timber sleeping lofts balanced by custom welded steel. Outdoor stone hydrotherapy infinity pool cantilevered over rock crags overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Jamdoli, Jaipur $$$

Taj Devi Ratn Resort & Spa, Jaipur

Geometric domes and thikree mirror work inspired by the Jantar Mantar observatory. Outdoor temperature-controlled infinity pool overlooking the hills, dedicated children's pool, and private villa plunge pools with Jacuzzis.

Falaknuma, Hyderabad From $600

Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad

Palladian interiors hold Venetian crystal chandeliers and a carved walnut library of rare books. Outdoor swimming pool set amidst garden trees with daybeds and canvas umbrellas, plus private swimming pool in the Nizam Suite.

Coorg 2012 $$$

Taj Madikeri Resort & Spa, Coorg

Villas built with sun-dried earth blocks drawn directly from the surrounding rainforest. Outdoor temperature-controlled infinity-edge pool, an indoor climate-controlled pool, and private temperature-controlled plunge or lap pools in select villas.

Byasi, Rishikesh From $450

Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa

Terraced pavilions reinterpreting regional Kath-khuni timber and river stone architecture along the Ganges. Outdoor heated infinity pool overlooking the river, plus private plunge pools in select luxury villas.

Urubamba, Sacred Valley From $300

Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado

Soaring stone fireplaces, pre-Incan textile motifs, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows framing views of Mount Chicon. Connected heated indoor and outdoor swimming pool framed by glass panels overlooking the Andes.

Ubud, Bali $$$$

Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana

The late architect Hendra Hadiprana designed this estate around his private art collection. 25-metre outdoor lap pool set among rice paddies with views of Mount Agung. Semi-outdoor terrazzo baths in each spa suite.

Taoxichuan, Jingdezhen From $200

Taoxichuan Hotel -The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Brick courtyard architecture and porcelain-inspired interiors featuring terracotta tones and custom cobalt ceramic accents. Heated indoor swimming pool with heated deck and heated dressing room floors

Lapa, Lisbon $$$$

Tarabel Lisbon

Rose Fournier interiors layering global antiques, curated curios, and commissioned garden azulejos overlooking the Tagus River. Heated outdoor plunge pool lined with emerald green tiles, set among tiered gardens.

Kissamos, Crete $$$$

Tella Thera

Bioclimatic subterranean suites cascade down the hillside beneath herb-planted green roofs and curved sandstone walls. Indoor magnesium pool at Thaleria Spa, outdoor cliff-edge saltwater infinity pool, and private plunge pools.

Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park $$$$

Tengile River Lodge

Stilted modern timber cabins feature Selati Railway stone terrazzo floors, dark steel accents, and sand-coated roofs. Shared central swimming pool and private plunge pools on each suite deck.

Escaladei, Priorat From $400

Terra Dominicata - Hotel & Winery

Restored stone farm buildings incorporate local ceramics, exposed timber beams, and award-winning native landscape architecture. Outdoor unheated swimming pool framed by dry-stone terraces overlooking Montsant peaks and vineyards, outdoor wooden hot tub

Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi From $350

The Abu Dhabi EDITION

Studio Drift's kinetic aerial sculpture floats within a five-story atrium of pale oak. Two outdoor swimming pools, including a main infinity pool overlooking Al Bateen Marina and an adjoining children's pool.

Pano Lefkara $$

The Agora Hotel

Danish minimalism meets Mediterranean warmth with rattan furniture, earth tones, and freestanding soaking tubs. Outdoor heated saltwater swimming pool in central courtyard, freestanding soaking tubs in select Grand Rooms

Gstaad 2024 From $3,100

The Alpina Gstaad

Reclaimed farmhouse timber and handwoven bronze screens meet a subterranean limestone driveway. 25-metre indoor lap pool with twin integrated jacuzzis, and a year-round heated outdoor swimming pool in landscaped alpine gardens

Innere Stadt, Vienna From $450

The Amauris Vienna

Over 160 tons of polychrome marble, Cassina furniture, and a seven-story stairwell mural. Indoor counter-current wellness pool with massage jets in an inner courtyard under an arched glass skylight

Suluban, Bali From $450

The Asa Maia Hotel

Century-old hand-hewn Javanese timber gladaks feature salvaged Belgian bluestone bathtubs, petrified wood furniture, and copper hardware. 25-meter central outdoor saltwater swimming pool, plus two sunken contrast plunge pools.

Khao Takiab, Hua Hin $$$$

THE BARAI HUA HIN - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Monumental earthen-red walls and shaded water courts designed by architect Lek Bunnag. Tranquility Court 30-meter salt-system swimming channel, shaded lagoon-style Forest Pool, beachfront Beach Pool, outdoor soaking pools, and private suite plunge pools.