Around The World, One Back Stroke At A Time

There is something about a body of water, small or large, that instinctively beckons for our bodies to jump in. Most of us start as splashers, but over time we grow to be relaxers, making a hotel pool an essential tool for any mind-mellowing getaway. We went ahead and hunted down the coolest and most current hotel pools around the globe so you can make and educated decision about the future of your next swan dive. 

Normally when you think of tropical hotels, palm leaf ceilings, shabby-chic wood huts, or bamboo constructed walls come to mind, but the Cassa De La Flora is Khoa Lak’s first modernist hideaway. VaSlab Architecture took a risk when they started going down a different path and designed cutting edge architecture and it mixed with stunning tropical landscaping.  Not only does each villa have it's own private pool here, a large pool is sits snug on the rooftop and stairs directly into the turquoise waters.

The Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spais located between Positano and Amalfi is a historic Monastery fully transformed into a boutique hotel. The hotel is considered to be one of only 39 castle hotels in all of Italy, originally converted from a monastery into a hotel in 1924 where it was run for three generations by Roman hotelier Mr. Marcucci. The Santa Rosa is filled with four levels of gardens, an infinity pool, and views of the Gulf of Salerno right in it’s backyard.

Singapore-based Guz Architects are well known for creating bona fide tropical fortresses’ throughout southeast Asia. The firms latest project comes in the form of Coco Privé, a secluded resort on theKuda Hithi Island in the Maldives. On the island, Guz Wilkinson, founder and principal architect at Guz Architects, designed on master residence, the Palm Residence, and five other private villas. The architecture reflects the natural charms of its surroundings, an elegant blend of modern and natural materials, where craft and attention to detail combine to achieve a spacious, elegant and intimate haven.

 Cue Villa Egerton, one of the French Riviera’s most iconic villa estates. For the last century the villa has remained a fiercely-guarded secret summer residence, historically frequented by the world’s glitterati. But six years and several million euros later, the restored property is being brought to the rental market, billed as the Côte d’Azur’s most desirable holiday retreat. The villa now boasts one of the largest outdoor entertaining spaces in the region, complete with heated swimming pool, hot tub Jacuzzi, outdoor cooking and dining facilities, and a pool terrace bar. The existing mature trees were retained throughout the property, to protect the privacy of guests.

Grace Santorini is an exclusive boutique hotel located in the beautiful setting of Imerovigli in the northwest of the island, high above the Caldera, the Grace Santorini is the perfect vantage point from which to view the famed Santorini sunsets that envelop. This photograph is the view from the personal plunge pool in their honeymoon suite, but the hotel also offers guests access to a few other supremely stunning pools overlooking the ocean.

We’ve been keeping a close eye on Singaore’s PARKROYAL on Pickeringever since WOHA Architects released their architectural renderings of a lush four-story hotel full of tall sky-gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, planter terraces and cascading vertical greenery, a few years back. Recently completed, the hotel's greenery flourishes throughout the entire complex, and the trees and gardens of the hotel appears to merge with those of the adjoining park as one continuous sweep of urban parkland. Massive curvaceous sky-gardens, draped with tropical plants and supporting swathes of frangipani and palm trees, are cantilevered at every fourth level between the blocks of guest rooms.

Situated amid the pristine scenery of the Swiss Alps, and with stunning mountain views in every direction, The Cambrian offers the kind of location that tense desk huggers all over the world over spend their days dreaming about. Designed by Peter Silling & Associates, the establishmentIncludes heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the hotel offers a lifted experience, amongst the Swiss mountain tops.

Off the northeast coast of Taveuni lies this tiny private island hideaway, Laucala Island Resort, where they capture the best tropical ambiance, the beauty of the scenery, and the exotic flavours of Fiji. In this world you can find the ultimate in luxury, romance, privacy and seclusion. The property has a series of lagoon like pools mixed with modern architectural elements, like rectangular pools with see-through glass sides. 

We could not make this list without including the rooftop pool at Singapore's Marina Sands Bay. The super structure, which was designed by Moshe Safdie is the world's most expensive standalone casinoproperty, with a budget of a staggering $6 billion. Towering over Singapore is the infinity pool that stretches the length of the elongated pod-like structure at the top of the building.

Six Senses Yao Noi was built on the site of a former rubber plantation. Many of the rubber trees were kept to create shade from the sun as well as keeping soil from eroding. In addition, the landscape and gardens have been improved with the philosophy of re-generating the tropical flora as it would have been if the area was left untouched.  Enjoy wonderful panoramic ocean views from this villa, with a private pool and terrace for lounging and alfresco dining. There is a separate bedroom, a bathroom with outside shower and a sitting room.

Velassaru Maldives is a distinct Maldives Island hotel inspired by local architecture. Minimal chic revealed in teak, stone, thatch. Simple colour tones with a dash of bright green, vivid turquoise, refreshing yellow. Four premium Maldives water villas come with your own infinity pool overlooking the turquoise ocean. Sun-bathe in utter privacy. Warm natural light caressing your skin. Slipping into the shade for a nap. Indulge in a long, relaxing bath in the free-standing tub at our exclusive water villas in Maldives.

Nestled into the Santorini mountainside, along the main thoroughfare of central Oia, sits Katikies Hotel. The luxury boutique hotel, which has been one of the hottest places to vacation in the village, has recently been renovated. The new contemporary decor mixed with the preserved Aegean architecture  gives Katikie visitors the best of both worlds.  The hotel blends fantastical landscape with endless stairs and a jaw dropping infinity pool tucked into the white mountain.

The Viceroy Bali, a villa resort in Ubud with 5-star hotel service, consists of 25 luxury pool villas. It is majestically standing in Bali's "Valley of the Kings", a name given by locals for the generations of Balinese royalty who resided in nearby villages. The photograph above was taken at dawn over the hotel's Lembah Spa.