Beachhouse.com Picks: 10 Most Outrageous Pools

Before booking your next vacation, check out Beachhouse.com’s list of The World’s top 10 Most Outrageous Pools.  They may be reason enough to rethink your plans and opt for one of these sun-drenched destinations instead!

1)  Jade Mountain, St. Lucia – Two words – private pool.  Every room at the eco-concious Jade Resort features its own infinity pool, complete with sweeping views of the Caribbean sea and surrounding nature.  Pool size varies from room to room based on room type and the pool shapes vary slightly also, taking their cue from the surrounding natural environment.  Individually designed glass tiles, a different color for every pool, enhance the experience, as do the fibre optics, which illuminate the pools at night.

2 ) The Tank, Golden Nugget, Las Vegas – Tired of the same ol’ Vegas pools?  Do you feel like if you’ve seen one, you’ve pretty much seen them all? The Tank at the Golden Nugget allows guests to experience something that is truly unique…a ride down a 3 story enclosed waterslide through an aquarium…which is filled with 6 species of sharks and rays – sandtiger sharks, brown sharks, Pacific blacktip sharks, nurse sharks and zebra sharks, along with southern stingrays, to be exact.  Guests can also enjoy the poolside bar, waterfalls and VIP-worthy private cabanas, each complete with a refrigerator and plasma TV.

3 )  Six Senses Hidaway Yao Noi, Phang Nga Bay, Thailand – At this luxury boutique hotel, guests staying in the villa’s each have their own private pool.  Each infinity pool has a view of Phang Nga Bay and its unique karst topography – small island mountains in the sea.  These monolithic limestone islands are scattered throughout the bay and are part of the magnificent view right on the doorstep of Six Senses Hideaway.  This is truly a nature lovers paradise – the entire resort is nestled in the natural landscape and reiterates their commitment to the preservation of the magical surroundings.

4 )  Singita Grumeti Reserves, Sasakwa Lodge, Tanzania – One of only 3 lodges in the entire 340,000 acre private concession means you and a handfull of other guests will have the whole stretch of Africa to yourself.  Guests of the Lodge stay in private cottages, replete with private pools with killer views of “where the land stretches to forever” – this area includes popular watering holes that are frequented by the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo).  What could be better than relaxing in the pool (which has spotting telescopes along the edge) while watching Africa’s biggest and best wild game parade across the landscape in front of you?

5 ) Joule Hotel, Dallas, Texas – It used to be that all you had to do to enjoy a day at the pool was to be a decent swimmer. Dallas’ Joule Hotel takes swimming to a whole new level…the 10th level to be exact.  This hotel’s pool – a cantileviered work of engineered art – extends 8 feet beyond the edge of the hotel and towers above the street below, leaving swimmers and voyers alike hoping that the heavy layer of glass will do its job.  After a swim, guests can sample one of the tasty treats off of acclaimed chef Charlie Palmer or get a refreshing lavender mist courtesy of one of the pool attendants.

6 ) InterContinental, Hong Kong – Guests of the Presidential Suite at the InterContinental will never want to leave their room.  Besides the two 24-hour butlers, a private gym, and high-tech toilets, this suite gets even sweeter once you step outside onto the terrace of the 7,000 square foot abode.  The water of the private infinity pool and that of the Victoria Harbour seem to blend on the horizon making it nearly impossible to discern where the city of Hong Kong – skyscrapers and all – meld into the sanctuary of your room.

7 )  Floating Pool, Villa D’Este, Lake Como, Italy – If Lake Como itself isn’t enough to seduce you to stay at the picturesque 16th-centuary Villa D’Este in northern Italy, perhaps the floating pool will do the trick.  With the newly added spa, you can cool off or warm up all summer long with some of the most amazing 360 degree views in all of Italy – looming mountains that seem to rise up straight out of the azure waters of the lake.  And if you somehow tire of the scenery, the hotel also has an indoor pool that is open year round.

8 )  The Beach at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas – Beat the desert heat at this sprawling 11 acre oasis, complete with wave machine, lazy river, 3 swimming pools…and 2,700 tons of real sand.  This unparallelled experience feels like a day at the beach – a European beach, that is.  Moorea, one of the only of its kind in Vegas, has a view of The Beach and invites guests 21 and over to relax in a swank, lounge-like environment (topless should they choose).  At both The Beach and Moorea, poolside cabanas, daybeds and villas are available – they are the perfect location to take in one of the concerts that are hosted at The Beach each May through September.

9 )  Murano Oriental Resort, Marrakesh, Morocco – See what The Beatles sang about in Marrakesh Express, when you stay at the Murano Resort…this pool is unlike anything else in the world.  Guests of the hotel are invited to follow a stone pathway, marked by a long narrow channel that extends from a verandah and leads to the middle of a 105-foot long swimming pool, where it morphs into an island complete with a lounge and dining area.   The vibrant Moroccan sunsets are reflected in the red-hued tiles that cover the channel and pool surface, leaving the water with a red tint.  The real transformation comes at night when, set against the surrounding darkness, scarlett lights in the pool and the surrounding landscaping come on.  Looking at the world, through the sunset in your eyes…

10 )  San Alfonso Del Mar, Chile – To call this a “pool” is a bit of a misconception – this crystal clear lagoon is 1 km in length, equals the size of 6,000 standard domestic pools, and is filled with 250,000 cubic meters of salt water.  Holding the Guinness record for largest pool, at 115 feet deep at its deepest point, vacationers can swim, scuba, snorkel and even sail the expansive waters.  We couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up our list…so what do you think – is bigger always better?

Tagged as: lake, mountain, pool, resort, snorkel, swimming, Thailand, travel