Michele Heisler, 61, is an avid swimmer. She swims 45 minutes three times a week in a local 25-meter pool. But swimming while traveling can be difficult. “Most hotel pools are too small or too crowded,” she explains.
It was then that while preparing a trip to Chicago, Mme Heisler, originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, came across a photo of her dream hotel pool. Built in 1929 at the Intercontinental Hotel, this 25-meter-long swimming pool, one of the oldest in Chicago, is surrounded by Greek-inspired marble decoration. “It feels like you’re swimming in an ancient Greek temple.” It’s a magical experience,” says M.me Heisler, who has stayed at the Intercontinental four times in the past ten years because of the pool.
Even at a resort, swimming laps often means negotiating odd and often short lengths, all while keeping an eye out for kids doing bombs in what can be spa-like water. In a big city, it’s even harder to find a hotel pool big enough for swimming laps. But they exist. Here are six hotel pools at least 25 meters long that offer ample space for lap swimming, as well as a first-class ambiance. Most are open all day, but hotel representatives say that early morning is best for swimming.
Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
PHOTO IHG HOTELS & RESORTS, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
The magnificent swimming pool at the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
The framework : the south tower of the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel was originally a private athletic club, with this indoor swimming pool, which hosted the famous Olympic swimmer and actor Johnny Weissmuller, who broke records at the 1924 Olympic Games and 1928.
The swimming pool, located at 14e floor of the hotel, is “an architectural marvel with spectator seats and turrets” decorated with Spanish tiles, explains Christopher Cawley, general manager of the hotel. It has four swimming lanes. Lounge chairs surround the pool, and a newly renovated multi-level fitness center is nearby.
Business hours : weekdays, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; on weekends, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There are no hours reserved for swimming.
Pool temperature: 84 oF (29 oVS)
Public access: non-guests can purchase a pool and fitness facility pass online through Resort Pass, a platform that partners with hotels across the United States to offer passes day access to exclusive facilities. Prices vary depending on the season. Currently, the price of an adult day pass is US$40.
Four Seasons New York Downton
PHOTO FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK DOWNTOWN, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
The pool at the Four Seasons New York Downtown, a “sanctuary”
The framework : When the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown opened in 2016, in the Tribeca neighborhood of lower Manhattan, it included this 80-foot-long indoor pool designed, like the rest of the hotel’s interiors, by the architecture firm interior designer Yabu Pushelberg, originally from Toronto.
The pool features stone-clad columns, wood screens and a custom scraped plaster finish on the walls, which add to the calming tranquility of the space. “If you close your eyes, you feel like you’re transported to the Côte d’Azur,” says Thomas Carreras, general manager of the hotel. He speaks of a “sanctuary”. Seating options range from lounge chairs covered in fluffy white towels to comfortable loveseats with oversized cushions. The swimming pool is on the third floor of the hotel, as are the fitness center and spa. There is a lane reserved for swimmers.
Opening hours: from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Pool temperature: 83 to 85 oF (28 or 29 oVS)
Public access: The swimming pool is open to hotel guests and members of Club 27, the hotel’s private health club.
W Miami
PHOTO W. MIAMI, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
Aerial view of outdoor pools at W Miami
The framework : The W Miami is part of the IconBrickell complex and condo development in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, which was built in 2008. The W opened in 2016. Hotel guests and residents of the The building has access to the complex’s outdoor swimming pools, including a reflecting pool, a whirlpool and a swimming pool. The latter, which overlooks Biscayne Bay and has an infinity edge, is 205 feet (62 m) long, or 40 feet (12 m) longer than an Olympic swimming pool, which is a little confusing for swimmers accustomed to more standardized lengths.
The pool design was inspired by French designer Philippe Starck, whose firm designed the resort’s common areas and residences. According to Arianna Calcaterra, the hotel’s marketing director, it’s a “whimsical, urban, chic version of the Champs-Élysées,” with the pool serving as an avenue instead of being made of concrete.
Gail Gensler, 63, who lives in a condo at the complex, swims there twice a week as soon as the pool opens, often at sunrise. “It’s very beautiful to see the sun rise over the bay and to exercise,” she says.
Opening hours: Guests can head to the pool at dawn to swim laps. Pool service, which includes towels and lifeguards, is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Catering service is available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pool temperature: of 78 to 82 oF (from 26 to 28 oC) in spring and fall and from 76 to 78 oF (from 24 to 26 oC) in winter.
Visitor access: the pool is managed by IconBrickell, developer of the complex. Hotel guests have access to it in the same way as residents of the complex.
Four Seasons New Orleans
PHOTO FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW ORLEANS, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans’ outdoor pool overlooks the Mississippi River.
The setting: Built in 2021, the Four Seasons New Orleans’ 75-foot-long (23 m) outdoor pool overlooks the Mississippi, and the mosaic-lined pool is gently curved to reflect the river’s curve.
The swimming pool, located on the fifth floor of the hotel, is 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 m) deep throughout its length and is equipped with underwater lighting and music. Two swimming lanes are planned. It’s surrounded by lounge chairs, a separate hot tub, and four cabins for daily rental. A fitness center and spa are located on the same floor. There is also a poolside bar that serves cocktails and food.
Business hours : of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Pool temperature: 84 oF (29 oVS)
Customer Access: the swimming pool is used by hotel guests and residents of the property.
Conrad Nashville
PHOTO CONRAD NASHVILLE, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
Conrad Nashville’s outdoor pool is open year-round.
The setting: Built in June 2022 when the Conrad Nashville opened, this outdoor swimming pool is 1.80 m long and is located on the hotel’s roof terrace, on the third floor.
While swimming, you can admire the capital and largest city of Tennessee, including Vanderbilt University, details Eumi Koh, general manager of the hotel. Drinks and food are offered in the pool area from May to October, but the pool is open all year round. There are around 30 lounge chairs, all equipped with umbrellas, as well as day beds, tables and chairs for dining. Three cabanas can be reserved. There are no swimming lanes with ropes.
Opening hours: sunrise to sunset. Catering service is offered Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pool temperature: 85 to 89 oF (29 to 32 oVS)
Customer Access: the swimming pool is reserved for hotel guests.
Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter
PHOTO MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
The pool windows at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter provide beautiful natural light.
The framework : the 75-foot (23 m) indoor pool located on the ground floor of the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter in Covington, Kentucky, across the Ohio River from the downtown Cincinnati, was renovated in 2020. Windows running the length of the pool provide natural lighting, so “you don’t feel like you’re swimming in a cave,” notes Shawnna Dunaway, director of hotel sales and marketing.
She adds that the pool is particularly attractive to the hotel’s many corporate clients, who “can benefit from a full-body workout in a full-length pool.” There are also lounge chairs around the pool and a fitness center nearby. There is no separation of corridors.
Pool temperature: 84 oF (29 oVS)
Opening hours: from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Customer Access: only hotel guests can use the swimming pool.
The original version of this article was published in the New York Times.
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