9 Hotels with Amazing Private Plunge Pools (Some Are Actually Affordable)
(Photo: Thinkstock)
As far as hotel perks go, infinity pools just aren’t that impressive; despite how gorgeous a pool that seems to go on forever may seem, you still gotta share it with others. On the other hand, a hotel room with a private plunge pool is a thousand times more luxurious because it’s entirely yours, freeing you to engage in whatever waterborne activity you see fit. They tend to be shallow, making them perfect for nice, in-room lounging. You don’t need to share them, except maybe with your travel partner. And some rooms with plunge pools are actually affordable, as in under a hundred bucks a night.
Here, we dive into the world’s best private plunges, depending on your price range:
DIRT CHEAP
Blue Lime
A beauty of a boutique hotel that’s nestled in the heart of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Blue Lime offers gauzy, canopy-trussed bedded rooms. Four of them feature oversized private plunge pools, each surrounded by lush flora, for less than a $100 a night. They even throw in a continental breakfast and unlimited Internet.
MID-PRICED
Pavilions and Pools, U.S. Virgin Islands
To really have the whole I-live-here-and-have-a-pool kind of vibe, Pavilions and Pools Villa Hotel in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands offers 25 affordable, one-bedroom condos that come equipped with a private pool, deck, kitchen, and grill. Each villa is privately owned, and therefore uniquely decorated (some a bit more rustic than others), but all feel like your own private beach bungalow for less than $300/night. Bonus: The property’s short stroll to Sapphire Bay.
St. Thomas’ Pavilions and Pools Villa Hotel lives up to its name with 25 pool-equipped units (Photo: Pavilions and Pools Villa Hotel)
An Lam Villas, Vietnam
Reachable only by boat, An Lam Villas in Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam encompasses 35 rooms, each with 24-hour butler service and bathrooms bigger than most New York City apartments. The one-bedroom villa with all-wood construction feels like bunking up in a luxury tree house, complete with a private pool, for about $300/night. The two-bedroom beachside suites feature party-sized pools made of Vietnamese black stone set in a palatial wooden deck, with beach loungers and views of the South China Sea.
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Hotel Punta Islita
Located in a quiet cove of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Hotel Punta Islita’s eco-friendly resort marries luxury with surfer chic. The deluxe rooms here are perfectly suitable, but an upgrade to a Junior Suite Premium (Casitas) is worth the extra splurge. These charming suites (roughly $400/night) boast a plunge pool, small garden, a hammock large enough for two, and a private outdoor seating area — all overlooking the picturesque Pacific.
A gorgeous pool you don’t have to share — unless you want to — at Hotel Punta Islita (Photo: Hotel Punta Islita)
Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa
Bask in your pool while watching the waves at the Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa. The Oceanfront One-Bedroom Suites at this swanky Mexican hideaway in the Rivera Maya come with a private plunge pool, an indoor-outdoor shower, and a private air-conditioned fitness center. Rates start at $475/night.
In-room lounging options, including a hammock and private pool, abound at the Belmond (Photo: Belmond)
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VERY PRICEY
The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam
The pool-equipped villas here are downright ginormous — 2,691 square feet (and that’s the smallest). The private pools in the One Bedroom Pool villa are a decent-sized 39’ x 13’ and are 5 feet deep. And you can enjoy the resort’s lush, tropical landscape while you swim. Rates from $840/night
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kuda Huraa
The sizeable (657 sq. ft. and up) pool-equipped bungalows in this resort provide stunning views of the Arabian Sea. And with their gorgeous, stucco-lined walls and floors made of teak, these bungalows are a sight to see themselves. The view will cost you, thought; rates start at around $1,250/night.
Swim right up to the sea in your gorgeous bungalow at the Four Seasons Resort in Maldives (Photo: Four Seasons)
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Likuliku Lagoon Resort
While Likuliku Lagoon Resort in Fiji is famous for their luxurious overwater bungalows, the deluxe beachfront bures are a secret (and, at about $1,400/night, pricey) gem on this private island retreat. The resort’s only rooms with personal plunge pools, these spacious huts feature outdoor showers and secluded courtyards with daybed retreats.
You’re never far from the water at the beachfront bures at Fiji’s Likuliku Lagoon Resort (Photo: Likuliku Lagoon Resort)
The Oberoi Udaivilas
This hotel might be the most splurge-y on the list, but while traveling around the bustling streets of India, there’s nothing like coming back to The Oberoi Udaivilas on Lake Pichola at the end of the day. This bucket-lister boasts Luxury Suites with 1150-square feet of space, a sparkling private pool, and tented dining pavilion. Truly, there’s no reason to leave the room — unless you suffer heart palpitations at the nearly $5,000/night room rate.
Some rooms at India’s Oberoi Udaivilas come with semi-private pools. If you want a fully private pool, it’s going to cost you. (Photo: Oberoi Udaivilas)
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