From rooftop hot tubs overlooking bustling cityscapes to a sparkling infinity pool pouring into an emerald lagoon, some of the best hotel pools are made so by the breathtaking views that they command.
Below we've chosen 20 of our favorite hotel pools with a view. With so many different places to choose from, it's difficult to pick one overall winner, therefore we've listed each by geographical region.
If you would like to find out more about any of the properties or how to book a tailor-made trip with Audley, give one of our specialists a call on 1-855-234-2083.
*Itinerary prices correct as of September 2010.
Africa
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Kulala Desert Lodge, Namibia
Located next to a private entrance to the Namib Naukluft Park, Kulala Desert Lodge is the closest hotel to the Sossusvlei Dunes. After a long day exploring the baking desert, the stunning pool makes for a perfect place to relax in the cool water and watch the dunes slowly change from golden amber to a deep red in the mellow light of the setting sun.
Read more about Kulala Desert Lodge
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The Royal Livingstone, Zambia
The luxurious Royal Livingstone Hotel enjoys an incredible location just a few minutes' walk from the summit of the thundering Victoria Falls. The pool here is sunk into landscaped gardens with views out over the Zambezi River and the rising mist of the falls. The manicured lawns are grazed by the resident zebra as monkeys swing in the trees above.
Read more about Royal Livingstone Hotel
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Sayari Camp, Tanzania
Sayari Camp is located in one of the most remote parts of the Serengeti and offers 15 luxurious safari tents. The views here stretch out across the savannah plains and into Kenya. If you time your visit right, you can sit in the pool with a cold drink and watch one of the greatest spectacles on earth — hundreds of thousands of wildebeest making their annual migration north or south in search of fresh grazing.
Read more about Sayari
Australia & The South Pacific
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Cockatoo Hill Retreat, Queensland
This rustic yet luxurious retreat is set against the verdant, green backdrop of Mount Thornton and features four traditional thatched bungalows. The crystal clear pool enjoys views over the surrounding Daintree Rainforest and further beyond to the Coral Coast, making Cockatoo Hill Retreat a rare and unique option for visitors to this area of Queensland.
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Little Polynesian, The Cook Islands
This boutique resort sits in a beautiful, secluded location on the island of Raratonga and is a firm favorite among our clients. The spotless beach offers safe swimming and excellent snorkeling in its calm waters, and the peaceful infinity pool at the Little Polynesian boasts views out across the lagoon to the emerald expanse of the Pacific Ocean beyond.
Read more about Little Polynesian
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Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, French Polynesia
One of French Polynesia's finest resorts, Bora Bora Pearl Beach is set in a jaw-droppingly beautiful lagoon surrounded by warm, turquoise ocean filled with colorful marine life. The peaceful infinity pool, the largest on the island, looks out across the picture-perfect lagoon to the verdant, green mountain peaks beyond. This is paradise found.
Read more about Pearl Beach Resort
The Indian Subcontinent
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Ellerton, Sri Lanka
A small boutique hotel set on its own secluded hilltop, the Ellerton offers simple yet homely accommodation just 30 minutes' drive from the UNESCO-listed city of Kandy. Built over 100 years ago for a wealthy tea estate owner, it manages to preserve its colonial character, whilst the tranquil infinity pool offers uninterrupted views over the verdant jungle of central Sri Lanka.
Read more about Ellerton
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Huvafen Fushi, The Maldives
This stylish, contemporary resort manages to retain a traditional Maldivian feel, with spacious thatched bungalows extending out into the ocean on raised walkways. Each suite at Huvafen Fushi features its own private plunge pool with views out to sea, but the real highlight is the sparkling infinity pool, which, when the sun goes down, becomes illuminated by tiny glittering lights.
Read more about Huvafen Fushi
Latin America
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Punta Islita, Costa Rica
A welcoming, peaceful hotel with a truly novel approach to responsible tourism, Punta Islita is set into a hillside in the secluded paradise of Guanacaste on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The infinity pool and quiet bar and decking area look out to uninterrupted views of the sweeping, azure-blue Pacific Ocean.
Read more about Punta Islita
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Fasano Rio, Brazil
A luxurious and stylish choice for visitors to Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil the Fasano Rio is arguably the best hotel in the city, with unparalleled service and an excellent location on Ipanema Beach. The rooftop pool is the perfect spot for relaxing with a caipirinha whilst gazing out across the vibrant, colorful cityscape below.
Read more about Fasano Rio
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Tierra Atacama, Chile
This contemporary hotel sits at the edge of San Pedro de Atacama, a village oasis fed by two rivers and surrounded by stunning natural scenery in Chile's Atacama Desert. The outstanding spa and treatment center at Tierra Atacama features an outdoor pool with views across the Atacama Desert to the mountainous peak of Licancabur volcano.
Read more about Tierra Atacama
North Africa & The Middle East
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Hilton Luxor, Egypt
With an enviable location on the eastern bank of the River Nile in Egypt, the Hilton Luxor is one of the most luxurious and contemporary of all the hotels in Luxor. Two impressive infinity pools look out to the palm-fringed shores of the Nile, and the partly-submerged loungers are perfect for relaxing with a cold drink whilst watching cruise boats and sailing yachts float by.
Read more about Hilton Luxor
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Kasbah Tamadot, Morocco
Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot is a fusion of traditional Moroccan architecture with fabulous modern luxury; every detail has been honored in the renovation of this remarkable building. The shimmering blue pool, surrounded by comfortable loungers, looks out to the foothills and towering peaks of the Atlas Mountains.
Read more about Kasbah Tamadot
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Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan
A world-class hotel located on the shores of the Dead Sea, Kempinski Ishtar offers service, accommodation and fine dining unlike any other property in Jordan. Carefully-sculpted infinity pools offer the perfect environment to relax and unwind, with breathtaking views of deep orange sunsets out over the still water of the Dead Sea.
Read more about Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea
Southeast Asia
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Six Senses Hideaway at Yao Noi, Thailand
With unparalleled luxury and attention to detail, from the private hillside villas to the teams of butlers that attend to each one, the Six Senses Hideaway at Yao Noi is a blissful, romantic retreat in a secluded paradise on Koh Yao in Thailand. Each villa has its own sparkling infinity pool, and the oceanfront suites command stunning views of Phang Nga Bay and the iconic limestone karsts that rise from the water's surface.
Read more about Six Senses Yao Noi
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Chatrium Suites, Bangkok
The Chatrium Suites in Bangkok is a new apartment-style hotel, offers spacious and comfortable guest accommodation in an enviable position on the bank of the Chao Phraya river. The enormous rooftop pool boasts one of the best views in Bangkok — a stunning vista of the city skyline and the bustling river flowing beneath.
Read more about Chatrium Hotel
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Amankila, Bali
Undoubtedly one of the most luxurious resorts in Indonesia, the Amankila features private hilltop suites dotted among the lush, jungle-clad cliffs overlooking the Lombok Strait. The hotel's signature three-tier pool is set into the cliff-edge, where cool, clear water flows from one pool into another — a stunning place in which to relax and soak up the view.
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La Residence Phou Vao, Laos
Set on the outskirts of Luang Prabang, a sleepy temple town in northern Laos, La Residence Phou Vao is one of the most stylish and luxurious hotels in the country. The sparkling infinity pool and adjacent terrace look out across rice paddy fields and verdant jungle to the distant, rolling hills of Mount Phousi.
Read more about Belmond La Residence Phou Vao
