Hotel Pools: The 10 Best in the West 

by Eileen Strauss on June 17, 2022

 

 

Summer 2022 is finally here and after two years of missed opportunities to explore dreamy desert oases and take a dip in oceanfront infinity pools, it’s time for water lovers across America to pack their bags and get their vacationing faces on. And the good news is that many popular hotels have revamped their pools, added spa retreats, and upped their attraction game to entice travelers to visit.

As travel takes off in a post-vaccine world, nothing beats hanging by calm blue water in comfy lounge chairs on a great hotel pool deck.

But not all hotel pools are created equal. And while there's nothing wrong with a traditional rectangular pool and diving board combo, after two years in the shadows, why settle for the same old same old?

So, if you’re in search of the perfect vacay west of the Mason-Dixon line; from the desert southwest to the Pacific coast, these refreshingly divine and fun-packed pools are the best in the west. 

   

 

                        

 

#1 - ENCHANTMENT RESORT - Sedona, Arizona 

 

 

Enchanting is just one word that describes the postcard-like setting and luxury amenities of this resort. With 360-degree views that surround the resort’s turquoise watering hole, words like incredible, magnificent, and gorgeous only begin to tell the story. Nestled at the base of Boynton Canyon, spanning across 70 acres,the recently revamped hotel design and enlarged pool and patio area blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings. 

Other amenities included a trail house, hiking, walking tours, mountain biking, an elevated spa and wellness center, yoga, pilates, stretching, and art classes, golf, children’s programs, hot air balloon, helicopter, and jeep tours of Sedona. 


Address: 525 Boynton Canyon Road, Sedona, Arizona

 

 

 

           

 

#2 THE RITZ CARLTON - Paradise Valley, Arizona 

           

Resting on 20 acres of lush, cooling landscape with the grandeur of Camelback Mountain on the horizon, The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley  is an exclusive retreat and ethereal oasis tucked away in the Arizona desert. Close to the vibrant pulse of Scottsdale,  just outside of Phoenix and Tempe, the home of Arizona State University’s main campus, the resort evokes a sense of playfulness and escape with delightful discoveries at every turn. Secret gardens, oxygen-enriched guest rooms, on-site citrus groves and a grand 400-foot swimming pool, complete with pool bar – the longest pool in the country! 

 

Address: 7500 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona 

  

 

 AMANGANI - Jackson, Wyoming

       

 

#3- AMANGANI - Jackson, Wyoming 

      


The 35 meter pool and 10 square meter whirlpool at Jackson, Wyming’s Aramangi resort in the foothills of the Grand Tetons, is heated and open all year round so guests can take a dip even after a day on the slopes in the dead of winter completely surrounded by snow capped mountains. 

Set in the snow-sports paradise of Jackson Hole, Amangani looks out across the mountains and plains of the Snake River Valley. Evoking the pioneering spirit of the Old West in its redwood and sandstone architecture, the all-season retreat invites guests to discover outdoor adventure and the extraordinary natural beauty of Wyoming.

 

Address: 1535 North East Butte Road, Jackson, Wyoming 

 

 


                

 

#4 - AMANGIRI - Canyon Point, Utah 

 

Created to blend seamlessly into the natural desert landscape, this secluded Utah resort embraces its surroundings with a pool carved around a 24-meter high 165 million year old natural stone escarpment. Ringed by king-sized daybeds and sun loungers, the pool offers insane views of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument during the day and swimming under star-filled skies at night.

 

 

             

 

A short hike or drive from Amangiri, amid an other-world  600-acre landscape of towering mesas, slot canyons and rust-coloured sands, the tented retreat of Camp Sarika promises an intimate, back-to-the-wild experience in the desert heart of Utah. The camp’s cluster of 10 canvas-topped pavilions, each with a private plunge pool, centers on a shared lounge, restaurant and pool area – an enclave of meditative seclusion in one of the most geologically dramatic places on Earth.

 

Address:  1 Kayenta Road, Canyon Point, Utah 

 

 

 

    

 

#5 ROOFTOP POOL @ THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD at BEVERLY HILLS | Los Angeles, California

 

The 2021 World’s Best Award Winner for the “Top 15 Hotels in Los Angeles” by Travel + Leisure Magazine, elegance,  style and iconic Hollywood glamor abound at the London West Hollywood. Offering a tranquil urban oasis that epitomizes modern luxury for the most discerning guests the expansive rooftop pool, with private cabanas, unforgettable views of the city. Victorian-style loungers, and a large living wall, guests can relax in the lap of Hollywood luxury while enjoying a sense of solitude.  

 

Address: 1020 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 

 

 

Napa Valley

     

 

#6 AUBERGE DE SOLEIL | Napa Valley, California

    

Showcasing breathtaking views of California’s wine country, Auberge du Soleil is the pet project of French restaurateur, Claude Rouas, who after opening Napa Valley’s first fine-dining restaurant, designed to reflect a taste of Provence, opened the “The Inn of the Sun'' five years later. Nestled within a terraced, sun-kissed hillside amid 33 acres of  olive trees, the hotel’s guest rooms and suites, effortlessly blend relaxed sophistication with understated elegance. 

 

Spend a lazy summer afternoon lounging by the resort’s small but spectacular pool which makes pristine use of blissful surroundings. Oozings tranquility, visitors enjoy shaded terraces, gauze-draped canopied lounges, unbeatable Napa Valley scenery, and of course, a wide selection of wines. Apres Soleil, guests can partake in wine tastings, a tour of the French-like California countryside, and savor a culinary tour  of the region.

 

Address: 33 Reed Blld. Mill Valley, CA

 

 

       

#7- GLENWOOD HOT SPRINGS  - Glenwood Springs, Colorado 

 

Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is a four-season resort in the Rocky Mountains that’s a perfect getaway any time of the year. In the summer months, the resort is a perfect home base for sightseeing, whitewater rafting, hiking, biking, or spending the day at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.  In the winter, the resort is close to the best skiing in the state. 

 

After hitting the slopes or hiking the trails,  re-energize and ease every well-earned ache in the world’s largest hot springs pools, where 3.5 million gallons of nearby Yampah Springs water flow into one of two bubbling mineral pools daily.

 

With temperatures in the mineral-filled therapy pool kept at a steady and steamy 104 F, visitors can take leisurely dips or do a few laps 365 days a year. Or dive into the lap pool, kept at a temperate 93 degrees, which measures more than two city blocks. Whether visiting in the summer or winter, the pool at the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is the perfect ending to any active day.

 

Address: 415 East 6th Street Glenwood Springs, CO

 

 

                

#8 - GOLDEN NUGGET - Las Vegas, Nevada


 

If you’re looking for a little ocean action in the middle of the Nevada desert, visit the one shark tank where all bets are off! 

Swimming in the Golden Nugget’s  200,000-gallon, shark-filled aquarium in the middle of a watering hole is a “what happens in Vegas'' biggest poolside payoff. The hotel’s massive $30 million water complex lets guests get up close and personal, and swim seemingly side-by-side with over a dozen sharks. Brave swimmers can get even closer to the predators by sliding down the Shark Chute, a three-story water slide that shoots you straight through the tank.

 

Address: 129 East Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV 

 

 

 

Mandalay Bay

            

 

#9 - MANDALAY BAY -  Las Vegas, Nevada

                             

 

An 11-acre aquatic destination in its own right, Mandalay Bay Beach in Las Vegas is a zero-entry pool with more than 2,700 tons of real sand, unlike any other pool in Vegas,  alongside a 1.6 million gallon wave pool. The four-pool complex, complete with a lagoon pool and lazy river, is flanked by private cabanas, day beds, and villa-style pool seating.

Mandalay Bay is also home to Moorea Beach Club, a top-optional, adults-only pool experience with its own heated pool.

Back in full swing in 2022, Mandalay Bay  is home the annual summer concert series held on its outdoor stage in the wave pool. 

Instead of just a pool, Mandalay Bay offers an entire water park and  an aquarium kids will love. 

And sticking around for post-vaccine times, the resort’s poolside mobile ordering app, the first in Vegas, brings food and beverages directly to guest's chairs--a welcomed poolside perk!

 

 

 

 Maya Day Club Scottsdale

                  

 

#10  MAYA DAY CLUB - Scottsdale, AZ

 

When it's triple digits in the Valley, the last thing you want to do is go outside. But throw in a party by the pool at one of the west’s hottest and wettest new “day clubs,” frosty cocktails, and upbeat jams, and you might change your mind. 

Technically, not a hotel pool, a list of the best pools in the west wouldn’t be complete without mentioning one of the many pool clubs popping up in the metro Phoenix, Arizona area. The chic Maya Day Club is the place to be if you're looking for a Vegas pool-party vibe on your next vacation to the Valley of the Sun. Dance in the shallow pool with other revelers, enjoy a refreshing drink at one of the bars staffed by bikini-clad bartenders, lounge on a daybed or,  take a moment to chill in a private cabana with access to the poolside VIP bar. On Saturdays, the club’s Soaked pool party series is not to be missed.   

The Clubhouse @ Maya is a 20,000 square foot outdoor restaurant & beer garden filled with every backyard game you would ever need! Enjoy Burgers, Chicken Wings, & more paired with ice-cold beer, hard seltzers, and much more. Party games like giant pong, connect 4, cornhole, golden tee, and skeeball complete the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the beautiful sunshine in Old Town Scottsdale.  

Address - 7333 E Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, AZ 



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