Michele Heisler, 61, is an avid swimmer, putting in 45 minutes three times a week in a local 25-yard pool. But swimming while traveling can be difficult. “Most hotel pools are too small or too crowded,” he says.
Then, while planning a trip to Chicago, Ms. Heisler, from Ann Arbor, Mich., saw a picture of the hotel pool of his dreams. At the Intercontinental Hotel, the 25-yard pool, built in 1929, is one of the oldest in Chicago and is surrounded by Greek-inspired marble decoration. “You feel like you are swimming in an ancient Greek temple. It was a magical experience,” said Ms. Heisler, who has stayed at the Intercontinental four times in the last 10 years because of the pool.
Even at a resort, swimming laps often mean you have to negotiate something different, and often short, while keeping an eye on kids cannonballing into the hot tub-like water. Finding a hotel pool big enough for lap swimming in a big city is even more daunting. But they have. Here are six hotel pools that are at least 25 yards long and provide ample space for lap swimming, as well as a first-class ambience; some are open to non-overnight guests. Most are open all day, but the morning hours will provide the best lap swimming experience, hotel representatives say.
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
The setting: The south tower of InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile the hotel was originally a private athletic club, complete with this indoor pool, which hosted famed Olympic swimmer and actor Johnny Weissmuller, who broke records at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics.
The pool, on the hotel’s 14th floor, is “an architectural marvel complete with spectator seating and turrets” decorated with Spanish Majolica tiles, said Christopher Cawley, the hotel’s general manager. It has four swimming lanes. Lounge chairs surround the pool, and a newly renovated multilevel fitness center is nearby.
Time: Sunday 6 am to 10 pm; weekends 7 am to 10 pm There are no times set aside especially for lap swimming.
Pool temperature: 84 degrees
Public access: Non-guests can purchase a resort pass online to use the pool and fitness facilities Resort Pass, a platform that partners with hotels across the United States to offer day passes to access exclusive amenities. Prices vary depending on the season, currently an adult day pass is $40.
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
The setting: When the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown opened in 2016, it includes a 25-yard-long indoor pool designed, like the rest of the hotel’s interior, by an interior design firm. Yabu Pushelbergfrom Canada.
The pool area features stone-encased columns, wood screens and a custom scratched-plaster finish on the walls to add to the soothing serenity of the space. “If you close your eyes, you feel like you’re being transported to the French Riviera,” said Thomas Carreras, the hotel’s general manager. He calls it “sanctuary.” There is a mix of seating, from lounge chairs with fluffy white towels to comfy love seats with large cushions. The pool is on the third floor of the hotel, along with the fitness facility and spa. There is a designated lap lane.
Time: 6 am to 8 pm
Pool temperature: 83 to 85 degrees
Public access: The pool is open to hotel guests and members of Club 27, the hotel’s private wellness club.
W Miami
The setting: The W Miami is within the IconBrickell complex and condominium development in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, built in 2008; the W opened in 2016. Hotel guests and building residents use the complex’s outdoor pools, which include a reflection pool, hot tub, and lap pool. The lap pool, which overlooks Biscayne Bay and has an infinity edge, is 205 feet long, 40 feet longer than an Olympic-size pool, making it a bit of a stretch for swimmers used to more standardized lengths.
The design of the pools was inspired by French designer Phillip Starck whose company designed the complex’s common areas and residences. It’s intended to be a “quirky urban-chic version of the Champs-Élysées,” with the pool functioning as an avenue rather than concrete, said Arianna Calcaterra, the hotel’s marketing director.
Gail Gensler, 63, who lives in a condominium apartment in the complex, swims there twice a week as soon as the pool opens, often at sunrise. “It’s gorgeous when you’re watching the sun rise over the bay and you’re working out,” she said.
The pool is on a two-acre, resort-style pool deck. There are also lounge pools and cabanas, as well as a poolside restaurant serving food and drinks.
Time: Visitors can go early in the morning to swim laps. Pool service, which includes towels and lifeguards, is offered from 9 am to 6 pm Food service is from 11 am to 6 pm
Pool temperature: 78 to 82 degrees in spring and fall and 76 to 78 degrees in winter.
Guest access: The pool is managed by IconBrickell, the developer of the complex. Hotel guests have access along with complex residents.
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
The setting: Built in 2021, the 75-foot-long outdoor pool at Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans Overlooking the Mississippi River, the mosaic-lined pool has a slight crescent bend to mirror the curve of the river.
The pool, on the fifth floor of the hotel, is a constant 3 feet 8 inches deep throughout its length and features underwater lighting and music. There are two designated lap lanes. It is surrounded by chaise longues, a separate hot tub and four cabanas available for daily rental. The fitness center and spa are on the same floor. There is also a poolside bar serving cocktails and food.
Time: 7 am to 10 pm
Pool temperature: 84 degrees.
Guest access: The pool is used by both hotel guests and property residents.
Conrad Nashville
The setting: Built in June 2022 when the Conrad Nashville opened, this outdoor pool is 81 feet long and is on the hotel’s roof deck on the third floor.
As you swim, you can see views of Nashville, including Vanderbilt University, said Eumi Koh, the hotel’s general manager. Food and drinks are available in the pool area from May to October, but the pool is open year-round. There are around 30 lounge chairs, all equipped with umbrellas, along with day beds and a dining table and chairs. Three cabanas can be reserved. There are no lap lanes with ropes.
Time: Sunrise to sunset. Food and beverage service is available Monday through Sunday 10 am to 6 pm
Pool temperature: 85 to 89 degrees
Guest access: The pool is for hotel guests only.
Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter
The setting: The 75-foot-long indoor pool, located on the ground floor of the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter, which is across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati, was renovated in 2020. Windows the length of the pool let in natural light, so “you don’t feel like you’re swimming in a cave,” says Shawnna Dunaway, the director of hotel sales and marketing. “Very open and light.”
He said the pool particularly appeals to the hotel’s many corporate guests, who “can have the full exercise of a full-length pool.” There are also lounge chairs surrounding the pool and a nearby fitness center. There are no lane dividers.
Pool temperature: 84 degrees.
Time: 7 am to 10 pm
Guest access: Only hotel guests can use the pool.
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