Totes amaze pools

Dipal Acharya dips her toe into the world’s most stunning hotel swimming pools
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Dipal Acharya20 April 2012

Grace santorini, Greece

Best for Haute honeymooners.

The look Whitewashed cupolae carved out of cliffs high above the sea.

The pool Perched vertiginously, the hotel’s infinity pool provides an unbroken view of the horizon and Santorini’s volcanic caldera.

The spa In the hotel’s Villa, guests enjoy complete privacy with exclusive access to the holistic spa treatments, including anti-ageing algotherapy for the body, and there’s a hydrotherapy bath (with mood lighting) and a hammam.

Extras A self-contained residence within the hotel, The Villa has a private chef and concierge service to arrange anything from island-hopping via helicopter, to a chauffeur.

Details From £1,750 per night (santorinigrace.com)

Amangani

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Best for Outdoor types.

The look Luxury bolthole for skiers in the heart of cowboy country.

The pool Take a dip in the hotel’s 35m infinity pool while you admire the snow-capped peaks of the surrounding Teton mountains.

The spa Using Yon-Ka Paris skincare products (celebrity fans include Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise), revive your tired skin with Le Grand Classique, one of the spa’s customised facials for dehydrated, sun-damaged or problem skin. The spa also houses a beauty salon.

Extras Outside the ski season, the hotel offers activities including hiking, riding, fly fishing, river trips, safari drives and hot-air ballooning.

Details From £455 per night (amanresorts.com)

The St Regis

Lhasa, Tibet

Best for Grown-up gappers.

The look Luxurious Tibetan chic.

The pool The hotel’s crowning glory is its indoor Golden Energy Pool, heated to a temperature of 28-32C for ultimate relaxation and lined with golden tiles in keeping with the hotel’s ornate Oriental décor.

The spa One of the world’s highest luxury spas, at more than 3,600m above sea level, the Iridium Spa has a yoga studio, meditation garden and six treatment suites. It offers classic Tibetan herbal treatments such as an Ayurvedic scalp massage using locally cultivated cypress and azalea leaves.

Extras The hotel is also home to Tibet’s first ever fine-dining restaurant, Si Zi Kang. Enjoy authentic Tibetan dishes such as thenthuk (Tibetan noodles with sliced yak meat) while admiring the view of the nearby Potala Palace, a former residence of the Dalai Lama.

Details From £250 per night (stregis.com)

Marina bay sands

Singapore

Best for The design-conscious with a head for heights.

The look Architectural jaw-dropper – it’s one of the world’s largest cantilevered structures.

The pool The infinity pool stretches across the hotel’s three towers, spanning a staggering 150m – the length of six Olympic pools – and has spectacular views across the city; it’s (almost) swimming in the sky.

The spa Using a ‘high-touch, low-tech’ approach, the Banyan Tree ‘tropical garden’ spa offers a range of treatments including the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi session, a massage technique mimicking the movements of the hula dance.

Extras Don’t miss the hotel’s SkyPark, a 1.2 hectare tropical oasis at the top of the building, home to more than 900 types of tree and plant.

Details From £200 per night (marinabaysands.com)

The Peninsula Shanghai

China

Best for Art Deco fans.

The look Twenties grandeur.

The pool The 25m indoor pool has a vaulted glass roof and gaping sun terrace. Practise your lengths while gazing at the sky.

The spa Expect nothing short of luxury in the hotel’s ESPA spa, with seven treatment rooms, private VIP spa suites and a tea lounge. Try the Bamboo Harmoniser massage, which stimulates the circulation and increases the energy flow in the body.

Extras The hotel’s limousine fleet will transport guests in classic Rolls-Royce Phantoms (including a rare 1934 model), all finished in the Peninsula’s signature green.

Details From £210 per night (peninsula.com)

Raffles le Royal Monceau

Paris

Best for The trend-conscious.

The look Fabulous flamboyance from Philippe Starck.

The pool Set against a mirrored wall, the pool stretches to an impressive 28m, the largest in any Parisian hotel.

The spa Designed as a 1,500sq m labyrinth, you can literally lose yourself in the clinical whiteness of the My Blend spa. Sweat it out in the dry heat of the laconium, or try one of several tailored skincare treatments using Clarins and My Blend products.

Extras Perks include a pastry kitchen, overseen by ‘the Picasso of Pastry’ Pierre Hermé, as well as an in-house bookshop and boutique.

Details From £650 per night (raffles.com)

Ohla Hotel

Barcelona

Best for Gastro-trippers.

The look Neoclassical minimalism.

The pool On the roof of the hotel, the pool is walled with glass, the better for swimmers to gaze out over the Barcelona skyline, even when

they’re underwater.

The spa The Ohla wellness centre offers massages and holistic treatments, as well as a sauna, relaxation area and cardiovascular machines. Spice things up with

the Cinnamon Delight massage, with antioxidising, rejuvenating properties of cinnamon and cereal-germ oil.

Extras The hotel has become a favourite foodie destination in Barcelona, thanks to its restaurant, Saüc, and tapas-orientated Gastrobar headed up by Michelin-starred chef Xavier Franco.

Details From £175 per night (ohlahotel.com)

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