“Where is your favourite swimming pool?”

Accor Plus members share their favourite hotel swimming pools, from kid-friendly resort pools in Thailand to the romantic rooftop pool of a Vietnamese boutique hotel.

Accor Plus members Edward, Lia, Nick and Maria all look for very different things from a hotel pool. Discover which ones our Accor Plus members chose as their best hotel swimming pools in the world.

Wedded Bliss in Krabi

After 40 years of marriage, my wife Maureen and I have mastered the art of compromise. When we go on holiday, this usually means that she lets me spend at least one day on the golf course while she reads her magazines by the pool. The first time we went to Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, all I could think about was teeing off on the nine-hole golf course. Then I caught sight of the pool! A vast expanse of clear turquoise water winding its way through lush gardens, and as the backdrop, the glittering Andaman Sea. I’m a sucker for hotel pools with a view of the ocean, so I abandoned my golfing plans and spent the day sipping icy Singhas at the swim-up pool bar instead. This was the life I imagined when I dreamt about retirement in those last few years at work and with my Accor Plus discounts, it’s now a reality! This pool remains the only one that can tempt me away from the fairway – making it Maureen’s favourite as well. – Edward

A Moment of Peace in Phuket

Before kids, Joko and I loved sophisticated rooftop infinity pools and romantic private plunge pools. Nowadays, the only way we get to lie back and read the books we’ve been meaning to get to all year is if the kids are kept entertained. That’s why I love the main pool at Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort so very, very much. There’s a huge water slide, supervised children’s activities and (Indah and Budi’s favourite) twice-weekly foam parties. I have to admit, the foam parties brought out our inner kids too! Best of all, professional lifeguards mean that I finally feel like I’m off duty – at least until the kids come to me to judge who stole whose pool noodle first. I’ll always be on the lookout for the next Accor Plus offer so I can treat the family (and myself) again. – Lia

Romantic Singapore Staycations

I travel for business so often that it sometimes feels like my girlfriend and I are in a long-distance relationship. I like to joke that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but the truth is I do feel a bit bad. So, when I’m in town, I often use my Accor Plus discount to book a romantic staycation at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort. Its tranquil cliff-top location feels a million miles from the city, even though it’s only a 30-minute drive. The beautiful colonial pool is my favourite feature. It’s long enough for me to fit in a few lengths while Maya basks on the poolside loungers, and warm enough to spend hours relaxing together in the shallow end with cocktails from LeBar. Our time here is special – so special, in fact, that Maya often teases that it’s the Sofitel Sentosa trips she really misses when I’m away! – Nick

Rooftop Luxury in Ho Chi Minh City

Tuk-tuk rides, markets so full of colour and sound you can barely hear yourself haggling for the best price, and of course, sizzling, spice-laden street food. Exploring Ho Chi Minh City is sweaty, chaotic and utterly exhilarating! There’s no better place to cool down after all that excitement than the rooftop pool at Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery. I love the contrast of clear blue water and pale wooden decks. I also love how awesome the skyline looks on my Instagram feed. Most of all, I love the feeling of serenity after the bustle of the streets below. Admittedly we usually have to wait for a Red Hot Rooms offer to stay here, but when I look at the sheer luxury around me I’m reminded of how far we’ve come from our backpacker days. For me, this pool is the embodiment of everything Michael and I have worked so hard for – something we get to celebrate when it turns into a party hotspot after dark! – Maria