Hotel Pools For Non-Guests

Courtesy of W Downtown Austin

If you’ve reached your proverbial boiling point sweating away the dog days of summer, it’s time to check out one of our favorite hotel swimming pools. Thanks to dedicated day passes—and a few loopholes—you can cool off in these sweet solariums, rooftop pools, and spas without ever booking a room.

Renting a luxe cabana, for example, at the Revere Hotel in Boston will grant you all-day access to their rooftop pool. Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away, downtown Los Angeles’ year-old Ace Hotel invites visitors and locals to “vogue poolside” gratis. All they ask is that you indulge in a handcrafted cocktail. Cushy sunbeds, steam rooms, and a host of other diversions will make an afternoon spent at one of these urban retreats well worth the (often modest) price tag.

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The James New York, NYC

Courtesy of The James NY

Hit the rooftop plunge pool after 5pm on weeknights or 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer to enjoy the spectacular 360-degree views of Soho with only the purchase of a cocktail at JIMMY as your entry fee. The bar has a menu of classic cocktails featuring ingredients from the on-site chef’s garden. We recommend you kick off your leisurely evening with an Afternoon Delight, featuring St. Germain elderflower liqueur, vodka, Rosé, and a splash of soda.

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Revere Hotel Boston Common, Boston

Courtesy of Revere Hotel Boston Common

Weekend day passes cost only $30 for non-hotel guests to secure access to this oasis perched seven stories above the charming Beacon Hill neighborhood. Splurge for a small cabana, which includes towels, bottled water, and a fruit platter.

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The Colonnade Hotel, Boston

Courtesy of The Colonnade Hotel

A stone’s throw from Fenway Park and the Charles River is the Colonnade and its beloved rooftop pool. Only $15 gets you entry, though we recommend doling out $35 for all-day admission and a morning yoga class with local yogi master Rebecca Pacheco. Sun salutations by the pool? We can get down-dog with that.

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Le Parker Meridien, NYC

Courtesy of LeParker Meridien

Splurge for an all-day retreat at this upscale hotel. For $150, non-hotel guests can get fit at the Gravity fitness center (home to cardio equipment, 20,000 pounds of weights, and a jam-packed fitness schedule that includes spinning, yoga, and kickboxing) before unwinding on the sun deck. The pool is enclosed by floor-to-ceiling windows with verdant views of Central Park below.

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Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

Courtesy of Caesars Palace

You don’t need to be a high roller to enjoy the famed Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis, where seven pools suit your every whim. If the lush gardens and Romanesque pools aren’t enough, you can purchase a guest fitness center passport for $55 on weekdays or $65 on weekends (Friday–Sunday). Ladies, note that you can always enter the Venus Pool Club—home to the most beautiful sunbathers in all of Vegas, 14 cabanas, and 16 daybeds—for free.

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The Standard Hollywood, Los Angeles

Courtesy of The Standard Hollywood

Fringed with blue astroturf, this spacious, heated rooftop pool is open to non-hotel guests until midnight on weeknights and until 2 a.m. on weekends: more than enough time to cool off and splash around. Just be sure to order food or drinks. Views of Los Angeles and ping-pong tables add to the allure.

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ACE Hotel Los Angeles

Courtesy of ACE Hotel Los Angeles

Call it cozy, but this ultra-trendy rooftop pool and bar is the perfect place to recline with a cocktail in hand. The ACE hosts DJs, pool parties, and yoga classes at this public space, perched on the historic 1927 UA theater, throughout the year.

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Mondrian South Beach

Courtesy of Morgans Hotel Group

Drop $50 on food and cocktails and enjoy all-day access to a pool chair, towels, and the outdoor pool fronting Biscayne Bay. Come early for a chance to snag a hammock slung with white fur throws. Just stroll casually past the Mondrian’s striking, black, lattice-style floating staircase and out through the back doors.

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Four Seasons Chicago

Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Bathe like a Roman god in the 50-foot indoor pool, flanked with ornate columns, a domed glass ceiling, and gold accents. Just book a treatment at the Spa (a manicure will only set you back $35) and spend the rest of the day enjoying the palatial pool.

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Virgin Hotel Chicago

Courtesy of Virgin Hotel Chicago

This hotly anticipated hotel heats things up with Virgin Chicago’s Turkish- and Moroccan-inspired hammam. For only $15, you can get access to this steam bath, though the detoxifying space is complimentary if you book a spa treatment. Upgrade your experience with the Red Flower Hammam kit, which includes orange quince steam mist, cardamom amber oil, and Moroccan mint tea silt purifier.

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Scarlet Huntington Hotel, San Francisco

Courtesy of Scarlet Huntington Hotel

Views of downtown San Francisco and sweeping outdoor pool deck can be yours for the cool fee of $50, available Monday through Thursday to non-hotel guests. Otherwise, book a massage at the hotel’s Nob Hill Spa (we recommend the Ayurvedic Dosha Balancing massage for $150) to secure entry and find your center.

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The Breakers Palm Beach

Courtesy of The Breakers Palm Beach

Beach bums will love the signature “A Walk on the Beach Pedicure,” which uses products rich in sea minerals and organic algae and a seaweed-enriched mask to restore your feet. We recommend arriving early to steal away some time lounging on the Breakers’ private beach or at one of the four oceanfront pools.

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W Hotel Austin

Courtesy of W Downtown Austin

This hipper-than-thou hotel in downtown Austin offers seasonal day passes Sundays through Thursdays for $30. Private cabanas, lounge chairs, tanning shelves, two outdoor showers and a crackling fireplace make the W Austin’s WET pool deck as popular with hotel guests as with parched locals.

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Take a Dip in These Amazing Hotel Pools: No Check-In Required

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The James New York, NYC

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Revere Hotel Boston Common, Boston

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The Colonnade Hotel, Boston

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Le Parker Meridien, NYC

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Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

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The Standard Hollywood, Los Angeles

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ACE Hotel Los Angeles

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Mondrian South Beach

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Four Seasons Chicago

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Virgin Hotel Chicago

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Scarlet Huntington Hotel, San Francisco

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The Breakers Palm Beach

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W Hotel Austin

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