Hotels
Hotels with private pool: 8 stays where the pool is all yours
No fight for sun loungers, no towels on beds at seven in the morning. Here are eight hotels where your room or villa comes with its own pool.
You find hotels with a private pool above all in Thailand, Bali, Oman, Marrakech and the Greek islands. Pool villas are common there, and outside high season a villa with its own pool often costs less than you might think. These are eight hotels where the pool belongs to your room.
There is something special about walking straight from bed into the water. No sun lounger to reserve, no one cannonballing next to you, just the sound of the sea or the mountains and a pool that is yours all day.
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How we chose the hotels
The room or villa has its own pool, according to Hotels.com or the hotel itself.
The hotel sits somewhere worth leaving the villa for.
The list covers both long haul and Europe, across different seasons.
Asia: pool villas in the jungle and by the beach
Koh Samui
The villas climb the hillside above the sea on the north west coast of the island.
Koh Samui, Thailand: Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
Best time: December to August. Best for: couples and families who want calm, views and a beach.
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui sits in a coconut grove on the north west coast, and every villa has its own pool. From the edge of the pool you look straight out over the Gulf of Thailand, and the evening starts best with the sunset from your own terrace.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
Phuket
Banyan Tree Phuket sits by the lagoons behind Bang Tao beach.
Phuket, Thailand: Banyan Tree Phuket
Best time: November to April. Best for: couples who want spa, beach and a villa to retreat to.
Banyan Tree Phuket is known for its villas with private pools, spread around the lagoons at Bang Tao. The beach is a few minutes away, but it is easy to stay in the garden with a book and the pool to yourself.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Banyan Tree Phuket
Bali
The resort sits high on the cliffs in the south of the Bukit Peninsula.
Bali, Indonesia: Bvlgari Resort Bali
Best time: May to September. Best for: couples who want luxury, views and silence.
Bvlgari Resort Bali sits on the cliffs at Uluwatu, with villas that have their own pool and views over the Indian Ocean. Nyang Nyang beach lies below, and Uluwatu Temple is a short drive away when you want a sunset somewhere other than the water. See more in our Bali guide.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Bvlgari Resort Bali
Middle East and North Africa: pools between mountains and desert
Zighy Bay
The bay sits on the Musandam Peninsula, surrounded by steep mountains.
Musandam, Oman: Six Senses Zighy Bay
Best time: October to April. Best for: couples who want beach, mountains and a villa far from everything.
Six Senses Zighy Bay sits in a remote bay on the Musandam Peninsula, and the villas have their own pool and terrace. Some guests arrive by paraglider from the mountain, others take the car over the pass. Once there, it is all about the pool and the beach.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Six Senses Zighy Bay
Al Jabal Al Akhdar
The hotel sits high in the Hajar Mountains, on the edge of a deep canyon.
Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman: Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort
Best time: March to November, when the mountains are cooler than the coast. Best for: couples who want mountain air and views.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort sits on the edge of a canyon in the Hajar Mountains, and has villas with their own pool. In the morning the mist lies in the valley below, and in the evening the air is fresh enough for a jacket. A different Oman from the beach holiday.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort
Marrakech
Royal Mansour sits inside the city walls, close to the Koutoubia Mosque.
Marrakech, Morocco: Royal Mansour Marrakech
Best time: March to May and September to November. Best for: couples who want to combine city, souk and calm.
Royal Mansour Marrakech is made up of private riads on three floors, and each riad has its own small pool on the roof terrace. Spend the day in the souk and on Jemaa el-Fna, and come home to silence behind high walls.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Royal Mansour Marrakech
Europe: a private pool without the long haul flight
Santorini
The suites sit by the caldera, looking out over the volcanic islands.
Santorini, Greece: Elite Luxury Suites
Best time: May to October. Best for: couples who want caldera views from their own water.
Elite Luxury Suites is a small place by the caldera in Santorini, and every suite has its own pool. That means you can watch the sunset over the volcanic islands from the water, without fighting for space by a shared pool.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at Elite Luxury Suites
Costa Navarino
Costa Navarino lies on the west coast of the Peloponnese, with beaches, golf courses and olive groves.
Peloponnese, Greece: The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort
Best time: May to October. Best for: families and couples who want beach, golf and Greek food.
The Romanos sits at Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese, and many of the rooms and villas have their own pool facing the olive groves. From here it is a short drive to Navarino Bay and the old town of Pylos.
Book the pool villa: See rooms at The Romanos
When should you book a hotel with a private pool?
Pool villas are often the first to sell out. Book 3-6 months ahead in high season.
Check that the pool belongs to the room, not just a pool access wing with a shared pool.
Ask whether the pool is heated if you travel to Europe or the mountains outside summer.
Rather sleep above the water? See overwater bungalows: 8 hotels where you sleep above the lagoon.
Frequently asked questions about hotels with a private pool
Where can you find hotels with a private pool?
Hotels with a private pool are most common in Thailand, Bali, the Maldives, Oman and the Greek islands, especially Santorini. In Europe you also find pool villas in the Peloponnese, Mallorca and the Algarve.
What does private pool mean at a hotel?
A private pool belongs to your room or villa, and only you use it. It is different from pool access, where the room opens straight onto a pool shared with other rooms.
Are private pools heated?
It varies. In the tropics the water stays warm on its own, while many hotels in Europe and the mountains heat their pools. Ask the hotel before you book if you travel outside the summer season.
When is a private pool villa cheapest?
It is often cheapest in shoulder season, just before and after high season. In Thailand that is May to October, in Bali October to April, and in Greece May and October.
Are private pool villas good for families?
Yes, for many families a private pool is safer and calmer than a large shared pool. Check that the villa has a fence or gate around the pool if you travel with small children.