Caribbean resort pools (almost) as good as the beaches
Mar 08, 2019
Photo: In Jamaica, S Hotel is hip on the Hip Strip in Montego Bay, Credit: S Hotel Jamaica
By: Melanie Reffes
Source: USA Today
Skip the crowded beach by opting for a refreshing dip in a pool. Yes, Caribbean beaches are justifiably world-famous, but the region’s resort pools are no second banana. Functional and fantastic, pools run the gamut from rooftops with awesome vistas and funky bars to artistically sculpted infinity varieties with edges that seem to disappear into the ocean or the sky. Put a new spin on an old splash and take a leisurely lap around a cool pool in the Caribbean.
Jamaica
Photo: In Jamaica, the new pool at S Hotel Jamaica is a showstopper in Montego Bay, Credit: S Hotel Jamaica
South Beach meets an “irie” vibe at the splashy S Hotel Jamaica. New on the Hip Strip in Montego Bay, the sleek hotel features a pair of pools. The beachfront main pool with swim-out cabanas is pretty in blues and reds. The smaller rooftop pool on the Sky Deck impresses with views of Doctor”s Cave Beach and is outfitted with comfy sun loungers. The Pool Bar & Grill is the place to see and be seen, and has the best seat in town to indulge in cocktails and light bites at sunset. shoteljamaica.com
St. Martin and St. Maarten
Photo: The Edge pool at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is especially dramatic at night. Credit:
With views all the way to Anguilla on a clear day, the pool at the Grand Case Beach Club on the French side of the dual-nation island is perched high atop the beach and the sea. As welcoming as a warm bath, the 50-footer with a handsome deck is curvy and has lights circling the clear glass railing. Newbie swimmers will like the gradual sloped entry into the water. Close to the foodie town of Grand Case, the boutique hotel is perennially popular with afternoon siesta-takers and evening sunset-spotters who covet a seat on the pool deck. grandcasebeachclub.com
Close to the Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side of the island, a trio of pools at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort were conceived by master aquatic designer Joan Roca (yes, that’s a real job), who also created the pools at the Beach Club Reserva Conchal and the Westin Golf Resort & Spa in Costa Rica. Simply spectacular, Edge is cliff side and especially dramatic at night. Two more splash-worthy options at the adults-only all-inclusive include the Point Pool overlooking Maho Beach and the meandering pool for those staying in the swim-out suites. sonesta.com
On the south coast, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort appeals to pool aficionados, who rave about the Casita pool framed by a ginormous deck big enough to accommodate 120 chaise lounges. The freshwater pool is a perfect spot for finishing the novel you brought from home and sipping a fruity cocktail on a lazy afternoon. Pool accessories include palapas, a hot tub, fire pit and swim-up bar. diviresorts.com
Aruba
Photo: On the Palm Beach strip, crowd-pleasers include the two-story water slide and decks and cabanas made for soaking up the sunshine.
The best part of the tri-level pool complex at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino is floating over to the terracotta-tiled Balashi Bar and snagging one of the stools in the water. Fun and fruity, the thirst-quencher aptly named “Day at the Pool” takes the edge off a hot day with a blend of vodka and peach schnapps. On the Palm Beach strip, crowd-pleasers include the two-story water slide and decks and cabanas made for soaking up the sunshine. For early risers, the towel hut opens at 7 a.m. and for those staying up late, the pool hosts a light show at night. aruba.regency.hyatt.com
Anguilla
Photo: With dazzling views of Rendezvous Bay, the longest beach on Anguilla, the pool at the upscale CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa is a swanky showstopper.
With dazzling views of Rendezvous Bay, the longest beach on the small eel-shaped island across the sea from St. Martin, the pool at the upscale CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa is a swanky showstopper. The teak loungers and cabanas along the pool’s rim keep the winter-weary happy while margaritas, mojitos and piquant pizza at the adjacent Mosaic restaurant are vacation perfection. Take aqua therapy to new heights with soaks in nutrient-rich salt water at the Healing Waters Pool at The Spa by CuisinArt. cuisinartresort.com
A five-star on Shoal Bay East Beach, Zemi Beach House Hotel & Spa is a tony 65-key hotel sporting a quartet of plush pools. An eye-catcher, the oceanfront infinity pool has a unique underwater window that fronts the sea. You’ll also find an adults-only pool, 60-foot lap pool, spa pool with gentle jets and plunge pools in the beachfront suites and penthouses. Going the distance, fruit skewers and sunscreen are delivered poolside. zemibeach.com
St. Lucia
Photo: The first one you’ll see is the stunning 3,000-square-footer with a lap pool at its center and a whirlpool at its south end.
For adults only, Serenity at Coconut Bay is one pool-happy resort on the south coast. The first one you’ll see is the stunning 3,000-square-footer with a lap pool at its center and a whirlpool at its south end. The design is clever with 24 loungers in the water and aqua circle beds, shaded chaises and cabanas poolside. Butlers deliver chilled towels, sips and snacks to the deck that is shaded by coconut palms and serenaded by local musicians twice weekly. Illuminated at night with fountains sparkling in a rainbow of colors, the pool is a tropical backdrop for s”mores at the fire pits and dinner at the Greathouse restaurant. For those who need to stretch their legs, the bar is a few steps away and for couples kicking up the mojo, plunge pools are in each of the 36 suites. serenityatcoconutbay.com
British Virgin Islands
Photo: There”s a trifecta of pool pleasure at Oil Nut Bay on the eastern tip of Virgin Gorda, third-largest of the British Virgins after Tortola and Anegada.
There”s a trifecta of pool pleasure at Oil Nut Bay on the eastern tip of Virgin Gorda, third-largest of the British Virgins after Tortola and Anegada. The pools at the Beach Club are made with recycled glass and divided for different generations of swimmers: one for children, one for teenagers and one with a swim-up bar for those old enough to order a cocktail. With views open to the bay, standout features include walk-ins to the beach and a deck with oversize loungers, as well as a waterfall and grotto with in-water bar seating. oilnutbay.com
Puerto Rico
Photo: The infinity-edge pool at Sheraton Puerto Rico is the hands-down coolest rooftop pool on the island.
In the Convention Center district across the San Juan Bay from the Pan American Cruise Terminal, the infinity-edge pool at Sheraton Puerto Rico is the hands-down coolest rooftop pool on the island. Five minutes from Old San Juan, the monster pool on the fourth floor of the hotel clocks in at an impressive 57,000 square feet and is the best spot to watch the city-sized ships as they chug along the bay. At San Juan”s hippest urban resort, pool partiers flock to the Infinity Pool Bar & Grill for pairings like fish tacos and shots of Bacardi Superior White Rum. marriott.com
Antigua
Photo: The Jacuzzi at The Spa at the Curtain Bluff Resort in Antigua is big enough to be a pool.
On the south coast, where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Jacuzzi at The Spa at the Curtain Bluff Resort is big enough to be a pool. Built on the edge of a rock for uninterrupted views of the neighboring islands of Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, it”s a stunner at sunset and a shady retreat from the noon sun. A seashell away from the beach, the main pool is surrounded by traveler palms. With a free-form design and two 75-foot lap lanes, the pool is ideal for an aquatic class at one end, lap swims in the middle and splashing around in the shallow end. For those who covet personal pool time, swanky suites are outfitted with plunge pools. curtainbluff.com
At 15,000 square feet, the Mediterranean Village Pool at Sandals Grande Antigua is the longest freshwater pool on the island. The big dip is one of six large pools and a gaggle of smaller pools at the all-inclusive that fronts Dickenson Bay. With a swim-up bar and a six-pack of whirlpools, the biggest pool at the 373-room all-inclusive is the centerpiece on the northwest coast. For privacy-seekers, villas come with plunge pools, whirlpools and butlers who keep them neat. Should you be staying elsewhere on the island, you can buy a day pass for $210 that includes unlimited pool time and all you can eat and drink in seven bars and 11 restaurants. sandals.com
Trinidad
Photo: Overlooking a steady parade of clunky oil barges making their way to Venezuela, the rooftop pool at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad seems a world away from the busy capital city (actually just a short walk from the high-rise hotel).
You can lounge all day at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on Wrightson Road in Port-of-Spain, where views from the mirror-smooth rooftop pool are mesmerizing. Overlooking the Gulf of Paria and a steady parade of clunky oil barges making their way to Venezuela, the infinity pool seems a world away from the busy capital city (actually just a short walk from the high-rise hotel). The deck that hosts chaises and cabanas also serves bar fare like grilled mahi mahi and rummy daiquiris. trinidad.regency.hyatt.com
