Don’t be that guy.
The one who sends an annual text to your friend with the pool casually asking, “Hey, what are you up to this weekend?”
Find your own stinkin’ swimming hole, care of our ranking of the six best hotel pools within reasonable driving distance of NYC.
From cabanas with Manhattan skyline views to a Hamptons spot with a VIPs-only swimming area, here’s where to take a dip.
The Williamsburg Hotel
Brooklyn
Crowd: Skews young, lively and attractive
Details: A concrete jungle oasis boasting unobstructed views of the entire Manhattan skyline, a pool, fanciful daybeds and cabanas.
Grab a bite: On-site Chef Nic Caicedo serves up a menu of fresh light bites exclusively for the roof, including shrimp ceviche with leche de tigre and tomato salsa, farro salad made with mango, cilantro, chickpeas, passion fruit and basil vinaigrette, and a lobster roll served on a house-made bun from affiliated warehouse kitchen Brooklyn Bread Lab. To boot, there’s a seasonal cocktail menu created by mixologist Rael Petit, and a curated selection of beer and wine for poolside imbibing.
Open to: Hotel guests only from 9-11 AM, and to the public with a day pass (ranging from $65 -$1,000) until 12 AM.
The Beach at Dream Downtown
Chelsea
Crowd: Exactly like a trip out East, save the bumper-to-bumper traffic
Details: NYC’s largest glass-bottom pool, with 4,800 square feet of beach (complete with Hamptons-imported sand), private cabanas, flatscreen TVs and lounges.
Grab a bite: Poolside, guests can order bites and cocktails like the Lavender Arnold Palmer or seasonally appropriate La Isla Bonita.
Open to: Hotel guests from 8 AM-8 PM and the public with day passes (starting at $65) from 11 AM-8 PM.
Ocean Resort Casino
Atlantic City, NJ
Crowd: Somewhere between Saturday night on the strip and a Sunday afternoon at Disney
Details: There are five pools; pick your poison. The Eclipse is the family-friendly option, with two pools for the munchkins. Poseidon Pool & Cabana Club is three pools, indoor and outdoor, and 13 cabanas overlooking the Atlantic for a more VIP experience.
Grab a bite: “Have a meal or 12.” After all, it’s a casino. If you’re up for putting your shoes and clothes back on, one can have an upscale affair at American Cut or Dolce Mare. But for housing fries in your trunks, the poolside service is superior as well.
Open to: Hotel guests
Hotel Dylan
Woodstock, NY
Crowd: Families and laid-pack city decampers
Details: A beautiful new gunite pool equipped with underwater speakers and surrounded by plenty of lounging chairs. Designed for “spontaneous leisure,” the hotel also boasts vinyl records, board games, ping-pong, hammocks and fire pits.
Grab a bite: The area is not hurting for culinary greatness. But we never roll through without a quick stop-off at Shindig. It’s heartwarming comfort food with a trout BLT like no other.
Open to: Hotel guests
Hard Rock Casino (2 images)
Hard Rock Casino
Atlantic City, NJ
Crowd: Less affluent than the Ocean Resort crowd, HRC is louder, but still good fun for the whole fam
Details: This Atlantic City newcomer is sporting a sprawling mega-pool littered with lighthearted floaties and surrounded by palm trees and plenty of lounge seating.
Grab a bite: They’ve got the full poolside food and beverage service on lock. But it seems silly to not throw on the sneaks and head over to the Hard Rock Cafe proper to have a burger and stay on late for some of the world-class musical entertainment rolling through town.
Open to: Hotel guests
The Maidstone
East Hampton, NY
Crowd: More mature than the typical Hamps crowd, guests here are in bed by 11 or 12
Details: Eighteen individually designed rooms with vintage accents, a coveted beach parking pass and ocean access, should you want to skip away from the pool.
Grab a bite: The Maidstone’s restaurant serves everything from breakfast to late bar snacks. It’s a seasonally driven selection culling unsurprisingly from local sources with a focus on seafood and salads.
Open to: The pool is open to VIP guests (guests who are staying at the hotel for a week or more) by invite only.
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