Though Miami's heat lingers all year long, summer is prime time to see and be seen in this sunny metropolis. Get your trend on at these top hotel pools, dip your feet and get that Miami bronze we all long for over the summer.
Delano Hotel The huge infinity pool -- also known as its "water salon" -- at the Delano is a South Beach attraction unto itself. Live DJs, tasty food and drink, posh cabanas, and bungalows make for a sceney but still relaxing retreat -- at least during the day, before the hordes of nonguests come to party. Music plays underwater, and an ornate silver table and chairs sit right in the pool. In front of the Philippe Starck-designed pool is a beautiful orchard of crisply manicured trees. A giant chessboard and huge mirror within the orchard, like the giant chair in the lobby, helps to create a surreal, Alice in Wonderland atmosphere.
Marriott Doral Golf Resort And Spa
Unique to Miami, the Marriott Doral Golf Resort has a massive “Blue Lagoon” water park. Two lagoon-like pools connect by a waterway that passes under a wooden bridge, and behind them is an actual lagoon with lily pads. For the grown-ups, there’s drinks service at the bungalows and plenty of lounge chairs. For kids, there’s the Camp Doral kids’ club, with its activities and kiddie pool dubbed the “Tad Pool.” For everyone, there’s the 125-foot “Blue Monster Slide.”
The Ritz-Carlton South Beach
Drawing families and low-key couples, the cross-shaped pool at the Ritz-Carlton is large enough to swim a proper lap — a fairly rare thing in South Beach. Plus, it comes with an excellent view of the ocean.
Shore Club
One of South Beach’s most infamous party hotels, the Shore Club packs the pool with 20-somethings pounding beers at Rumbar. DJs spin insider tunes from up-and-coming musicians like French MC Yelle and Robyn (Sweden’s answer to Gwen Stefani).
The Setai
Three pools, each at a different temperature (75, 85, and 90 degrees Fahrenheit) for a warm plunge with the Setai’s hot clientele. The pools are surrounded by what may be the most beautifully manicured grounds in all of South Beach.
The Raleigh Hotel
The Raleigh’s free-form saltwater pool is where Esther Williams cavorted in The Million Dollar Mermaid and models strutted in 2008 for the annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week swimsuit extravaganza. But on most days, this laid-back pool is better for basking in the classic, black rubber inner tubes or chowing down some mini-burgers at the nearby restaurant.
Mondrian South Beach
Located off the beach, the Mondrian — just opened in 2009 — comes with a beautiful, bow-shaped infinity pool overlooking the Biscayne Bay. Guests can step into one of the fantastic outdoor living rooms for some shade or pay a fee for a large, souped-up cabana.
Fontainebleau Resort Miami Beach
An enormous lagoon-shaped pool, surrounded by smaller dipping pools and Jacuzzis, beckons from the lobby. Many families are drawn to the sunbeds, but guests can splurge on the posh VIP cabanas, which sport 32-inch flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi.
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