Middle of July and we all wish we were heading to the pool.
Architectural Digest just came out with a slideshow of 15 amazing pools around the world. The ads are super annoying though - so I will just share some of my tops!
The common threads that runs through these destinations are their incredible connection to raw nature - as well as their impeccable design and excellent execution in installation. All three elements I appreciate in any project, luxury or not.
First, a huge shout out to my home state of Utah! I will see you in a few months! (Though probably not this place.)
AMANGIRI
CANYON POINT, UTAH
Tucked within a remote valley in the middle of the Four Corners—the area of the Southwest where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona all meet—the three-year-old Amangiri resort was designed to blend seamlessly into its breathtaking desert surroundings. Created by Adrian Zecha in collaboration with architects Marwan Al-Sayed, Wendell Burnette, and maestro of the desert Rick Joy, the 34-suite hotel abounds with awe-inspiring details, but perhaps the most impressive is the extraordinary swimming pool—built around a massive, 165-million-year-old Entrada sandstone rock escarpment, it snakes through the rugged terrain and is surrounded by luxurious king-size daybeds. amanresorts.com
I love blue on blue when it comes to pools visually merging into the ocean.
ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH
NORTH MALE ATOLL, MALDIVES
Set on a private island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, this tropical paradise, which opened in 2005, consists of 130 intimate villas scattered across white-sand beaches and lushly landscaped grounds. The property showcases more than 50 different pools, including a gorgeous, adults-only lap pool that extends over 100 feet into the crystal-clear waters of a lagoon. Its carved-stone bed is the perfect place to relax and bask in the sun.reethirah.oneandonlyresorts.com
Anyone who has kept track of luxury resorts has seen these pools - a favourite one to publish!
UBUD HANGING GARDENS
BALI, INDONESIA
Perched on a steep embankment next to terraced rice fields that overlook the lush Ayung river gorge, this Orient-Express hotel consists of 38 Balinese-style villas that appear to float down the hillside. Just as dramatic is its split-level infinity pool, designed by the French architect Gordon Shaw. Lined with Batu Chandi volcanic stone and consisting of geometric walls of solidified volcanic ash, the striking bi-level pool is suspended over a dense rainforest, with an undulating shape that echoes the surrounding terrain. ubudhanginggardens.com
It's as if the ocean has receded, leaving this pool of water behind...
FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI AT HISTORIC KA’UPULEHU
KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII
Located on the exclusive Kona-Kohala coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, this 32-acre resort is dotted with picturesque guest bungalows, white-sand beaches, and a championship golf course. The property also boasts seven swimming pools, including King’s Pond, a 1.8-million-gallon natural one carved out of lava, which is home to more than 3,000 tropical fish. Subterranean channels fill the pond with ocean water that ebbs and flows with the tide, and snorkeling equipment is provided to guests. fourseasons.com
Those desert sands as a backdrop makes my jaw drop.
QASR AL SARAB RESORT BY ANANTARA
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Water is a recurring theme throughout this sprawling 206-room desert resort, from the terra-cotta jars outside the entrance (traditionally provided by locals for travelers to quench their thirst) to the tranquil stream running through the arid grounds. Not surprisingly, then, the swirling free-form pool is one of the hotel’s defining features—set among towering palm trees and otherworldly sand dunes, it is a true oasis. qasralsarab.anantara.com
There are a few other really great ones! Then some...that aren't so much, for me anyway. Here's a link to the feature if you want to see the rest...and endure all the advertising noise around it...