There was once a time when infinity pools were a novelty. In recent years, they have become the standard, and any new hotel worth its salt will have one. But despite the abundance of infinity pools in hotels nowadays, let’s face it – some do it better than others. If you’re touring Asia and an infinity pool is the one must-have item on your checklist, the hotels below may satisfy your cravings, and then some.
1. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
The daddy of all infinity pools, and the standard by which infinity pools aspire to. Set on the 57th level of the skyscraper, the 150-metre infinity swimming pool doesn’t pretend to ‘meld with the sea or ocean’, as most traditional infinity pools tend to. Instead, the pool here provides a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger of an edge, overlooking the Singapore skyline from a daunting 175 metres plus above sea-level.
2. Ayana Resort and Spa, Bali, Indonesia
Coastal Bali’s azure waters and soft sandy beaches provide a stunning background, so it’s no surprise that it also hosts some of Asia’s most stunning infinity pools. The pool at Ayana Resort and Spa stretches seamlessly into the ocean below, merely a stone’s throw away from the resort. If it were up to us, however, we’d argue the ocean looks every bit as inviting as the pool!
3. Silavadee Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand
While infinity pools can be fun to wade in, unless you’re Michael Phelps, no one can enjoy the view forever while trying to stay afloat. So the infinity pool at Silavadee Resort has come up with an answer – in-pool loungers. Now, you can enjoy pool meeting the Gulf of Thailand for as long as you like, sitting on the loungers.
4. Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali, Indonesia
Bali’s flipside, its lush hills, peppered with rice paddies, has become popular in recent years with a surge of resorts opening away from the crowded coastline. The Ubud Hanging Gardens, encompassed by trees, is no exception. To add a delightful touch, the entire hotel is designed to replicate and blend in with its surroundings, built on wooden pillars among the steep rice paddies of Ubud. The infinity pool, sitting on two levels, is cut into curved triangular shapes to mirror the nearby hills, with a view of which we’re sure the ancient fathers of Babylon would approve!
5. Intercontinental Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Singapore might have mastered it, but Hong Kong started the trend of sticking pools atop buildings in Asia. The pool at the Intercontinental Hong Kong appears to call out to Victoria Harbour, as guests enjoy the ferries, cruises, trailers and other ships sailing through the narrow harbour, with the added bonus of the silhouette of buildings forming Hong Kong’s Eastern skyline as a magnificently luminous backdrop.
