best hotel swimming pools

ThisMay saw the unveiling of a revamped classic the art deco Piscine Molitor in Paris. Originally opened in 1929 its two pools (one indoor one outdoor) were hugely popular with local swimmers until they closed in 1989. Now though the pools have been completely restored and form the centrepiece of the new Molitor Paris by MGallery a luxury hotel complex. Rooms at the hotel start fromaround US$334per night.

Its nearly 70 years since Life Magazine named the pool at the Raleigh in Miami Beach

Set high on a hilltop terrace the dramatic infinity pool at Alila Ubud in Bali almost seems to float above the Ayung river valley far below. From here views stretch out across the lush green jungle home to the monkeys that make regular poolside appearances and if the tranquillity all gets too much the buzz of Ubud Balis cultural centre is only minutes away.

Amazing what a difference it makes when you ditch the traditional blue tiles lining your swimming pool and replace them with something a little bolder. The

The 24 infinity pool sanctuaries at Jade Mountain in St Lucia all have a private pool with views of the Caribbean Sea and the Pitons the islands famous volcanic peaks. With one wall of each room completely missing the pools all with their own unique shapes and colour schemes flow seamlessly on from the living and bedroom areas. Theyre lined with one-of-a-kind glass tiles and equipped with fibre optics so at night you can light them up in whatever colour suits your mood.

The latticework shell that curves above the rooftop pools at theYas Viceroy Abu Dhabi doesnt just provide some much-needed shelter from the fierce Arabian sun catch it at the right time and it also casts photogenic geometric shadows on the water below. After sundown it goes one better as the built-in lighting system sends a succession of different colours washing across the surface.

Swim to the far end of the rooftop pool at Gothenburgs Avalon Hotel a member ofDesign Hotels and theres a surprise in store when the building comes to an end the pool carries on with a clear floor that allows you to gaze down on the pedestrians in the square several storeys below. Splash out and rent the penthouse suite and youll get the pool all to yourself in the mornings and evenings.

When youre staying 12000ft (3658m)up as you do when you check in to theSt Regis Lhasa Resortin Tibet its only wise to take things easy while you acclimatise. Luckily the hotels Iridium Spa has the perfect place to relax in the form of its Gold Energy Pool lined with thousands of golden tiles and filled with salt water thats kept at a constant temperature of 28 to 32C.

They know how to do cool pools in Miami Beach. At theSetai in the heart of South Beach the trio of temperature-controlled infinity pools is now looking swisher than ever following a major refurb that saw them resurfaced with Spanish glass mosaic tiles and the decks around them laid with Italian travertine. In the hotel lap pool swimmers can now plug in their smart phones or music players and listen to their own playlists through underwater speakers

Lots of hotels claim to be fit for a king or queen but in the case of theRoyal Mansour Marrakechits actually true. The hotel was commissioned by Moroccos King Mohammed Vl and is made up of 53 beautifully furnished riads that showcase high-end Moroccan craftsmanship. Best of all each riad has its own roof terrace and pool where you can splash around in the sun or lie back at night and watch the stars light up above.