Whether you spend your Orlando vacation theme park-hopping with the family or working on your goal of doing absolutely nothing for a few days, there’s no better way to recharge your batteries than spending some time by the pool in the Florida sunshine. Here are our choices for the best hotel pools in Orlando, including a few of our favorites at Disney and Universal resorts.
From high-energy themed pools for the kids to relaxing sanctuaries for the adults and everything in between, there is something for everyone. Let’s dive in!
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Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection
The chic European vibe of this stylish AAA Four Diamond Hotel extends all the way to the rooftop, where you’ll find the pool – an enticing splash of turquoise in a luxe white setting. Accompanied by a bird’s-eye view of the city, the pool area features a spacious deck for taking in the sun and a tent with crystal chandeliers that’s perfect for lounging with a cocktail or snacking in the shade. The pool itself isn’t that large, but it’s the surroundings that impress. If slides and water cannons are a kids’ poolside paradise, this quiet oasis is the adult equivalent.
JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
It’s the variety that makes this one of the best hotel pools in Orlando. Shared with the Ritz-Carlton, visitors can choose from several different pools on the Grand Lakes property. Whether you prefer to indulge in your own quiet paradise beside the quiet Ritz-Carlton pool or float along the JW Marriott lazy river, the choice is yours. There’s also a children’s pool and two hot tubs to enjoy, all of which are surrounded by the manicured green lawns of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club and Shingle Creek. Take in the view with a poolside meal available at the hotels’ al fresco restaurants, Quench and Blue.
The hotel recently added three water slides to the pool – two 200-foot winding water slides and one 90-foot speed water slide – which are among the tallest and fastest resort pool slides in the area. Other poolside amenities include a grill and bar for casual dining and cocktails, and a zero-entry kid’s pool with a water playground. Every week, guests can look forward to live poolside music on select days, snow cones every Saturday and a nightly poolside laser light show.
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa
The kid-friendly zero-entry pool features a shipwreck with shooting water cannons and a slide. And with two hot tubs, a sunning deck and Lani’s Luau tiki bar, hanging out around the water is just as nice. For more peace and quiet, adults can unwind by the relaxation pool where Florida sunshine, palm trees and tropical plants provide the ingredients for a stress-free vacation.
The best hotel pools in Orlando: Universal & Walt Disney World resorts
Universal Orlando Resort has five resorts on its property, all of which, as expected, have excellent pool areas. Our two favorites are the Four Diamond Rated Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort.
Music is at the center of the Hard Rock Hotel’s 12,000-square-foot pool and accompanying sand beach. There’s even an underwater sound system so that you never have to miss a beat. Plus, something fun is always going on around the pool, including weekly dive-in movies, hula hoop contests, pingpong tournaments and live DJs and music. The Loews lagoon-style pool is also set on a white-sand beach and impresses with children’s water play areas, a poolside bar and a biweekly luau with hula and fire dancers.
Book your stay at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando & Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Don’t forget that AAA members save more at Universal Orlando.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
One look at any of the several pools at this AAA Five Diamond hotel and you’ll want to dive right in. The extensive family-style pool area includes a family hangout called The Mansion, which offer activities such as outdoor table tennis, pool tables, bocce ball and two 242-foot waterslides. But the fun doesn’t end there. The hotel also has a lazy river, an interactive “Splash Zone” set among columns of ruins, an underwater audio system, a poolside smokehouse for snacks and a tranquil adults-only pool and hot tub – all within 5 miles of Main Street USA.
Disney Polynesian Village Resort And Spa
An original Walt Disney World Resort hotel, the Polynesian recently got a facelift, which included a few updates to its pool area. Following the exotic island theme, the resort’s Lava Pool features an erupting volcano structure with a waterfall and 142-foot waterslide. If you’re hungry, stop for a bite at the Barefoot Pool Bar. A brand new addition is the Kiki Tiki Splash Play area for the little ones and for the first time in Disney resort’s history, a hot tub with an infinity edge. For those hoping to be a bit more low-key, there’s the quiet Oasis Pool and Oasis Bar and Grill. Grab a Dole Whip and enjoy!
At the end of any good boardwalk you’re likely to find a carnival, and Disney’s BoardWalk is no exception. The carnival-themed Luna Park pool is so much fun. What makes it one of the best hotel pools in Orlando? It has a waterslide that looks like a roller coaster, water-spouting circus elephant statues, a kiddie pool and Leaping Horse Libations, a pool bar that looks like a carousel. Two leisure pools are also available, each with its own whirlpool spa.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is divided into six villages – Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Martinique, Barbados, Aruba and Jamaica – and each has its own leisure pool. But the main pool really impresses. The Fuentes del Morro pool is designed to look like an old Spanish citadel, with towers, water cannons and two water slides. In addition to a children’s pool, little kids will love splashing around in the shipwreck play area.
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All of the themed Disney value resorts (All-Star Music/Movie/Sports Resorts, Pop Century Resort, Art of Animation Resort) carry over their fun themes to their pool areas. For example, the Three Diamond Rated Art of Animation Resort has a “Finding Nemo” pool with an underwater sound system that transmits friendly messages from Nemo and Dory!
What do you think are some of the best hotel pools in Orlando? Share with us in the comments.
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