Our pick of the best swim-up rooms

What exactly is a swim-up room?

A swim-up room gives you direct access to the pool. Rooms on the ground floor of the hotel are connected to the pool via a terrace, so you can step straight into the water. And swim-up suites on the first or second floors are connected to the pool by a short set of stairs. Either way, you can go from bed to pool in seconds and don’t, technically, need to leave your room for a swim and sunbathing session. 

1. Royalton White Sands – Jamaica

You can VIP your holiday at this hotel with a swim-up suite. These rooms come complete with direct access to a pool, a pair of in-water loungers and a furnished terrace. Plus, membership to the hotel’s Diamond Club is included, so you’ll get exclusive perks like access to a private club lounge, premium drinks and snacks, and a separate beach area and bar. What’s more, the lagoon-like main pool, which has snagged a beachside spot, features a swim-up bar. So, you’ll barely ever have to set foot outside the water.

As its name suggests, the Royalton White Sands sits on the edge of a seashell-coloured beach. It’s got a stylish feel and its activities programme covers everything from cooking classes to reggae sessions. When it comes to food, this place goes all out with its selection of five restaurants. Along with an international selection of dishes, healthy eaters and little ones are covered with specialised spreads in the buffet restaurant. And the à la cartes focus on sushi, steaks, Italian, and American fare.

You’ll find this hotel in the sleepy region of Trelawny, in Jamaica. It’s speckled with sandy stretches, including powder-soft Braco Beach. Make tracks inland and you’ll find Cockpit Country, the island’s biggest rainforest.

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2. Holiday Village Rhodes – Greece

Holiday Village Rhodes, from our sister company First Choice, is designed with families in mind. You’ll be pleased to hear that the swim-up rooms are kid-friendly, too. There are loads for you to choose from, including a deluxe family swim-up, double swim-up room, and even a family swim-up room with a terrace and hot tub.

You can even go one step further and opt for a deluxe suite with your own private pool. Whichever option you choose, you’ll be just a few metres away from the water at all times. This activity-based hotel also lines up an adventure splash park and an Aerial Adventure high ropes course, as well as archery, raft-building, and volleyball.

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3. JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort – Thailand

This hotel's seriously stylish swim-up rooms back onto the main pool at the resort – which just happens to be South East Asia’s longest – and come with a terrace, sun loungers and a parasol. You won’t want to leave the room for the entire holiday.

When you do manage to tear yourself away, you’ve got four restaurants to choose from, loads of activities like mountain biking and cooking classes to get stuck into, and the hotel is conveniently located right next to the beach, too. There’s also a luxury spa, with treatments like body scrubs and therapy baths, and a kids’ club to keep little ones entertained.

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4. TUI BLUE Adriatic – Croatia

The TUI BLUE Adriatic is reserved just for adults, so whether you want your retreat to be romantic or relaxing, this peaceful place is the one for you. The scenery will have you reaching for your camera, too – the hotel sits at the base of one of Croatia’s signature pine-cloaked mountains.

When it comes to swim-ups, you’ve got a few options at this place. Opt for a swim-up double and you’ll get a terrace with sea views and – of course – steps into the water. Or, treat yourself to a swim-up junior suite and, as well as having more space inside, you’ll get a bottle of wine on your arrival to sip on your pool-edged terrace.

The infinity-edged main pool faces on to the ocean, so expect views that seem almost endless. Want something to sip while you take it all in? Choose between a duo of bars – one of them specialises in mojitos. And for food, this place offers up three restaurants. The buffet restaurant features two live cooking stations and plates up international fare. Or, select a steak at the grill restaurant. You can tuck in at TUI BLUE For Two's signature Culinarium restaurant, too, which lines up the likes of seafood and local delicacies.

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5. TUI BLUE El Dorado Seaside Suites – Mexico

The TUI BLUE El Dorado Seaside Suites puts the romance into couples’ escapes. It’s set on a secluded, palm-backed stretch of sand and lines up poolside butler service, Jacuzzi® rooms as standard and plenty of gourmet dining options for those romantic dinners. You can also upgrade your junior suite to a swim-up suite, so you can step straight from your terrace into the long lazy river and switch between Jacuzzi® and pool as you please.

Pick a premium swim-up suite and you’ll also get little extras like an aromatherapy menu and access to a private area with concierge service and poolside butler service. When you need to refuel after all that swimming, sunbathing and being waited on, you can make the most of the Gourmet Inclusive® set-up at this hotel and dine in style with dishes prepared by international chefs.

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6. The Haven Khao Lak – Thailand

The hotel’s swanky swim-up rooms look out onto the gardens and offer direct access to an infinity-edged pool. Once you’ve had your fill of swimming, there’s a pair of cushioned loungers for you to kick back on. Want to dial up the luxury even more? Why not upgrade to a private villa? A whirlpool bath, reserved just for you, comes as part of the package with these premium suites.

The setting here couldn’t be more picture-perfect. In front of the hotel, a smattering of palms is all that separates the grounds from the honey-hued sands of Khuk Khak Beach. Behind it, you’ll find a natural lagoon. Plus, pools wind their way all around the hotel’s gardens, so it’s no wonder that swim-up rooms are on offer.

Hotel rooms and swimming pools aren’t the only exciting pairing this place serves up. You can tuck in to some Thai-Italian fusion food at the hotel’s à la carte. Fresh-from-the-net seafood is dished up here and there’s a long list of fine wines to accompany it. The Sundial buffet restaurant, the Angel Wing bar and café, and the swim-up bar will keep you fed and watered, too.

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7. Hotel Tasia Maris – Cyprus

The swim-ups here come with a pair of loungers and tropical greenery serves as a backdrop to the pool. Thanks to the huge glass door that opens out on to the terrace, you’ll feel even closer to the water – even when you’re lying on your bed.

Location-wise, this adults-only hotel’s a winner. Not only do you have a sandy beach barely a minute’s walk away, but stroll for 15 minutes and you’ll be at bright-white Nissi Beach. Here, you’ll find buzzing bars, well-stocked shops and a range of restaurants.

There’s plenty of elbow room in the massive main pool, which is accessorised with rock formations, water features and a little bridge that you can swim underneath. It’s got its own swim-up bar, and the marble-floored lounge bar and the Sol y Maris beach bar dishes out drinks, too. And when you’re hungry, pick between the buffet restaurant and the sea-view 5ONE à la carte, which deals in specialities like swordfish.

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Ready to book your swim-up room?

Browse our  best luxury holiday deals. Then, check out the hotels where you’ll get a private hot tub in your room, or take a look at the best hotels with swim-up bars and our favourite hotels with infinity pools.

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Author: Selina Akhtar and Hannah Stratton