Cool Pools for Hot Months

There’s no shortage of amazing poolscapes across Greater Miami & Miami Beach – and when the temperature heats up, there’s no better place to cool down. Here’s our guide to the most impressive swimming and lounge pools in Miami, from pools at lavish hotels to refreshing public pools. Just jump in, the water’s fine.

The Confidante Miami Beach

A jewel of mid-century Miami Modern design, The Confidante Miami Beach hotel on Collins Avenue is situated inside a building that dates back to 1955. Updated by celebrated interior designer Martin Brudnizki, the hotel is home to one of Miami Beach’s most playful and inviting poolscapes. Two rectangular pools are lined with yellow-striped lounge chairs and blue-striped giant umbrellas scattered on a tiered grassy lawn with matching cabanas and lush foliage. Before you reach the pool, you’ll find a lovely, landscaped pond with al fresco dining at The Backyard, allowing you to enjoy a meal poolside in a stylish lounge area without missing any sun. Day passes start at $30.

Flamingo Park Aquatic Center, Miami Beach

While Greater Miami & Miami Beach is known for its lavish hotel pools, it’s also home to plenty of public swimming pools. South Beach’s state-of-the-art Flamingo Park Aquatic Center is one of the best. With an eight-lap swimming pool for adults that’s kept at a comfortable temperature year-round and a kid’s pool with a shallow water splash area, it’s a wonderful amenity for both the local community and visitors alike. Set inside the lovely Flamingo Park, there’s also a community tennis center onsite. This 36-acre public park and facility is free for the whole family.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Designed in 1954 by MiMo master architect Morris Lapidus, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach was a playground for the Rat Pack in the 1950s. Its pool area served as the location for the opening scene of James Bond’s "Goldfinger." With 11 distinct pools spanning the glamorous oceanfront hotel, you can choose the massive, free-form, Bowtie pool (a reference to the hotel’s original marble lobby flooring design), the private Oasis pool or the children’s waterscape, complete with a winding waterslide. There are also multiple daybed, cabana and lounge chair options.

The National Hotel Miami Beach

Designed in 1939 by legendary Art Deco architect Roy France, the historic National Hotel Miami Beach boasts all the hallmarks of that era: original terrazzo flooring, chrome sconces, a curvilinear recessed ceiling and polished hardwood finishes. The vintage glamour extends to the poolscape, where you’ll find the longest swimming pool in South Beach at 205 feet. Relax in the pool with a cocktail in hand and enjoy the scenery. The National Hotel’s Aqua Club restaurant offers an abundance of food and cocktails served by attentive staff, poolside or right from your lounge chair. A pool day pass will cost you $45. The resort is adults-only.

Novotel Miami Brickell

Located in a surprisingly tranquil corner of Brickell, Novotel Miami hotel overlooks a rare nature preserve in the heart of the city. The pretty-in-pink rooftop pool, with plush lounge furniture and an accent wall painted in a blush monochromatic palm frond motif, is a chic oasis for a relaxing day with inspiring views of Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami’s skyline. On Saturdays, the rooftop plays host to morning yoga classes and live DJs take over in the afternoon for Sunset Sessions parties, with food and drink specials at Vista rooftop bar. Day passes start at $50.

SLS Brickell

With three SLS hotels in Greater Miami & Miami Beach, SLS Brickell was the second to open and the first built from the ground up by local architectural firm Arquitectonica, with interior design by the whimsical hospitality legend Philippe Starck. The property features a sprawling ninth-floor rooftop pool deck, along with three swimming pools flanked by cushy striped lounge chairs and cabanas with great views of Biscayne Bay and the Downtown Miami skyline. Starck’s signature oversized rubber ducky sits atop a black-and-white Spanish tile deck, and DJs spin on the weekends for a hip scene. Day passes start at $50.

The Standard Miami Beach

When you’re craving a Zen pool day in a hip setting, look no further than The Standard Miami Beach, floating on Belle Isle just off the Venetian Causeway. The spacious lobby opens up to a labyrinthine garden with hanging chairs and fire pits hidden amid the hedges. This leads to a zero-entry pool, where music is piped in underwater. Above the surface, take in scenic views of Biscayne Bay, surrounded by lemon-yellow lounge chairs and boho umbrellas. A hot tub with a cascading waterfall, a cold plunge to dunk yourself in and a deluge shower, designed to pound the muscles in your shoulders like a deep-tissue massage, round out the offerings on this dockside poolscape. Close by, The Standard’s trendy Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill is available for pool service ordering. Day passes start at $75.

Strawberry Moon at the Goodtime Hotel

The first hotel collaboration between Miami hospitality kingpin David Grutman and superstar musician Pharrell Williams, The Goodtime Hotel recently burst onto the scene on South Beach’s Washington Avenue. On the rooftop, find the high-energy, Mediterranean-inspired Strawberry Moon restaurant/bar and day-to-night swim club – a major draw with its pretty Deco-pink cabanas and palm frond sculptures designed by Ken Fulk (not to mention the DJ-fueled Daylife weekend pool parties). You’ll also find an indoor-outdoor gym with a sculptural muscle beach-style workout station here. Day passes start at $50.

Surfside Community Center

If you’re staying in the charming residential beach town of Surfside, an added perk is access to its beloved oceanfront Surfside Community Center, which includes recreational swimming pools with lap lanes, a plunge pool and water slide, a children’s activity pool and Jacuzzi. Additionally, out-of-water perks include locker rooms, wellness classes and a walk-up cafe counter. It’s one of the town’s points of pride and they’re happy to share it with visitors. Residents with a current resident ID card may bring up to five guests per household per day for $5/guest.

Venetian Pool

The Venetian Pool might just be the most unique watering hole you’ll ever dip your toes into. Built out of a coral rock quarry in the heart of Coral Gables, the 820,000-gallon pool is fed by natural spring water from an underground aquifer and is filled and drained daily. Bathers can enjoy grottoes, a waterfall and a sandy beach area. There’s even a signature Venetian-style bridge that will transport you to another world. Admission is $15 per adult for non-residents. The pool is open from February through November.