The modern traveler is increasingly difficult to impress; classic luxury perks like high-thread-count linens, plush bathrobes, and even beautiful views have become a given. But there's one hotel amenity that never fails to delight even the most seasoned traveler: the in-room plunge pool.
At many top properties, private pools have graduated from a luxury perk to a suite's pièce de résistance. At the Ladera Resort in St. Lucia, they're the focal point of every villa--perched on cliff's edge, like waterfalls cascading into the Caribbean Sea a thousand feet below. At the Conrad Maldives, they're the centerpiece of select overwater bungalows, jutting dramatically over the Indian Ocean.
They're not exclusive to breezy island resorts, either: at India's Lodhi boutique hotel, compact suites are outfitted with in-room pools overlooking the twinkling New Delhi skyline. In the heart of Cartagena, Colombia, courtyard splash pools at the Casa San Agustin offer leafy respite from the bustling urban surrounds, and at Hong Kong's InterContinental Hotel, rooftop dips come with sunset vistas over busy Kowloon.
Budget-conscious travelers can get in on the action, too: at the Blue Lime Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, modest rooms with their own private saltwater pools start at only $85. And at Indonesia's Novotel Bali, freestanding thatched-roof villas with courtyard pools go for as low as $290 during off-season. Whatever your taste and budget, there's a private plunge pool out there to suit you.
Here are a few we suggest diving into.
--By Krisanne Fordham
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