Hotels
The 6 Best Hotels With a Pool in London
London hotel pools worth the swim, from the 25 metre Vicenza stone tank under the Bulgari to the Shangri-La infinity pool on level 52. Six we would actually book.
In short: our top picks are The Bvlgari Hotel London, Shangri-La The Shard, London and The Berkeley. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
A hotel pool in London is rarely the reason you book, which is exactly why the good ones feel like such a find. Most are a sad basement rectangle wedged behind the gym, lit like a dentist’s. The handful here are not that. One sits 52 floors up with the whole city laid out beneath it. Another runs 25 metres through a colonnade of Italian stone, three floors below Knightsbridge. A couple are seasonal, open-air, and frankly more about the Aperol than the front crawl. We have swum in or properly cased all six, checked the addresses and the opening hours, and left out the famous names whose “pool” turns out to be a vitality plunge you outgrow in ninety seconds. These are the ones we would actually get changed for.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Bvlgari Hotel London | Knightsbridge | ££££ |
| Shangri-La The Shard, London | London Bridge | ££££ |
| The Berkeley | Knightsbridge | ££££ |
| Corinthia London | Whitehall | ££££ |
| One Aldwych | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Pan Pacific London | City of London | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Bvlgari Hotel London
Why we pick itThe 25 metre pool sits three floors down, clad in textured Vicenza stone and ringed by a colonnade and cabanas. It is the most dramatic hotel swim in central London, and the adjoining gold-tiled vitality pool is worth lingering in.
5-star hotel, indoor pool
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Shangri-La The Shard, London
Why we pick itThe Skypool on level 52 is the highest hotel pool in Western Europe, heated to 24C with the river and the city spread out below. Get there at 6am opening before the bar crowd arrives upstairs at GONG.
5-star hotel, infinity pool
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The Berkeley
Why we pick itA heated open-air rooftop pool that looks across Belgravia's crescents and Hyde Park, with striped loungers and a pool bar. It runs spring through summer and leans social, so come for the spritzes as much as the swim.
5-star hotel, rooftop pool
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Corinthia London
Why we pick itThe thermal floor at the Biome spa (long known as ESPA Life) is a proper subterranean retreat: indoor pool, amphitheatre sauna, ice fountain, heated marble loungers and sleep pods. The most complete wellness day of the six.
5-star hotel, spa pool
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One Aldwych
Why we pick itAn 18 metre chlorine-free pool with underwater music piped in and soft mood lighting, tucked beneath the hotel near the theatres. Quieter and less showy than the rooftop crowd, which is rather the point.
5-star hotel, indoor pool
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Pan Pacific London
Why we pick itAn 18.5 metre infinity pool kept at a warm 30C with City skyline views, on a wellness floor with saunas, steam rooms and a 24-hour gym. The strongest pool in the Square Mile, handy for Liverpool Street.
5-star hotel, infinity pool
Before you book
Most of these are guests-only or members-only, so book a room or a spa day rather than turning up in trunks. The Shangri-La Sky Pass runs about 125 pounds with a dining credit if you are not staying. Berkeley and Pan Pacific pools get busy at weekends; the Bulgari and One Aldwych keep set adult-only hours, so check times before you go. Reserve direct through each hotel.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Bvlgari Hotel London is our editor's choice: The 25 metre pool sits three floors down, clad in textured Vicenza stone and ringed by a colonnade and cabanas. It is the most dramatic hotel swim in central London, and the adjoining gold-tiled vitality pool is worth lingering in. The Bvlgari Hotel London, Shangri-La The Shard, London and The Berkeley lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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