the world's most beautiful private pools

above: infinity pool at the oberoi wildflower hall hotel in shimla, india. no need to get too envious yet–
since it’s not a private residence it can’t officially make this list… at least not until you build one like it for yourself!

the most beautiful private pools in the world

when the heat gets too unbearable, a little bit of summer dreaming can be just what the day demands. from spectacular ocean views to personal spas, we dove into our archives to find the private pools we’d most like to jump into right now. so sit back, relax, and enjoy, just remember to reapply that sunscreen.

 
‘house on the cliff’ by fran silvestre arquitectos in calpe, spain

‘house on the cliff’ by fran silvestre arquitectos, calpe, alicante, spain
image © diego opazo, courtesy of fran silvestre arquitectos

it doesn’t seem entirely fair that a house already perched along the mediterranean coast also has a gorgeous pool, but that’s what someone wakes up to everyday in ‘house on the cliff‘ in alicante, spain. just in case you were looking for something more, an outdoor stairwell leading from the terrace to upper floors of the home frames dramatic views of the ocean and surrounding mountains.

view from the pool in ‘house on the cliff’
image © diego opazo, courtesy of fran silvestre arquitectos

 ‘st leon 10 residence’ by SAOTA in cape town

‘st leon 10 residence’ by SAOTA, cape town, south africa
image courtesy of SAOTA

an infinity pool that overlooks the coast of cape town? can it include an inset outdoor jacuzzi? and transparent pool walls that make it seem as though you’re swimming directly into the ocean? SAOTO answers even desires we never knew we had with the ‘st leon 10 residence‘, set amidst spectacular mountain and ocean views. a stone walkway and indoor bar keep the rest of the house’s architecture just as inviting as its terrace.

the pool of ‘st leon 10 residence’ features transparent walls, seemingly connecting swimmers directly to the ocean
image courtesy of SAOTA

‘head 1815’ by SAOTA in cape town

‘head 1815’ by SAOTA, cape town, south africa
all images courtesy of SAOTA

what can we say, SAOTO just knows how to do pools, and the sunny setting of south africa doesn’t hurt, either. in ‘head 1815‘, a sliding glass wall invites inhabitants outdoors, where an infinity pool seemingly cascades towards the town below, offering a stunning vista of the atlantic ocean.

‘kubik extension’ by GRAS arquitectos in majorca, spain

‘kubik extension‘ by GRAS arquitectos, majorca, spain
image © jose hevia, courtesy of GRAS arquitectos

home becomes a private oasis in this house on the spanish island of majorca. an indoor pool and spa is wrapped in a light-filled room of polished wood planks and marble floors. not that we’d mind soaking up the sun on the home’s outdoor patios and balconies, either, but the sheltering walls and open architecture of this room creates a perfectly private and relaxing retreat.

mallorca also happens to be home to one of our favourite hotel pools of all time, the pool at hotel castell dels hams designed by A2arquitectos, so even if you’re just visiting you can take a dip!

‘lavaflow 7 – mayer/penland house’ by craig steely architecture in hawaii

‘lavaflow 7 – mayer/penland house’ by craig steely architecture, big island, hawaii

image © bruce damonte
, courtesy of craig steely architecture

anything situated on the big island of hawaii is already that much closer to winning our vote, but the ‘lavaflow 7‘ house takes full and insightful advantage of every opportunity the year-round nice weather offers. a swimming pool literally divides the home in two, creating an outdoor courtyard that separates private bedrooms from the living room, and the veranda’s overhanging roof provides areas of shady respite from the island sun.

looking onto the living room and pool of the ‘lavaflow 7’ house in hawaii

swimming pool k by dmvA in belgium

dmvA: swimming pool k, grimbergen, flanders, belgium
image © frederik vercruysse, courtesy of dmvA

offering what’s definitely one of the most unusual views on this list, ‘swimming pool k‘ creates a private pool atop the roof of a former schoolhouse turned home. views of uninterrupted sky on three sides of the pool wall’s edge are pierced by the grimbergen abbey tower along the final one, creating a contrast of colours and styles.

the private swimming pool offers clear views of the sky on three walls, but is set against an abbey tower along one
image © frederik vercruysse, courtesy of dmvA

know about a private pool that’s not on our list or have a favorite of the ones above? let us know in the comments!