Cool off this summer at one of these hotel and rooftop pools in NYC open to the public (for a fee).
You know that peak summer feeling: sweating on the subway, baking on the sidewalks… the unrelenting heat and humidity makes you crave a dip in a cold pool. While the city is home to a number of public pools, sometimes you’re looking for the whole shebang—poolside cocktails, towel service, a cabana with friends and maybe a DJ—the kind of setup you’ll find at a swanky hotel or resort.
Well, you’re in luck: you too can enjoy some amazing hotel rooftop pools in NYC. For a fee, some of the top hotels in the city open their pools, and all the poolside amenities, to the public. Once you procure a day pass, you’ll be splashing it up like you’re on vacay, kicking back on a chaise lounge with a cocktail in hand. Many of these hotel pools double as rooftop bars, so you’re in for a real summertime party.
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The Rockaway Hotel + Spa’s outdoor heated pool is officially open for the season. Surrounded by loungers and cabanas, the buzzy outdoor pool area features cedar sauna access, upbeat music and craft cocktails complete with a full menu.
Where: 108-10 Rockaway Beach Drive, Queens
How much: $50-$100, some with minimum spend requirements; book here
What's included: Pool access, a towel, wifi and water
Best for: A relaxing, upscale getaway
Hotel Indigo’s modern, open-air sun deck and stunning 70-foot, heated pool provide spectacular views of Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline. Officially called Aliya Cocktail Den & Pool Club, the space recently underwent a renovation, so it's made for your Instagram feed. The cocktail den is a speakeasy-inspired space that opens up to the panoramic pool deck.
Where: 500 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn
How much: $80-$200; book here
What's included: Pool access, a towel, wifi and showers
Best for: An adults-only escape
The 1960s-themed hotel’s rooftop infinity pool and observation deck is an experience like no other as planes fly directly above you. The heated infinity pool is actually cooled down for the summer and purified every 30 minutes. Of course, for New Yorkers traveling to the pool for the day or weekend, it’s best to book a room, which comes with free pool access.
Where: One Idlewild Drive, Queens
How much: Adult reservations start at $50; kids at $20; book here
What's included: Pool access, a towel and wifi
Best for: A unique family-friendly adventure
Good news for Williamsburg residents who enjoy swimming, drinking and getting a tan in a luxurious setting: The William Vale boasts a 60-foot heated pool that is open to the public seven days a week during the summer. Check out the picturesque setting for yourself by reserving a day pass. You can even add on a sauna or hot tub session.
Where: 111 North 12th Street, Brooklyn
How much: $105-$250; book here
What's included: Pool access and wifi; some price points do not include seating
Best for: Skyline views and swimming — it's the longest outdoor hotel pool in the city
This hotel glass-bottom pool setup resembles a Hamptons oasis, which is complete with sand imported from the popular vacation spot as well as private cabanas with flat-screen TVs. Relax in the lounge while sipping on a cold drink before floating on an inflatable unicorn.
Where: 355 West 16th Street, Manhattan
How much: $110-$160; book here
What's included: Pool access and lounge chair
Best for: A taste of Miami in NYC
At West 42nd between 11th and 12th streets, Life Time SkyDeck provides a breathtaking backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and music, libations and events all summer long. You can book a private cabana and enjoy bites and cocktails next to two beautiful, infinity-edge pools! Non-members can visit with a day pass to the club on the weekends.
Where: 605 W 42nd Street, Manhattan
How much: $150-$200; book here
What's included: Pool access
Best for: An escape above the skyscrapers
The Arlo Williamsburg (formerly the Williamsburg Hotel) boasts a pool and high-top lounge offering unobstructed views of Manhattan’s skyline. When you need to relax after swimming laps, enjoy sipping martinis and champagne at ART Williamsburg—an elevated, sky-high drinkery. Extra bonus: There's a poolside DJ every Sunday.
Where: 96 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn
How much: $115-$145; book here
What's included: Pool access, towel service, wifi; some options come with guaranteed seating
Best for: A vibey spot with excellent cocktails
Make a splash in Long Island City at the Summer Club where DJs will be spinning tunes all season during special events as you float and drink in its 4-foot-deep, 50-foot-long pool. It’s open seven days a week.
Where: 8-08 Queens Plaza S, Queens
How much: $75; book here
What's included: Pool access, lounge chair, towel service, wifi
Best for: A buzzy energy that always feels like a party
This luxury hotel by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson opened in 2023 in the NoMad district with over 450 guest rooms, suites and penthouses, plus a heated outdoor pool club offering day passes.
Where: 1227 Broadway, Manhattan
How much: $50-$150; book here
What's included: Pool access, towel service, wifi; some options include reserved chairs
Best for: A daycation without leaving Manhattan
Margaritaville is a party inside, from the heated pool and rooftop patio with the adjoining Landshark Bar & Grill to the stunning 360-degree views from the 31st and 32nd floors of the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar. If you don’t mind the Parrothead aesthetic, you can get a day pass to hang out at the pool. Get there early (it opens at 10am) because it closes at 4pm.
Where: 1227 Broadway, Manhattan
How much: $100-$150; book here
What's included: Pool access, towel service, wifi, first-come, first-served chairs
Best for: Tropical vibes and margaritas, of course
A rooftop lounge, nightclub and rooftop pool, Somewhere Nowhere is perched on the 39th floor of Chelsea’s Renaissance Hotel. The club, which claims to be the tallest hotel rooftop with a pool in New York City offering an immersive escape, serves up 360-degree views of Manhattan that you can enjoy poolside. There's a DJ on Saturdays.
Where: 112 West 25th Street, Manhattan
How much: $100; book here
What's included: Pool access, towel service, wifi, outside shower, first-come, first-served chairs
Best for: Exquisite views and party vibes
Technically this spot isn’t in NYC, but to experience the country’s largest and most accommodating Korean Spa, it’s worth the quick jaunt to Jersey. It’s unlikely that you’ll even cover the whopping eight floors of treatments that this relaxation arena offers, including nine pools (including an open-air hydrotherapy pool and rooftop infinity pool), seven sauna rooms, a restaurant and adjoining hotel, but we dare you to try.
Among the highlights at this full-service facility are the spectacular rooftop infinity pool, which offers an untouchable view of the NYC skyline.
Where: 660 River Road, Edgewater, New Jersey
How much: $110+; book here
What's included: Access to all pools, baths and saunas; a locker, towels and robe
Best for: Spoiling yourself with complete relaxation
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