Prerna Makhija

Mumbai’s surrounded by water, which is a cruel joke if you enjoy swimming. The sea only looks lovely from a distance; public pools involve timings, lane discipline and silicone caps so tight you give up trying to put one on and go home dry. Private club pools are private in the way only old Bombay gymkhanas can be private – bureaucratic, faintly feudal and lovely if you already happen to be inside. Hotel pools are the loophole. Many of the city’s best ones are open to non-resident guests through day passes, brunch packages, spa access or memberships, though you usually have to call and ask nicely.  Lucky for you, we’ve done the admin. Some of these pools are long enough for proper cardio; most are better for lounging with a drink and a club sandwich. A few come with whirlpools, cabanas, steam and sauna rooms, padel courts or direct beach access. There are Juhu old-timers that remind us of childhood because, wonderfully, they still look the same and then there’s the newer, shinier pools with recovery menus and biohacking add-ons like cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers. We’ve picked pools that are clean, well-run and generous with space, which matters in a city that gives you so little of it. We’ve tried enough of them to say this with conviction – Mumbai’s pool scene is much better than anyone will tell you. Here are our top picks.