Travel Hotel Pools Guide

Dripping with sweat, and not in a sexy Wild Things way? Salvation lies at these (literally) cool hotel pools, which are sometimes open for use by anyone, whether or not they're guests. Come on in, the water's fine—and often, so are the wet bods in the skimpy suits. —Lonny Pugh

The Standard Downtown LA

Steve Aoki and his crew are gone, but the crowds taking a dip in the pool at this alterna-tubular rooftop bar are not. Sometimes, a cover charge is worth every sun-drenched penny.

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Thirty-dollar day passes for this killer pool are sold at the hotel's Ocean Sky Spa and Fitness Center every Monday through Thursday.

W Hotel Los Angeles Westwood

Now that Nine Thirty chef Jack Yoss has expanded his reach to include the hotel's spacious and green poolside patio, the crowds have rightfully expanded as well. Reservations are needed to get a table on the weekends; once inside, the pool's right there.

Viceroy--Santa Monica

Sundays from July 23 to September 17, the Viceroy's poolside playpen welcomes "Summer Sessions." The crowd here is generally of the dress-to-impress-even-when-casual variety, but the surroundings and a beachside breeze are a welcome setting for a sun-kissed (and/or mojito-fueled) afternoon. Included: DJs, food from Whist chef Warren Schwartz and dessert in the form of eye candy. Clearly, this is not a bring-the-water-wings kind of pool party, but nobody will get hauled out for diving in.

The info you put re: the viceroy pool party is incorrect. you got the info off a press release from 2006. I just called the Viceroy front desk and they said the pool party is no longer going on.

Posted 07/28/08 11:44PM PDT by Eugene