Swim-Up Suites: The Best Resorts by Destination

The Short Answer

For the widest choice of swim-up suites, go to Cancun or Punta Cana. Both have big all-inclusive resorts with several swim-up room types, and the water is warm all year. Our overall pick is Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres, north of Cancun, where every swim-up suite has its own pool on the terrace and there are versions for families and for adults only.

• Adults only: Excellence Punta Cana, Barceló Maya Riviera in the Riviera Maya, or Riu Latino in Cancun. See our adults-only guide.
• With kids: Majestic Mirage in Punta Cana or Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres in Cancun, which have family swim-up suites. Many family resorts keep their swim-ups for adults, so check our family guide.
• A pool of your own: most swim-up pools are shared with neighboring rooms. Our private-pool guide lists the rooms where the water is yours alone.
• Summer in Europe: Crete, Antalya and Cyprus have lagoon pools and swim-up rooms from about May to October.

Choose Your Destination

Tap a destination for its swim-up resorts, what kind of pool each one has and how to get there.

Swim-Up Destinations Compared

Swim seasons follow sea temperatures and hotel opening dates. Many Mediterranean resorts close or scale back in winter, while Caribbean and Mexican resorts stay open all year.

One Great Swim-Up Resort in Each Destination

If you only want one name per destination, start with these. Each guide has more choices at every budget.

Swim-Up, Swim-Out or Sharing Pool?

Hotels use different names for the same idea, and the name doesn't tell you how private the water is. These are the phrases you'll see on hotel websites, and what they usually mean:

• Swim-up or swim-out: the same thing. Your terrace has steps into a pool. Royalton, TRS and Krystal say "swim-out"; most others say "swim-up".
• Private pool: a small pool on your terrace that only your room uses. Riu's Elite Club rooms, Riu Latino and Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres describe theirs this way.
• Semi-private pool: a pool shared by a short row of rooms, common at Royalton, Hard Rock and Hyatt resorts.
• Sharing pool: the Greek resorts' term for a pool shared by a group of rooms. Some sharing-pool rooms step straight into the water; others sit beside it.
• Direct pool access: usually a shared resort pool or lagoon in front of your terrace.

What to Check Before You Book

• Who can book it. Many family resorts keep their swim-up rooms for adults. At Riu's family resorts the swim-ups are in the adults-only Elite Club, and at Hyatt Ziva Cancun and Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos they are for guests 13 and over.
• Whether the room type is guaranteed. Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres says whether you get a private pool or main-pool access depends on availability at check-in, and that neither is guaranteed.
• Privacy. Swim-up rooms are on the ground floor, facing a pool other guests swim in. If you want to read on your terrace undisturbed, look for a private pool.
• Pool hours. Resort pools close in the evening. At the Majestic resorts in Punta Cana they are open from 8 am to 6 pm.
• Heating. Few swim-up pools are heated. At Titanic Luxury Collection Belek, for example, the room and villa pools aren't heated or used in winter.

When the Pools Are Warm

In the Caribbean and on Mexico's Caribbean coast, the sea off Cancun averages about 79 °F from January to March and about 84 °F from June to October, so unheated pools are comfortable all year. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and peaks around September 10.

On the Pacific side, the sea at Cabo San Lucas drops to about 71 °F from February to April and reaches about 85 °F in September. In the Mediterranean, the sea off Heraklion in Crete is about 67 °F in May and 79 °F in August, and many resorts there open only from spring to October.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to help you choose where to stay.

What is a swim-up suite?

A ground-floor room or suite whose terrace has steps straight into a pool, so you can walk out of your room and swim. Some hotels call it a swim-out room. The pool may be your own small pool or a larger one shared with neighboring rooms.

Are swim-up pools private?

Usually not. Most swim-up rooms open onto a pool shared with a few rooms or a whole building. Some resorts, including Riu's Elite Club rooms, Riu Latino and Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres, give each swim-up room its own pool. Our private-pool guide lists them.

Can kids stay in swim-up suites?

At some resorts. Majestic Mirage Punta Cana, Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres, Lopesan Costa Bávaro and The Fives Beach Hotel have family swim-up rooms. Many other family resorts limit their swim-ups to adults or to guests 13 and over, so check the room description before you book.

Where are the most swim-up suites?

Cancun (especially Costa Mujeres) and Punta Cana have the most, because their big all-inclusive resorts usually offer several swim-up room types. In Europe, Crete and the Antalya coast in Turkey have many resorts with swim-up or sharing-pool rooms.

Is a swim-up suite worth it?

It is if you plan to spend most of the day at the resort, because you can swim whenever you like without finding a lounger. It is less useful if you will be out on tours most days, or if the swim-up pool is shared and busy. Check the pool type and hours first.