Far more architectural than their outdoor counterparts, indoor hotel pools act as aquatic sanctuaries in both urban centers and extreme environments, but also windows into how much a property emphasizes aesthetics. Not to knock the experience of swimming under a brilliant blue sky, but there’s only so much design that can go into an alfresco pond where often it’s the view that primarily informs the shape and style. Indoors, however, there are more surfaces, more volume and more limitations, which tend to result in more exciting design, even when it comes to something as seemingly straightforward as a swimming pool.

Under an oftentimes lofty ceiling, these heavenly stunners tend to be long, rectilinear stretches of topaz water and are oftentimes an element of the spa or wellness center. But that’s where their similarities end. From Osaka to Marrakesh, Paris to Sydney, some of the world’s most attractive hotels and resorts took great care to ensure their indoor pools more than stand up to the rest of their stunning spaces. Across six continents, these nine natatoriums are something special, with expansive murals, glamorous lighting, awe-inspiring ceilings, and lush surrounds that compellingly elevate the fluorescent-lit pools of yore.

Photo: Georg Roske, Courtesy Patina Osaka

Perks: Comprehensive spa and biohacking HealthTech, vinyl listening lounge, five dining and drinking outlets including an intimate teppanyaki restaurant, standup paddle yoga, fermentation workshops

It’s not every day you can swim laps with a Japanese castle in sight, nor is it common to float beneath a trio of oversized wood slat coffers 30 feet high with copper backlighting that cascades onto the turquoise water. But both these are a given at new-in-2025 Patina Osaka, where only a lengthy wall of glass separates swimmers in the heated pool from the fanciful ancient Osaka Castle outside. A wall of glinting granite evokes the castle’s fortifications, while plush jade-green towels match its oxidized copper roof. The experience of being in it—and the hot tub boasting the same wide panorama—is inspiring and dramatic, much like the exquisite hotel itself. From $525 per night.

Courtesy of Capella Sydney

Perks: Custom Frette bedding, daily Capella Rituals, Aboriginal artwork, three dining destinations, a fitness center and Fluidform workouts, Auriga Spa, cultural experiences

With a strong emphasis on original, commissioned artwork, much of it made by Indigenous Australians—see the wall by Otis Hope Carey in McRae Bar, named for the circa-1912 Department of Education building’s original architect—it’s no surprise the aquatic experience in this Sydney hotel is equally thoughtful. The 20-meter heated combo chlorine-salt swimming pool is suspended on the sixth floor in what was originally an art gallery, lit naturally and brilliantly by clerestory heritage roof lanterns rising above ornate exposed beams. It’s a magical starlit wonder after dark. The Aboriginal artist Max Berry painted a beautifully subtle mural depicting Australia’s ocean and desert on one end with a yoga platform, enhancing the pool’s serene energy. From $520 per night.

Courtesy of Aman New York

Perks: Three-floor wellness center with hammam and Banya, exclusive Jazz Club, complimentary house car, butler service, a functioning fireplace in each of the 83 suites