Best Hotel Pools Hotels

Here's a universal fact—pools are one of the major draws to a Mexican resort (next to beaches and warm weather, of course!) What makes a pool experience even better? Stepping right out of your room and diving straight in. You can book a swim-up room at these all-inclusive hotels, ensuring that a refreshing dip is never more than just a few steps away.

While some Caribbean resorts fall squarely in either the adults-only or kid-friendly section of a Venn diagram, others find their way in the middle, overlapping slice, offering a little something for both groups. At the following eight Caribbean resorts, you’ll find amenities suited to families, as well as adults-only pools (and other designated areas) for all those times you want to take a dip without getting caught in the middle of a Marco Polo game.

A Mexican beach vacation is all about the water: snorkeling in the ocean, finding a favorite corner of the pool complex, or maybe even cooling off in your room's private pool. Swimming up to the hotel's in-pool bar -- a literal watering hole, where the dress code consists of your bathing suit, sunglasses, and some waterproof sunscreen -- is a fun perk of a resort stay, especially when the wine, beer, cocktails, and frozen drinks are covered under the hotel's all-inclusive plan. But please, indulge with caution. Keep an eye on your drinks as they're being made, pace yourself, never leave your drink unattended, and stay hydrated with plenty of water.

The sparkling blue sea, the pools, and the views -- these are major reasons why we travel to the Caribbean (well, that and the warm weather to actually enjoy the beaches, the pools, and the views). So when we find a gorgeous infinity pool that does exactly what it's designed to do -- trick the eye into thinking the pool water extends straight into infinity -- we get pretty excited. Incredibly, we found 18 stunning infinity pools in nine different Caribbean countries that have us dreaming about our next vacation.

Costa Rica is one of Central America's smallest countries, but it's home to hundreds of habitats -- from lush rainforests to beautiful white-sand beaches. The country's many ecosystems make it possible to go hiking, surfing, zip-lining, horseback riding, waterfall rappelling (you get the idea…) in a single trip. And when each vacation day brings the possibility of an epic excursion, a private in-room pool sure makes a sweet hotel perk. Take a look at our favorite Costa Rica hotels with private plunge pools for post-adventure relaxation.

We know -- a swim-up bar is a big draw for many travelers heading to Punta Cana. We can’t blame you! It’s a fun social space that blends two of the best things about tropical vacations (pools and bars, of course!). So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite swim-up bars in Punta Cana. Cheers!

Some trips are all about hitting museums, joining guided tours, and scrambling to see as many local sights and landmarks as possible. Beach vacations are emphatically not those trips -- especially those at all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, where the itinerary revolves around lounging on the beach, strolling in the surf, and simply gliding across the pool for a tropical drink. If the latter sounds like the kind of travel agenda you're after right now, take a look at our list of the best swim-up bars in the Caribbean.