New York City is a city of rooftops. And in the summer, these rooftops heat up (literally). While there are plenty of public pools around the city, including the notoriously haunted McCarren Park Pool, NYC's most sought after swims are a little less public.
Rooftop and hotel pools in New York might cost a pretty penny to visit, but most of the time, the striking views and clean(ish) waters are well worth it.
Here's our pick of the best dips with a view.
SoHo House, SoHo
A scene straight out of Palm Springs, this rooftop gem is part of the same family as Dumbo House.
Striped cushioned lounge chairs line the year-round heated pool and string lights hang overhead for a homey touch. The SoHo House club membership starts at $1,080 annually too. Find a friend with the “Every House” membership and you can spend your summer switching off between Dumbo House and SoHo House.
William Vale Pool, Williamsburg
With views of Manhattan’s midtown skyline, it's hard to beat this luxe swim. Vale Pool is the longest outdoor hotel pool in Brooklyn, so there’s plenty of room to spread out.
The rooftop setting is made better by a menu of light bites, cocktails and a beer garden on the Vale Terrace.
Day passes start at $99, all season memberships start at $999, and private cabanas start at $900.
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo
Live life on the edge at this Dumbo beauty - literally. This pool wraps around the edge of the 1 Hotel Rooftop for sweeping views of downtown Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.
Hop out and lay on a lounge chair or wander over to Harriett’s for a snack - we highly recommend the piña colada and the fish tacos. The entire rooftop was recently renovated with new patio decor, so you’ll be living in some fresh scenery.
The entire rooftop is packed on the weekend, which means you'll need to get there early if you want prime seating for that downtown view. The pool is for hotel guests only though, so book a room and turn your pool day into a full staycation.
The Beach at Dream Downtown, Chelsea
Feeling more like the Hamptons than NYC, this downtown oasis features vine-covered walls, private cabanas and flat screen TV’s. You can purchase a day pass for $65 Monday through Friday, snag a cushioned lounge chair, prop your feet up and try one of the rooftop’s 10 pound Moscow Mules. Yes, pounds, not ounces, so bring some friends – no one should consume a drink that size on their own.
McCarren Hotel & Pool, Williamsburg
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Though it’s at a hotel, this pool is actually more of a draw to locals than anyone else. A Williamsburg favorite, the McCarren Hotel’s pool is open seasonally and features day beds, cushioned lounge chairs and complimentary Wifi.
Plus, there’s a bar on site for all the sips and bites you could need to fuel your sunbathing. Hotel guests can use the pool for free and visitors can purchase a day pass for $60 on weekdays and $85 on weekends.
Parker New York, Midtown
This pool has some serious #views. Overlooking Central Park, the Parker pool is the only one on this list that’s indoors – but the views are just too good to pass up and make up for the lack of fresh air. You’ll still get some sun coming through the glass ceilings, of course, but this rooftop spectacle is open year-round thanks to its enclosed environment.
Relax on the cushioned lounge chairs after your swim for free if you’re a hotel guest. If not, a dip will cost you $150 a day.
Sixty Lower East Side, Lower East Side
It wouldn’t be the Lower East Side if it didn’t have some sort of art component to it.
That’s why Sixty Lower East Side has incorporated a little Andy Warhol into its pool scene – you can catch the artist’s visage gazing up at you from the bottom of the pool. The deck space surrounding the artistic watering hole is accented in orange and open for use seasonally to hotel guests only.
The James New York, SoHo
This hotel pool is only open to the public on weekends for its biggest party of the week – the Jimmy Pool Party. Though you may have to get friendly with your neighbors for this event – it’s notoriously packed – the downtown views make the whole scene worth it.
Bonus: This party has no cover and you can make a reservation for some extra space for up to six people.
Mr. Purple at Hotel Indigo, Lower East Side
The pool might just be a side piece at Mr. Purple, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit.
With arguably the best rooftop views in the city, Mr. Purple at Hotel Indigo is typically a popping rooftop for day drinking and partying.
The pool takes up a small corner of the rooftop’s space, but it has a straight shot view of the Empire State Building and One World Trade from its waters. Grab a lounge chair for $50 a day or book a room for the full Hotel Indigo experience.
La Piscine at Hotel Americano, Chelsea
This boutique hotel’s rooftop pool may share deck space with the hotel’s bar and grill, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of Hotel Americano’s biggest draws. “La Piscine” is 22 feet long, four feet deep and surrounded by bright yellow lounge chairs.
You can reserve cabanas for your party and if you’re lucky, you’ll snag a spot on a weekend when admission to the pool is free. During the week, day passes are just $40, so this one is a true city steal.
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