Cool Pools, Great Stays

Southern Living, Jul 2006 by Frazier, Jennifer Mckenzie

Welcome to the playgrounds of summer. Check in, and take the plunge.

You're perched at the end of the diving board, toes dangling off the edge, peering at your reflection in the glassy water below. You bullet into the pool until you touch the bottom, all the while holding your breath. You can't hear a sound. Your cheeks puff out, and a tiny bubble escapes the side of your mouth. It's time to come up for air. How you hate leaving your crystal clear underwater hideaway.

Aah, the sheer bliss of summer.

Swimming pools-the ultimate summer chill-out spots-provide fun, relaxation, and refreshment from the heat. You'll find many of the best pools around at hotels throughout the South. Check in to one of these spots, and you're in for a treat. From classic luxury to family fun, each offers a unique oasis. Dive in.

Water Wonderland: The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation

You'll drive 75 miles east of Atlanta and finally turn on a road called Linger Longer to get to this Georgia retreat. How fitting. After spending a few days here, those two words will become your motto.

At this luxurious resort, plan your entire stay around the water, which seems to be everywhere you look. From the glorious lakeside infinity swimming pool to the indoor pool in the spa to the waters of Lake Oconee, you can spend your entire vacation staying cool and wet. On the lake, guests water-ski, fish, kayak, and canoe.

The property sits on 35 wooded acres along the shores of the state's second-largest lake. Although The Lodge boasts 251 guest rooms, suites, and cottages, it doesn't feel like a big sprawling hotel, but more like a friend's country home. Feather beds, granite baths, and balconies make each space luxurious. The only challenge is to decide if you should linger longer in your room, the lake, or one of the pools. What a dilemma.

Hip Hangout: Hotel San José

Bigger isn't always better-at least not in the case of swimming pools.

The one at Hotel San José in Austin measures 8 x 24 feet and never exceeds more than 5 feet deep. That's a modest size, smaller than most backyard pools and only a fraction larger than the ones you blow up. Still, this pool rates as one of the coolest places to be in all of the Lone Star State.

Surrounded by tall stalks of bamboo and Southwestern succulents, this dipping hole provides a Zenlike escape from the sweltering three-digit temperatures you endure in the Texas summer. Folks hang here with their canine companions, who are also welcome in the pool. Guests chill in the water while sipping wine or Shiner Bock beer. The vintage tables and chairs in the attached courtyard, where you can sit back and relax, offer some of the most happening seating around.

Crushed granite pathways connect the 40 rooms of the property, the lobby, the outside bar, and the pool. This hot spot captures what hip travelers love about the Texas capital-it's ultracool and edgy while remaining down-home and comfy.

Guest rooms come in several floor plans, from spacious suites with balconies to European-style efficiencies with shared baths down the hall. The low-lying platform beds, a basic mattress on wood slats, are covered with Indian-print bedspreads, while the polished concrete floors are softened with cowhide rugs. The place is sparse. Truly, though, that minimalism adds character, something the San José in no way lacks.

Family Favorite: Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn

You'll never see a kid have more fun than at this Orlando hotel. Decked out in Nickelodeon "Slime green" and bold orange, this place has mastered the family trip. "By bringing my son here, I'm now his hero. This has been the best vacation my family has ever had," says one guest.

The first and only Nick-themed lodging in the world, the hotel features two interactive water spots: The Oasis and The Lagoon. Both are huge-like regular dipping holes on steroids-with colorful waterslides, sand play areas, water toys, climbing nets, and splash zones. There is even a 400-gallon dump tank that fills with water and randomly unloads on unsuspecting guests. Every day, visitors enjoy poolside activities, including games, contests, and challenges. Hosts and hostesses on microphones yell "Who's ready to play?" to keep the crowd wild. The louder, the better is the rule. It's fun to the extreme.

Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, and all the other Nick characters mingle around the place, greeting guests, posing for pics, and spreading mischievous fun.

The property, designed with kids in mind, features two- and three-bedroom suites with separate living rooms and kitchen areas. The kids' quarters, which offer bunk or twin beds, are done lip with images of cartoon characters on the wall. Plus, Nickelodeon Family Suites provides video game systems in the rooms-a major selling point for rug rats. Adult bedrooms come a bit more traditional, although by no means stuffy. And don't bother bringing anything but flip-flops, sunscreen, and your swimsuit-that is all you'll need.