Macao has no shortage of Instagram-ready hotel pools when you feel like treating yourself to a day of sunbathing and swimming. True, most of these pools are for the enjoyment of in-house guests only – but some hotels let you buy day passes.
If you’re in budget accommodation but fancy a swim in the lap of luxury, a day pass is a great option. The same goes if you’re a local resident and want to enjoy the fun of a great hotel pool without the expense of booking a full staycay. A couple of the hotels even throw in some F&B credit, so you can eat, splash and cool off to your heart’s content.
Read on for our list of the best day-pass pools in Macao.
Macao peninsula
Artyzen Grand Lapa
Despite a frontage on the busy Avenida da Amizade, and a location near the bustling Outer Harbour Ferry Pier, the Artyzen Grand Lapa has the character of a city oasis, and that explains its enduring popularity with both visitors and local residents.
The hotel’s leisure area is in a separate complex behind the main building, surrounded by lawns and lush greenery, with the city hidden out of sight. The temperature-controlled outdoor pool is 25 metres at its longest point, but its irregular shape, cascade and landscaping make this a place for indulgent wallowing and plunging rather than lap swimming.
Adults can relax in the nearby jacuzzi or hit up the well-equipped gym to squeeze in a workout, while children will have a blast going down the slide and splashing in the small kids pool, before seeking refuge from the heat at the resort’s Kids Co. indoor playground – entrance is complimentary for children holding a resort day pass.
[See more: These are the best things to do with kids in Macao]
You can order yourself refreshments and snacks from the poolside menu by scanning a QR code from the comfort of your sunbed. If you feel like something more substantial, the hotel’s excellent Thai restaurant Naam – appropriately, the name means “water” in Thai – is situated right next to the pool area and offers plenty of outdoor tables on a shady verandah. The food is authentic, fresh and creative, with a decent number of plant-based options for the health conscious.
A word of caution: We’re not the only ones who love this resort, so you can expect it to get busy with fellow pool-goers, especially during high-season weekends and on public holidays. If you can swing a midweek visit, however, you’ll be amazed at the blissful tranquillity on offer right in the heart of the city.
Price: Adults, 350 patacas plus tax; children, 290 patacas plus tax; children below the age of two are free
Opening hours: 6:30 am to 10 pm
Contact: (853) 8793 4824
Sofitel Macau Ponte 16
Located in the Inner Harbour area, the outdoor swimming pool at Sofitel Macau Ponte 16 boasts unobstructed views of the Wanzai residential district of Zhuhai – Macao’s near neighbour – and the hilly Zhuxian park that rises behind it.
A group of baroque cherub fountains by the pool speak to the Sofitel’s French roots, and while the pool deck isn’t particularly large, it ticks all the right boxes, with comfy sunbeds, lots of greenery, teal-coloured parasols and a covered jacuzzi. Pool-goers can fuel up on refreshments, bites and ice cream from the hotel’s Mistral restaurant, which sits conveniently next to the pool deck. Also next to the pool on the sixth floor is the gym, sauna and steam room, which guests on pool day passes are welcome to use.
[See more: Al fresco eats: The best restaurants in Macao with outdoor seating]
Hedonists take note: the deck is often the venue for pool parties with bottomless drinks, DJs and a dancing crowd, so keep an eye out for announcements on the hotel’s social media platforms if you fancy a sophisticated splash after dark.
Price: Adults, 300 patacas plus tax; Children, 150 patacas plus tax; children up to the age of three are free
Opening hours: 6 am to 10 pm
Contact: (853) 8861 0016
Cotai
Grand Hyatt Macau
Located at City of Dreams resort, the Grand Hyatt Macau offers the best option for those who want to swim proper laps and get a decent workout. The aqua-green tiled pool here is straight and 40 metres long, with no artificial rocks, waterfalls, curves, swim-up bars or other gimmicks to get in your way. It’s also temperature controlled, so you’ll be able to enjoy it for most of the year.
[See more: Here’s where to learn to swim in Macao]
The deck itself is a thing of minimalist beauty, with plenty of space accented by palm trees, sunbeds and views of the surrounding towers, including Zaha Hadid’s futuristic Morpheus. There are also daybeds and an outdoor hot tub to soothe those muscles when your swimming workout is done.
Grand Hyatt Macau also grants guests on a pool day pass access to its light-filled fitness centre. Once you’re done lifting weights and swimming laps, treat yourself to one of the most popular snacks on the poolside menu, the club sandwich on homemade sourdough and a side of French fries. You’ll have earned it.
Price: Adults, 399 patacas plus tax; children, 199 patacas plus tax; children up to the age of three are free
Opening hours: Fitness centre open 24/7; Pool open from 8 am to 7 pm
Contact: (853) 8868 1234
The St. Regis Macao
Big spender? Enjoy lounging in luxury? Look no further than The St. Regis Macao, where the Unwind by the St. Regis Pool package grants you a cabana all to yourself plus dining credit to spend on top notch F&B.
Besides its two pools, jacuzzis, comfortable cabanas and pool loungers, the facility boasts great views of the Cotai strip.
[See more: The Estoril swimming pool has opened for a new season]
You can spend your dining credit by ordering from the poolside menu, which features dishes ranging from healthy loaded salads to succulent wagyu burgers and charcuterie boards that are great to share.
If you want to take the luxury up a notch, go for the hotel’s premium cabana package, which comes with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label champagne plus 1,000 patacas worth of dining credit.
Price: The Unwind by The St. Regis Pool package costs 1,288 patacas plus service charge and tax, with 500 patacas worth of dining credit. The Exquisite Veuve Clicquot Moment package is 2,688 patacas plus service charge and tax, with 1,000 patacas worth of dining credit. Price is per cabana for a maximum of four guests.
Opening hours: 7 am to 8 pm
Contact: (853) 8113 4950
The Venetian
It may be one of the busiest resorts on the Cotai strip, but the Venetian’s pool deck is agreeably low-key and offers a breezy hideaway from the relentless crowds.
Take the South Suites lift to get to the facilities, which are located on the 5th floor. You’ll find an oasis featuring not one but four swimming pools, with one exclusively for adults (as is the jacuzzi), meaning that families and business travellers looking to unwind after a day of meetings will be equally at home.
[See more: Here’s where to learn tennis in Macao]
Beautifully manicured gardens and Renaissance-style sculpture add to the dolce vita feel of the deck.
If you require a bit more space, get there early to secure one of the cabanas. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis and – best kept secret! – come at no extra charge.
Price: 200 patacas for adults and 100 patacas for children; babies 12 months or younger enjoy free access
Opening hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Contact: (853) 8118 8820
JW Marriott Hotel Macau
The JW Marriott hotel at Galaxy Macau has come up with a great summer package for families on a mission to keep their young ones entertained, rain or shine.
The 30 Days Family Fitness and Fun Package for two adults and one child not only includes access to the hotel’s lush swimming pools, cutting-edge fitness centre, sauna and steam room but also its indoor kids club – an edutainment-forward space offering 800 square metres of fun.
Note that this package doesn’t give you access to the 75,000 square metre Grand Resort Deck at the resort – for that, you’ll have to stay the night at one of the resort’s hotels.
No kids in the picture? Opt for the hotel’s 30 Days Fitness Membership to enjoy the swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna and steam room.
Price: 2,288 patacas plus tax and service charge for the 30 Days Family Fitness and Fun Package for 2 adults and 1 child; 900 patacas plus tax and service charge for the 30 Days Fitness Membership for one adult; Packages are available through 31 August
Opening hours: Fitness centre open 24/7; Swimming pool open from 9 am to 7 pm
Contact: (853) 8886 6132
Coloane
Grand Coloane Resort
Just a ten-minute drive from the flashy resorts of the Cotai Strip, the Grand Coloane Resort is perched atop a verdant rise in Coloane, right next to Hac Sa beach.
The vibe of the property may be unmistakably nostalgic, but we find much to love about lazy pool days spent at this “only true beach resort in Macao,” where you can soak up views of the South China sea and green surrounding hills.
[See more: Zhuhai’s beaches are glowing in the dark]
It’s a great pick for families. The pool offers plenty of space for kids to make a splash, and the adjoining playground and sprawling lawn give them even more opportunity to work off all that youthful energy. The pool deck is surrounded by welcoming shaded areas to escape the heat, often populated with napping babies and grown-ups catching up on their weekend reading.
In addition, the resort’s current Full Day Island Pool Pass is a great deal, as it comes with generous F&B credit.
Price: Adults, 350 patacas including tax, with 300 patacas worth of dining credit; children, 200 patacas with 150 patacas worth of dining credit; children below the age of two are free
Opening hours: 7 am to 10 pm
Contact: (853) 8793 4824
