One of the reasons to stay in a luxurious oceanfront property is to enjoy the ultimate in relaxation, which means you don't want to get out of the water and wait for a drink at the bar. That's why choosing a hotel or resort with a fantastic waterfront bar is a must. If you plan to spend your days soaking up the sun from the comfort of a refreshing pool with easy access to tropical drinks and cold beers, these options offer some of the best destinations on the planet to do just that.Credit: grandwailea.comGrand Wailea, MauiGrand Wailea, Maui
Grand Wailea, Maui (prices and photos)
At Grand Wailea, 'grand' is really an understatement. This opulent 40-acre resort is renowned for its Wailea Canyon activity area, which has nine pools connected by a river with small rapids and gentle currents. Its highlights include a water lift and a spectacular swim-up bar, exclusive to guests only. Imagine swimming through magnificent waterfalls, slides and caves, taking a break at the Grotto Bar, nestled under a waterfall in the 25,700-square-foot Wailea Canyon pool, to enjoy an exotic beverage. The pools are known as the best in Hawaii and guests also have access to one of the best spas, offering everything from massages to mineral baths. Choose a live Maine lobster or experience Kona for dinner at the Humuhumunukuapua restaurant that 'floats' in a saltwater lagoon with tropical fish.
Credit: crystalcovehotelbarbados.comCrystal Cove, BarbadosCrystal Cove, Barbados
Crystal Cove, Barbados (prices and photos)
This all-inclusive resort offers three lagoon-style pools, one of which has a water bar hidden behind a waterfall and inside a cave. This rooftop bar is the resort's most popular feature, although the luxury property also has a golf course and tennis courts, so once you're done sipping cocktails, you can get out and play a little before cooling off in the water with another drink. Winding garden paths connect the whitewashed cottages that spill down a hill to the beach, where you can enjoy more swimming, sailing, snorkelling, kayaking or windsurfing.
Credit: hilton.comHilton Pyramids Golf Resort, 6 October City, EgyptHilton Pyramids Golf Resort, 6 October City, Egypt
Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort, 6 October City, Egypt (prices and photos)
Staying at the Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort, you can spend your days experiencing one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, or playing on one of the resort's three golf courses, before relaxing with a cool drink, including international beers and mixed fruit cocktails, by the pool at The Island Bar. The resort also offers a fully equipped spa, the Kids Paradise Club for children, a piano room and breathtaking views of the pyramids from many of the rooms, each with a balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Credit: cataloniabavaroresort.com Catalonia Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican RepublicCatalonia Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Catalonia Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (prices and photos)
This adults-only paradise is a meticulous all-inclusive resort with a long list of fantastic amenities, including a pristine beach, 18- and 9-hole golf courses, rooms with balconies equipped with private hammocks, and a main pool where you can land or relax at the fabulous swim-up bar with a lively scene that includes extremely entertaining bartenders. No guest will go thirsty or hungry with the wide range of bars and restaurants, including a 24-hour pizzeria, perfect for late-night snacks. Other activities include archery, tennis, cycling and complimentary non-motorised water sports.
Credit: raleighhotel.comThe Raleigh, Miami, FloridaThe Raleigh, Miami, Florida
The Raleigh, Miami, Florida (prices and photos)
The free-form saltwater pool is the one where Esther Williams batted in "The Million Dollar Mermaid", and models strutted their stuff for the annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week costume extravaganza in 2008, and was Miami New Times' choice for best pool oozing old-school opulence in 2012. Here, you can enjoy your mojito at the pool bar under swaying palm trees, while the ever-present sunshine might make you feel like those sophisticated jetsetters of the 1950s. It is the pool bar that keeps guests coming back, but you can also enjoy the rooms and suites with elegant vintage furniture and luxurious bedding and large picture windows to admire glorious sunsets and balmy ocean breezes.
Credit: montemulinihotel.comHotel Monte Mulini, Rovinj, CroatiaHotel Monte Mulini, Rovinj, Croatia
Hotel Monte Mulini, Rovinj, Croatia (prices and photos)
Situated in a quiet bay on Croatia's picturesque Istrian coast, this boutique hotel boasts a state-of-the-art swimming pool with jet fountains and a semi-submerged bar with magnificent views to accompany your favourite drink. The opulence doesn't stop there, you can also choose between the whirlpool and hot or cold water, indulge in the wellness centre and dine in the elegant wine cellar restaurant to add to the serene experience. While all rooms and suites offer harbour views, you'll probably want to spend most of your time at the swim-up bar, and perhaps an occasional stroll to the part-rock, part-pebble beach, accessible via a short path from the pool area.
Credit: thekeeresort.com The Kee Resort & Spa, Patong Beach, Phuket, ThailandThe Kee Resort & Spa, Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand
The Kee Resort & Spa, Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand (prices and photos)
This resort in Phuket offers a slice of luxurious tropical paradise, with its highlight including a vast lagoon-like pool with exotic features such as a sunken bar serving cocktails from submerged stools, while a large fountain shoots water some 40 feet into the sky. After sunset, the pool lights up in vibrant colours, and tucked away in a secluded corner is a waterfall and cosy recliner area. Some of the chic rooms and suites not only include bathtubs and balconies, but offer direct access to the pool. Guests can also enjoy the rooftop bar/restaurant, and with the resort in the heart of Patong's legendary entertainment area full of bars, discos and other famous nightclubs, it offers the ideal base to enjoy the famous party scene.
Credit: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts French PolynesiaIntercontinental Hotel Tahiti Resort, Tahiti
Intercontinental Hotel Tahiti Resort, Tahiti (prices and photos)
This Polynesian oasis offers some of the best views of Moorea on the horizon and is surrounded by 30 acres of lush gardens that include an enclosed lagoonarium. Watch fish and stingrays feed in the morning and spectacular sunsets over Moorea at the end of a day spent at the Lotus Bar, which is partially submerged in a sand-bottomed infinity pool. You'll also find a man-made white sand beach and Tahitian women handcrafting by the pool available for purchase. There are 31 overwater bungalows to spend the night, as well as hotel rooms that have handmade wooden beds and spacious bathrooms. The resort also hosts the most popular Tahitian dance show on the island every Friday night at its Tiare restaurant.
Credit: facebook.com/HotelPuntaIslitaHotel Punta Islita, Costa RicaHotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica
Hotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica (prices and photos)
This tropical resort, voted one of the 100 Best Hotels in the World of 2013 by Travel and Leisure, has well-stocked water bars with both its stunning infinity pool and its beachside pool, offering what is surely one of the most magnificent land views, including both the ocean and the forest-covered hills in the distance. This ultra-remote retreat in the Guancaste area is 'luxury incarnate', as Fodor's refers to it, complete with villas, cottages, suites and spacious rooms dotted along the bougainvillea-lined hillside. You can easily overindulge in all the activities on offer, including horse riding, mountain biking, golf and zip-line tours, but that's OK, because afterwards you can simply head to the tranquil garden spa for a sybaritic massage with local herbs, followed by a trip to one of the swim-up bars, of course.
Credit: facebook.com/hyattmauiHyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Maui, HawaiiHyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Maui, Hawaii
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Maui, Hawaii (prices and photos)
The Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Maui makes the most of its breathtaking tropical landscapes, which line Ka'anapali Beach on the west coast. Its elegant suites enjoy magnificent ocean views, but one of the best ways to connect with the area's natural beauty is to sip a drink in the secluded pool bar. Swim under the waterfalls in the Lahaina pool and you will find yourself in this beautiful cave-like bar, hidden from view. Like a cave, it is dimly lit, adding to its romantic and tranquil atmosphere. Besides spending a lot of time by the pool, you can enjoy a number of activities right at this 40-acre resort, including scuba diving, professional tennis lessons, hula demonstrations and lei-making classes.
Credit: regentpalmstci.comThe Regent Palms, Turks and Caicos IslandsThe Regent Palms, Turks and Caicos Islands
The Regent Palms, Turks and Caicos Islands (prices and photos)
The Regent Palms, just off Grace Bay Beach, recognised as one of the most beautiful on the planet, has been voted the most luxurious resort in the Caribbean, partly due to its luxurious poolside bar. Framed by a stunning Serpentine infinity pool, the Plunge Bar and Restaurant features innovative cabanas with in-water seating that allow guests to dine on a variety of Caribbean cuisine delights without ever leaving the water. Thirst-quenching cocktails are available throughout the day and a sunken dining terrace surrounded by a waterfall and tranquil garden offers outdoor seating. The resort also offers all kinds of other premium amenities, including a spa and fitness centre.
Credit: facebook.com/WarwickfijiresortWarwick Fiji Resort & Spa, Viti LevuWarwick Fiji Resort & Spa, Viti Levu
Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa, Viti Levu (prices and photos)
The Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa allows you to truly enjoy the South Pacific and all it has to offer, including a drink at the sunken outdoor bar. It also offers gourmet dining in the award-winning restaurant, all without leaving the pool. Stone steps above the water lead to the beautiful spa with sauna, hot and cold pools, while the resort's lagoon setting allows for all-day swimming on the largest beach on the mainland.
Credit: fourseasons.com Four Seasons Resort Maui, HawaiiFour Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii
Four Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii (prices and photos)
Situated on Wailea Beach among the plumeria trees, this luxurious resort boasts three saltwater pools, one with a large, stunning swim-up bar that is nestled in an infinity pool that offers views of the ocean and mountains often shrouded in mist in the distance.It also features an underwater music system, lounge chairs (chaises integrated into the water), an infinity edge, and lush vegetation surrounding it. When you're not at the pool, you can enjoy treatments at the spa or, if you can't help yourself, treat yourself to a mini poolside treatment.
Credit: kivotosmykonos.comKivotos Club Hotel, Mykonos, GreeceKivotos Club Hotel, Mykonos, Greece
Kivotos Club Hotel, Mykonos, Greece (prices and photos)
If you've ever imagined that perfect, bright blue pool where guests are served refreshing drinks amidst the majestic Greek pillars, the water bar at Kivotos Club Hotel might be the closest you'll get to making your fantasy a reality. Located in the hotel's main saltwater pool, it offers a truly epic experience, complete with bar stools and underwater music. This luxurious and architecturally ambitious property is elegantly framed around its impressive pool, while all rooms feature local craftsmanship and fine antiques such as ship steering wheels. Most offer a view of the bay.
Credit: bluelagoon.comLagoon Bar in Blue Lagoon, Reykjavík, IcelandLagoon Bar in Blue Lagoon, Reykjavík, Iceland
Lagoon Bar in Blue Lagoon, Reykjavík, Iceland (prices and photos)
The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland's most famous attractions, a geothermal spa located in a lava field that contains water ranging from 98 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, surrounded by ice and snow. Even when the weather outside is frightful, the warm water temperatures make it a heavenly place for a bath, and the water is also rich in minerals such as silica and sulphur, which are believed to heal skin conditions such as psoriasis. When bathing in the Blue Lagoon, you have access to the Lagoon Bar, which means you don't have to leave the relaxing waters to get a drink. There is nothing better than having a beer or a glass of wine while relaxing in the paradisiacal lagoon.
Credit: rosewoodhotels.comVentanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos, MexicoVentanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos, Mexico
Ventanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos, Mexico (prices and photos)
Named one of the best hotels in Mexico for 2014 by U.S News and World Reports, Ventanas al Paraíso offers the ultimate in pampering. From a private butler who will greet you with a margarita and escort you to the spa for a massage to the fantastic water bar at one of the seven infinity pools where you can spot frequent guests and Hollywood A-lister, Jennifer Aniston, everything here is bound to exceed your expectations. Even if a star isn't sitting at the bar, you will still enjoy an incredible ocean view along with your cocktail.
Credit: riu.comClubHotel Rui Karamboa, Cape Verde, Africa
ClubHotel Rui Karamboa, Cape Verde, Africa (rates and photos)
Nestled in a unique desert landscape, this all-inclusive resort offers the ultimate oasis in a stunning location on a white sandy beach. Explore the surrounding volcanic landscape and then cool off by taking a dip in the large pool with a glamorous waterside bar. You can also dine at several on-site restaurants offering a variety of African, Cape Verdean and Asian cuisine, as well as indulge in a massage at the spa.
Credit: facebook.com/belaircancunBel Air Collection Resort and Spa, CancunBel Air Collection Resort and Spa, Cancun
Bel Air Collection Resort and Spa, Cancun (prices and photos)
The Bel Air Collection overlooks an idyllic white sand beach near the southern end of the hotel zone. This adults-only resort offers the perfect tranquil escape with stylish, minimalist rooms, a beautiful spa with an extensive treatment list and a magnificent infinity pool overlooking the ocean and a well-stocked semi-submerged bar. The spacious rooms include thoughtful touches such as bathrobes and slippers, high-tech amenities and balconies.