Everything you need to know about the swimming pool at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands
Swimming pools are definitely among the most iconic places in hotels. And in the world some are truly unique, for example [...]
Singapore
Swimming pools are definitely among the most iconic places in hotels. And in the world some are truly unique, for example the largest saltwater pool in Europe that is located in the Canary Islands, more specifically in Tenerife at the Gran Melià.
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Many hotels also offer some Private pools for each room, such as the Conrad Ko Samui. Others, however, focus on the location or the spectacular nature of the location. We talked about the brand new Andaz of New York which allows swimming with a view of Central Park.
But probably if you took a survey asking what is the most famous and desired hotel pool in the world, the answer would be the Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. The pool is a suspension bridge over the hotel's three towers overlooking Singapore Bay, at a height of about 200 meters.
The Marina Bay Sands Hotel, which houses the pool, alone produces 1% of the GDP of the city state of Singapore, suffice it to say that an estimated 10,000 people work in the entire facility every day.
Opened in 2010, it is divided into 3 towers of 58 floors each, houses 2,560 rooms, a shopping mall, a huge casino, dozens of restaurants, a convention center and precisely one of the most famous infinity pools, the largest rooftop pool in the world. However, it is not the highest, a title that belongs to a Dubai hotel.
The swimming pool
It is 150m long And it is divided into 3 different areas. To get an idea of the weight that the three towers have to support, in the pool there are nearly 1.5 million liters of water. In fact, the pool occupies the entire skypark, i.e., the top floor, except for the two ends. On one side (above tower 1) are the shop and other common areas, while on the other side (above tower 3) is the rooftop terrace with the restaurant.
Who can dive into this pool
The swimming pool is open exclusively to hotel guests. So if you want to enjoy the spectacular view from this infinity pool, you must compulsorily book a stay of at least one night in this facility.
If you don't stay, the alternative is to go up to the public part that houses the rooftop terrace, the ticket is free for hotel guests and charged for everyone. But there is a trick to go up for free, just make a reservation in the restaurant/bar open to the public and you won't pay anything, eating aside.
Can all guests enter the pool?
The answer is no, all hotel guests must book their own 2-hour slot. This change was made because of restrictions due to covid and allows all guests to make one reservation per day.
If you are staying only one night, it will be possible to book - space permitting - one shift on the day of arrival and one on the morning before check-out. Access is allowed from 6:15 a.m. until midnight
Is it suitable for children?
The answer is absolutely yes. Having said that there is a small separate pool dedicated to children, the depth of the pool is 1.20 meters, and on site life jackets are available for the little guests, as on cruise ships .
Can I train and do the laps?
The answer is yes. The middle portion is the longest, so if you want to keep fit and don't want to visit the hotel's huge gym, you can swim back and forth and enjoy spectacular views.
Can I sneak in without sleeping?
The answer is no to 98%. You must be a registered guest of thehotel in order to gain access to the ascensori and show the room key, as well as having a reservation. So the only hope is to have a friend who sleeps there alone and has made a reservation for a double, then that way you can register as a second guest.
Impossible to approach the elevators, which are all manned h24 by staff who check the guest's card and name/photo before allowing access to the different towers.
Is it worth the expense?
The answer is absolutely yes. Enjoying the view and relaxing by the pool alone is worth the price of the ticket, but the hotel rooms are also 5-star and the view can be fantastic (if you don't choose the wrong type of room). This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and, if you come to Singapore, you cannot fail to go there as well as one cannot avoid visiting the Jewel.
Going up without bathing is possible?
The answer is yes. One of the two restaurants where you can have breakfast is on the terrace and is therefore accessible to all guests, but you can still bring a book and relax especially around sunset, when the terrace gives a wonderful light. Or you can go up at night to see the city skyline.
In addition to this there are two large hot tubs overlooking the open sea.
Final recommendations?
I was fortunate enough to visit Singapore, thanks to the VTL protocol as soon as the borders reopened. The city was still sparse with international tourists and the hotel not too full. Arriving early and hoping to get an early check-in allows you to make the most of the day and not run the risk of arriving at 3 p.m. and running out of room at the pool.
Spending on a superior room type allows for advantages, such as priority routes for registration. It is good not to forget that with 2,500 rooms the check-in line could be very, very, long.
