From rooftop day passes to hotel hideaways, here’s where to cool off in style this summer
New York in the summer is a love language and a test of endurance. The city is electric, the outfits get better, the rooftops get fuller, and by the time the heat settles in, everybody wants the same thing: a pool with a view, a drink in hand, and a little temporary relief from the concrete.
The good news is that New York actually has more pool options than people give it credit for — if you know where to look. The even better news? You don’t always need to book a full hotel stay to get in. Between day passes, rooftop pool clubs, hotel pool decks, and a few scene-y Brooklyn favorites, there are plenty of places to have a true summer moment in the city.
Here are 20 pools and pool scenes worth knowing this summer, from the obvious Williamsburg stunners to Manhattan rooftops and a few options outside the usual influencer circuit.
THE HEADLINERS
1) The William Vale — Williamsburg’s skyline queen
The William Vale – Address: 111 N 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249, United States
Phone: +1 718-631-8400
If you only put one pool on the VIVID list, it has to be The William Vale. The Vale Pool has become one of the defining summer pool scenes in Brooklyn for a reason: it’s big by New York standards, it has skyline views that actually feel cinematic, and it hits that sweet spot between polished hotel luxury and cool Williamsburg social energy. It’s the kind of place where you can do a proper pool day and still feel like you’re in the middle of the city’s summer conversation. The hotel currently offers locals a pool experience through its seasonal pass setup, and it’s also leaning into branded summer programming like its Sephora Summer Club.
2) 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge — for the skyline-and-soft-life crowd
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge – Address: 60 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone: (347) 696-2500
If your ideal pool day includes the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan skyline views, and a more serene luxury feel, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge belongs near the top of the list. The rooftop plunge pool is one of the prettiest settings in the city, and the whole property has that polished, greenery-filled “urban retreat” energy. This is less about rowdy party vibes and more about feeling like you escaped into a very expensive Pinterest board for the afternoon.
3) Virgin Hotels New York City — NoMad pool party energy with a real scene
Virgin Hotels New York City – Address: 1227 Broadway, New York, NY 10001, United States
Phone: +1 212-213-0090
For readers who want more of a social, sexy, Manhattan pool day, Virgin Hotels New York City is one of the strongest options right now. Its rooftop Pool Club is one of the more visible day-pass-friendly hotel pool experiences in the city, and it has the kind of atmosphere that works for a birthday, a girls’ day, or a “we’re not leaving Manhattan this weekend” moment. It’s less quiet oasis, more stylish city escape with cocktails.
4) Arlo Williamsburg — the former Williamsburg Hotel, still a summer player
Arlo Williamsburg – Address: 96 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Phone: (718) 362-8100
If you’ve been thinking of “the Williamsburg Hotel pool,” this is the one to update in the story: the hotel is now Arlo Williamsburg. It still has a strong rooftop pool identity and remains one of Williamsburg’s go-to summer properties, with skyline-facing energy and a very social Brooklyn feel. If the William Vale is the obvious star, Arlo is still absolutely in the conversation for anyone who wants a pool day that feels plugged into the neighborhood.
5) The Dominick — one of Manhattan’s most luxe day-pass pool plays
The Dominick – Address: 246 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, United States
Phone: +1 212-842-5500
The pool at The Dominick is one of the best answers for anyone who wants a more upscale Manhattan pool experience without losing the “I’m still in New York” energy. It’s polished, hotel-luxury, and one of the more established day-pass names on the list. It doesn’t need to be loud to feel aspirational.
THE DAY-PASS MVPs
6) The Beach at Dream Downtown
The Beach at Dream Downtown
Address: 355 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011, United States Phone: +1 212-317-2071
Still one of the classic “we want a pool day in Manhattan and we want it to feel like a scene” options. Dream Downtown’s pool has long been part of New York’s summer pool conversation, and it remains a strong pick if you want the social, downtown version of a pool day.
7) Margaritaville Resort Times Square
Margaritaville Resort Times Square
Address: 560 7th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States
Phone: +1 212-221-3007
A little more playful, a little more tourist-friendly, but still worth mentioning because it’s one of the more accessible pool-day options in Manhattan. If your readers want Times Square convenience with an actual rooftop pool moment, this is a very real contender.
8) TWA Hotel
TWA – Address: JFK Access Rd, Queens, NY 11430, United States Phone: +1 212-806-9000
The TWA rooftop pool is one of the more unusual New York pool experiences because the entire setting is so specific: airport-adjacent, retro, and kind of fabulous in its own weird way. If you want a pool story with personality, this belongs on the list.
9) CODA Williamsburg
Coda Williamsburg – Address: 160 N 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249، الولايات المتحدة Phone: +1 718-218-7500
CODA has become one of the more active Williamsburg pool-day players, especially for people who want a younger, more social scene. It’s not the most iconic on the list, but it absolutely earns a place if the article is meant to reflect where people are actually spending summer days.
10) Somewhere Nowhere Rooftop at Renaissance NY Chelsea Hotel
Somewhere Nowhere NYC – Lounge, Nightclub & Rooftop Pool Address: 112 W 25th St Floor 38 & 39, New York, NY 10001, संयुक्त राज्य Phone: +1 212-404-7969
This is one of the better “rooftop pool plus party atmosphere” entries in Manhattan right now. Somewhere Nowhere leans into the social side of summer — skyline views, cocktails, afterwork energy — and works especially well for readers who want a pool day that can turn into an evening out.
BROOKLYN + OUTER BOROUGH PICKS
11) The Rockaway Hotel + Spa
The Rockaway Hotel – Address: 108-10 Rockaway Beach Dr, Rockaway Park, NY 11694, United States Phone: +1 718-474-1216
If the assignment is “best pools in New York City,” I would absolutely keep The Rockaway in. It’s not central Manhattan or Williamsburg, but it’s one of the best summer-feeling hotel pool experiences in the city because it gives you something New York pools rarely do: room to breathe. It’s beach-adjacent, resort-leaning, and ideal for people who want a day that feels like a getaway without leaving the city.
12) Ravel Hotel
Ravel Hotel – Address: 8-08 Queens Plz S, Long Island City, NY 11101 Phone: +17182896101
Ravel’s Summer Club pool in Long Island City is one of those places that works if you want the “day party, daybed, group outing” version of a pool day. It’s not trying to be quiet luxury. It’s trying to be fun, and sometimes that’s exactly what the assignment is.
13) Bathhouse Williamsburg
If you want to broaden the article beyond hotel pools, Bathhouse Williamsburg deserves inclusion because it gives you a rooftop pool plus wellness angle. It’s a smart addition for readers who want something a little more restorative than party-forward. Think: rooftop dip, spa access, and a more self-care-coded summer day.
14) Hotel Indigo Williamsburg
Hotel Indigo Williamsburg – Brooklyn by IHG
Address: 500 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211, Соединенные Штаты Phone: +1 718-577-2525
A solid Williamsburg option if you want to show range beyond the most obvious two or three names. Time Out still includes it among the city’s best hotel and rooftop pools, which is enough for me to keep it in the mix for a broader 20-pool guide.
MANHATTAN STAPLES + “GOOD TO KNOW” POOLS
15) Royalton Park Avenue
Royalton Park Avenue – Address: 420 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10016, United States Phone: +1 212-317-2900
Important caveat here: Royalton Park Avenue’s rooftop pool is gorgeous, but as of the current season it’s listed as hotel-guests-only, with day passes no longer available. I’d still include it if the article is “best pools to know,” but I’d label it clearly so readers don’t assume it’s an easy drop-in.
16) Empire Hotel
The Empire Hotel – Address: 44 W 63rd St, New York, NY 10023, United States Phone: +1 212-265-7400
The Empire Hotel’s rooftop pool deck remains one of those classic Upper West Side summer options that’s worth remembering, especially if your audience wants something a little more classic New York hotel than downtown party pool.
17) Mandarin Oriental, New York
Mandarin Oriental, New York – Address: 80 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10023, United States Phone: +1 212-805-8800
Not the obvious “pool day pass party” pick, but if the article is about the best pools in New York, it would be weird not to acknowledge the luxury end of the spectrum. The pool at Mandarin Oriental, New York is one of those “if you’re staying there, you already know” situations — more serene luxury hotel than summer social club.
20) Le Bain at The Standard, High Line / rooftop-pool-adjacent honorable mention
This one is more of a “know the scene” inclusion than a pure swim-all-day recommendation, but if you’re writing a VIVID-style New York summer guide, I’d probably end with one pool-adjacent nightlife mention because that’s honest to how people actually move through the city in July and August.
THE VIVID TAKE
If you want the shortlist of the actual must-knows, I’d bold these as the top tier:
- The William Vale
- 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
- Virgin Hotels New York City
- Arlo Williamsburg
- The Dominick
- The Rockaway Hotel + Spa
- Dream Downtown
- Bathhouse Williamsburg