The 10 Best IHG Hotels for Pools, Based on Verified Guest Reviews - August 2026

Where the trip got planned around the deep end.

A great pool isn't a backdrop — for a lot of travelers it's the entire itinerary, the reason the kids stop asking when they can leave and the adults stop checking their phones. We built this ranking from verified IHG guest reviews, weighting how often the pool was singled out as the thing that made the stay, and how warmly. From a lazy river on the Gulf to a sea-view deck in Crete, these are the hotels where guests came home talking about the water.

CRETE, GREECE

1. InterContinental Crete

Two pools, both with views over the bay that guests describe as worth the trip on their own. This is the InterContinental doing what it does best: a swimming experience engineered as a centerpiece rather than an amenity. Reviewers single out a ninth-floor pool bar, attentive staff who remember names across a stay, and the simple, repeated observation that the water and the Aegean seem to merge at the horizon. One guest called the sea-view pool 'incredible' — a word that turns up a lot here, usually alongside a note that they'd return the moment the neighboring construction wraps.

From the bedroom to the food and also the view, everything was so amazing and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. The spa is great as well and the pool overlooking the sea was incredible"

— Hesta, Verified guest via IHG.com

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FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS

2. Holiday Inn Express Fredericksburg

Nobody books a Holiday Inn Express expecting a resort pool, which is exactly why this one keeps turning up in reviews with a note of surprise. In the heart of Texas Hill Country wine country, the property has built a landscaped outdoor pool and hot tub that guests describe as the perfect decompression after a day touring Fredericksburg's tasting rooms. Families mention immaculately clean water and balcony rooms overlooking it; couples mention coming back midday just to float. It's the rare express hotel where the pool, not the price, is the headline.

Great location, pool and hot tub were perfect after a couple of busy days touring around the town and wineries.

— Christina, Verified guest via IHG.com

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GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

3. Holiday Inn Grand Rapids - South

Holiday Inn Grand Rapids - South is a fun, family-friendly choice for travelers looking for more than just a standard hotel pool. The indoor pool area features a Little Dip Splash Pad with slides, waterfalls, and interactive water features, giving kids plenty of space to play while parents relax nearby. With year-round indoor fun and a welcoming stay experience, it’s a strong pick for families planning a Grand Rapids getaway with pool time built into the trip.

The staff is great, the property is clean and updated and the grandkids absolutely loved the pool and splash pad.

— Pops, Verified guest via IHG.com

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MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA

4. Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant

Most hotel pools are somewhere you go between other things. At this Charleston-area Hotel Indigo, the pool is the thing — and the rest of the stay organizes itself around it. Guests describe swimming laps in the morning, breakfast served poolside, cocktails at Eliza's by the water at night, and Friday live entertainment that turns the deck into a destination for non-guests too. Reviewers reach for the word 'vibes' more than once. With over 380 pool mentions, this is a property that understood the assignment and leaned all the way in.

In the mornings we swam laps followed by delicious breakfast poolside, and at night we enjoyed dinner by the pool with cocktails in a lovely nighttime setting.

— Annie, Verified guest via IHG.com

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HAYMAN ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

5. InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef

InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef is a spectacular choice for travelers who want a pool experience that feels as unforgettable as the destination itself. The resort is woven around striking swimming pools, tropical gardens, panoramic seascapes, and the turquoise beauty of the Whitsundays, creating a luxurious island setting made for long, relaxing days by the water. From the iconic Hayman Pool to poolside cabanas and suites with swim-out access, this resort turns pool time into a true Great Barrier Reef escape.

We had a wonderful 3 nights. From the boat transfer to check-in & beyond, we were very impressed with all staff and services. Our room was spacious & lovely! The pools were amazing. Bam Bam was excellent for both lunch & dinner! We really switched off & enjoyed a few days of much deserved down time! Thank you for a great stay!

— Annabel, Verified guest via IHG.com

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SWEMIEH, JORDAN

6. Crowne Plaza Jordan — Dead Sea Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Jordan — Dead Sea Resort & Spa is a standout choice for travelers who want poolside relaxation with a dramatic Dead Sea backdrop. The resort’s pool areas create an easy place to cool off, unwind, and take in the surrounding desert-meets-water scenery, whether guests are planning a family getaway or a relaxing spa escape. With outdoor pools, private beach access, and sweeping Dead Sea views, it’s a memorable destination for travelers who want their pool time to feel scenic, restorative, and distinctly tied to Jordan’s iconic coastline.

Fantastic hotel and just what was needed after a full on week exploring all of Jordan! Well maintained, fabulous views and facilities. Would like to have been here longer! The resort is huge with split levels for Dead Sea access and then room and dining. Fabulous large pool and excellent sunset views from the outside bar area

— Misterbilliam, Verified guest via IHG.com

Book the Crowne Plaza Jordan — Dead Sea Resort & Spa »

COLUMBUS, OHIO

7. Holiday Inn Express Columbus - Polaris Parkway

For families with young swimmers, this north Columbus property has built a reputation as the place that simply gets it right. Reviewers describe a clean pool with a slide that keeps children entertained for hours, water warm enough for the little ones and deep enough for a few laps, and rooms sized for a family of five. 'The best place for children who love to swim' is how one guest put it — high praise from the parents who spend their holidays poolside whether they planned to or not.

This is the best place for children who love to swim.

— Mona, Verified guest via IHG.com

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KEY LARGO, FLORIDA

8. Holiday Inn Key Largo

The pool here comes with a Tiki bar and a bartender named Donna, and guests mention both with the warmth usually reserved for old friends. Two pools sit beside an outdoor bar serving frozen drinks, with live entertainment a few nights a week and the Florida Keys doing the rest. Reviewers describe spotless, quiet rooms and an atmosphere that makes the pool deck the natural gravitational center of the stay. It's the kind of place where the plan to go snorkeling quietly dissolves into another afternoon by the water.

Clean & comfortable room, awesome pool & Tiki Bar, and perfect location with wonderful restaurant next door with a huge outdoor eating area!

— Miss Vicki, Verified guest via IHG.com

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PENSACOLA BEACH, FLORIDA

9. Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach Gulf Front

With a lazy river running alongside the pool and the Gulf of Mexico a few steps beyond, this Pensacola Beach property gives guests two bodies of water to choose between — and most reviewers end up working through both. The pool draws praise for its beautiful views of the beach and the lazy river for the easy hours it eats up, while evening movies turn the deck into family entertainment. With over 500 pool mentions, it's clearly the feature guests remember, even if the chair-saving etiquette occasionally tests their patience.

Great location, access to beach, and excellent pool with lazy river.

— Stephen Pace, Verified guest via IHG.com

Book the Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach Gulf Front »

MIDLAND, TEXAS

10. Holiday Inn Midland

The indoor-outdoor hot tub is the detail guests keep coming back to here — a small piece of engineering that lets you drift between climates without leaving the water. Reviewers in West Texas describe a clean pool with generous hours, a sports bar that delivers pizza poolside, and the kind of comfortable, good-value stay that makes a business stopover feel like a small holiday. It's not flashy, but the people in the pool, as one guest noted, always look like they're having a better time than they expected.

We love the indoor, outdoor hot tub and the pizza from the restaurant that we can have in the pool area is great!

— Grams, Verified guest via IHG.com

Book the Holiday Inn Midland »

*How we ranked them: Every hotel on this list was identified through analysis of thousands of verified IHG guest reviews. Hotels are ranked by the proportion of reviewers who positively mentioned pools, weighted by review volume and sentiment. All reviews sourced from IHG.com.

Explore all 10 hotels for pools

InterContinental Crete

Akti Koundourou 17
Crete, 72100, Greece

4.57 (178 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fredericksburg

500 South Washington
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624, United States

4.60 (2094 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Grand Rapids - South

6569 Clay Avenue Sw
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49548, United States

3.99 (1616 reviews)
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Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant

250 Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464, United States

4.31 (1761 reviews)
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InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef

Hayman Island
Hayman Island, Queensland 4801, Australia

4.20 (935 reviews)
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CERTIFIED
Crowne Plaza Jordan - Dead Sea Resort & Spa

Dead Sea Road
Swemieh, 100, Jordan

4.41 (1720 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Express & Suites Columbus - Polaris Parkway

8670 Orion Place
Columbus, Ohio 43240, United States

4.37 (2485 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Key Largo

99701 Overseas Hwy
Key Largo, Florida 33037-0708, United States

4.19 (2856 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach Gulf Front

14 Via De Luna Drive
Pensacola Beach, Florida 32561, United States

4.51 (4558 reviews)
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Holiday Inn Midland

810 Cinema Drive
Midland, Michigan 48642, United States

4.65 (2461 reviews)
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Where to go if the pool is the point

Some cities treat the pool as the main event, and they're worth choosing your stay around. Las Vegas turned the resort pool into theater decades ago and has never looked back, while Miami made the poolside scene a genuine reason to visit. Orlando builds for families with a seriousness bordering on engineering, and Dubai does scale and spectacle better than almost anywhere on earth. For desert heat that makes a cold pool feel essential, Phoenix, Palm Springs and the beaches of Cancún are hard to beat.

IHG brands that take the pool seriously

Holiday Inn has quietly become the family-pool specialist in the portfolio, and this list shows why — water parks, lazy rivers, slides and indoor-outdoor hot tubs turn up at property after property. These are pools designed around how families actually use them: all day, with snacks, until someone's prune-fingered and happy.

Holiday Inn Express isn't a brand you'd expect to find here, which is exactly what makes its pools so well reviewed — guests arrive with low expectations and leave talking about resort-style decks and warm, spotless water that outclass the room rate.

InterContinental plays a different game entirely: pools as architecture, positioned for the view, staffed for the comfort. At its resort properties the water is the design centerpiece, not an afterthought bolted on out back.

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