This 1930s-era, heritage-listed building smack-bang in the middle of the city has been transformed into one of Sydney’s hottest new five-star hotels, containing one of its swankiest rooftop pools. Ascend through the marble-covered art deco lobby to the Level Seven bar and pool, where hotel guests can dive into the 20-metre lap pool while patrons sip on their glasses of Veuve Clicquot and Rosé Spritz.
Speaking of swanky, this five-star stay in one of Sydney’s most salubrious suburbs also boasts one of the city’s best infinity pools. The rooftop of the Double Bay InterContinental sparkles with the glittering turquoise swimming spot, surrounded by striped sun lounges and an al fresco bar pouring drinks until sunset every day over summer, offering panoramic views over the Eastern Suburbs and Sydney Harbour.
The ribbon was only cut on these North Sydney apartments as recently as last year, but Skye by Crown Group has quickly earned a reputation for its jaw-dropping rooftop infinity pool. The 20-storey masterpiece was designed by acclaimed Japanese-Australian architect Koichi Takada, giving the residents of the 242 apartments a stunning top-floor gym and infinity-edged pool with views over Sydney Harbour.
An hour’s drive north of Sydney lies the Bouddi National Park, a leafy paradise on the Central Coast that’s home to one of New South Wales’ most spectacular guesthouses. The Pretty Beach House is made up of four luxury pavilions secluded among towering gum trees, shading the property’s glamorous infinity pool and sandstone deck perched high above an escarpment on top of Pretty Beach.
The panorama from the water at this recently unveiled infinity pool provides one of Sydney’s most Instagrammable vistas: a perfect panorama of the skyline across Darling Harbour. The fourth-flour pool and bar is the highlight of this sparkly new Sofitel, which only opened in the tourist precinct right next door to the equally new Convention and Exhibition Centre in the middle of 2018.
Okay, technically the swimming spot on the roof of the Park Hyatt isn’t an infinity pool, but it’s way too gorgeous to leave off this list. One of the city’s absolutely premier five-star hotels boasts killer views over the iconic landmarks of Sydney Harbour — the Bridge and the Opera House — and there’s nowhere better to take in the vistas than this outdoor heated pool.
Before the idea was embraced by ultra-luxurious resort hotels, the original infinity pools were the ocean baths that line Sydney coast, and the North Narrabeen Rock Pool is perhaps the most beautiful in town. The Northern Beaches institution sits at the entrance to Narrabeen Lagoon, and uses a timber boardwalk to split a 50-metre lap pool with the rest of the scenic seaside swimming hole. Free for all beach-goers.
When the foamy waves are crashing agains the rocks, there isn’t much distinction between this gorgeous ocean pool in the Eastern Suburbs and the vast Pacific Ocean it overlooks. Bronte doesn’t attract the tourist hordes that pepper Bondi down the road, but this little bath on the cliffside is every bit as photogenic. No charge for entry.
This icon of Sydney’s most famous beach is probably Sydney’s most famous pool. Jutting out into the southern end of Bondi Beach, only a thin strip of concrete separates the turquoise waters of Bondi Icebergs from the rich blue hues of the ocean. Join the lap swimmers that frequent the baths 12 months a year for just a $7 entry fee, including use of the sauna.
Sadly, despite being arguably Sydney’s most scenic natural infinity pools, you shouldn’t swim in the Figure Eight Pools — they’re located on a dangerous rock platform in the Royal National Park, and threaten to sweep swimmers off their feet and across sharp rocks into the surf. They’re still pretty Instagrammable, though.
