The Hard Truth: Hotel Pool Edition
Well hello there gorgeous...(The Pool at the Westin Habour Castle)
It’s happened to me a few times and those times still haunt me from time to time.
I’m at the check in desk at the hotel. It’s a last minute booking which means I haven’t had time to stalk the website and fantasize about having a lobby cocktail. I pass the front of desk staff my credit card for “incidentals” (let’s admit it – we all sweat a bit) and then casually inquire about the location of the hotel pool. He hands my card back and then barely looks me in the eye:
“We don’t have a pool.”
I drop the card. I can’t tell if it’s from shaking or shock.
“Sorry, (I laugh uncomfortably) I thought you just said you don’t have a pool. Ha Ha Ha Ha.”
“We don’t. But we have a fitness room on the 4th with two ellipticals.”
I now have a chest pain. I’m also secretly hoping there is a swim option on the elliptical.
I’m grateful I didn’t run into the same fate at my weekend stay at the The Westin Habour Castle in Toronto. In fact, full disclosure, I believe it took me 13 seconds to type in the hotel name and search “pool?”.
Really my dream job in life would be visiting hotel pools. Does that job exist? I want it. Call me.
The pool at The Westin Habour Castle is indoors to accommodate those 8 Canadian months of the year that are essentially freezing and you want to pretend that you live in a balmy climate. What I liked the most, besides the fact that the pool simply existed, was the huge windows and children’s play area.
Go. Swim. Be Merry.
And for all those pool-less hotels out there, I sure hope you make a refreshing lobby cocktail. Because I will be swimming in it.
Yours in water,
Allana
A big thanks to Westin Hotels & Resorts for sponsoring this campaign. Click here to see more of the discussion.
Check out previous posts by Allana:
Hunter-Gatherer-Warrior-Mother
Follow Sam and Allana on Twitter (Allana is obsessed) and Facebook
Check out our pals from Babble Voices on – Facebook!
Yeah, I don’t understand hotels that don’t have pools. That should be a requirement to get the permit to build it. This has only happened once to me (and my kids were in tow) — which turned into a WEEKEND OF COMPLAINING. Hotels, do all moms a favor and let us know that you don’t have a pool when we’re booking. Come on folks, common courtesy.
Too pool for school! Nothing like an awesome pool
Haha that’s true, there should be a GIANT warning before you book: “Warning. We do NOT have a hotel pool; you may want to reconsider before booking.” The worst was once when I actually went through the trouble to check to see if they had a pool… AND IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION (which was NOT noted n the website). I know it was off-season, but it was an INDOOR pool, so needless to say we were extremely disappointed.
a hotel withOUT a pool? I’m happy my family has never run into this fate! really- what’s the point of a getaway if you can’t lounge in the water? i will definitely add this to my list of things to double check before booking my next vacation!
Wow! This looks beautiful! And perfect for Canada’s not-so-great-for-swimming weather
Pools are a must have at hotels! If we are staying at a hotel for an extended period of time, I won’t book it unless it has a pool. They are great for entertaining the kids too! That hotel pool in the picture looks amazing.
Oh I totally agree, it’s one of the first things I check, especially if I’m staying with my family. But oh, I’m a bit particular, it MUST be a clean and well kept pool, or else it’s no digs.
We once booked a hotel only to find (upon arrival) that the pool was UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
“Don’t worry!” they said. “We have a deal with the hotel (down the street) you can use their pool!”
It was just a two block walk in swimsuits to the other hotel, in December. In Chicago.
NO BIG DEAL.
What a beautiful pool! And there’s a children’s play area too?! This will make our trip to Toronto ‘the best trip ever’ for the kids.
While, depending on location, time of year and circumstances, a pool isn’t a *must have* hotel feature for me, if I’m planning on utilizing a swimming pool I always, always, always check out the hotel website before I book to make sure it’s acceptable. If not, I move on to the next listing until I find the right one. Same thing with the rooms and…hotel bar.