For a romantic meal, a romantic holiday or a scenic photograph or selfie, look for waterfalls with nearby restaurants or bridges and hotels which are waterside, lakeside, seaside, have outdoor waterfall, indoor waterfalls, or are near waterfalls where you can take a day trip. Here is a list of my favourites in the UK, USA, Malts, Singapore and more. Plus tips on how to find and photograph waterfalls.
I have fond memories of:
Waterfall hotels in Singapore:
Hyatt Hotel, Scots Road Singapore. Waterfall into pool, accessible to residents and if you book a table for food and drink at the poolside bar
Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore.
If you don't find a hotel or free spot by a waterfall, invest in a day trip to the indoor gardens with the huge waterfall - a half day trip. Gardens By the Bay, Singapore.
Wedding Photos in Singapore/Malaysia Brides often take a trip to a waterfall in Singapore or Malaysia, dressed in bridal gear. The photo can be blown up to life size as a welcome sign at the door of the wedding reception venue. Afterwards the picture can be made into a poster of framed, or made into a mock oil painting with a canvas effect and framed. Other uses of your picture are wallpaper or a photo over your bed at home.
Philippines:
Shangri-La, Manila.
Peninsular Manila had waterfall but it was turned off last time we went there.
Waterfall hotels in the UK:
Fishguard Bay Hotel, (by Goodwick and Fishguard station), Wales. Restaurant with best views from tables for two or six seats by window. (Others tables with part view, or no view, against wall or obscured by pillar!).
Malta:
Grand Hotel Excelsior with outdoor pool (seasonal). Indoor pool. Tiny beach, might be viewable but accessible only at certain times, not when I was there.
Waterfall hotels in the USA: (Being researched - updated later.)
Reasons For Closing Pools
When using pools or waterfalls for a holiday swim or just a photo, check before booking that the pool will be open in the dates you are visiting. Get the reply in writing and make it clear if your booking depends on this (i.e. a refund or free drink as compensation will not do).
Ski, Gym and Swim
Years ago we stayed at a Best Western hotel at a ski resort in the USA. We'd booked the hotel because of the pool so the non-skiers in the group would have an alternative entertainment and exercise and meeting place. The pool was shut with access blocked by a huge roll of flooring. We were offered a free drink as compensation. This did not make up for the embarrassment as we had booked for ourselves and friends as we had boasted about our hotel and planned to invite them to our hotel and show off.
Nor did it cover the wasted weekend for some of us. The hotel was getting renovated elsewhere. When we sent pictures to head office, the organisers were horrified and we got a full refund. I could have saved my family, the hotel, and the umbrella organisation embarrassment, and money, if I had made a phone call and follow up email confirming that the pool was open during the whole of our stay.
If you are at a ski resort or on business and want to use the pool, poolside bar, or waterside restaurant, in the evening and weekends, check the opening times. Especially if your flight arrives late in the day and you want dinner on Sunday evening in the waterside restaurant with the view.
Malta
In Malta the riverside restaurant's buffet had closed and last orders were taken and chef gone home after we had checked into the room, got our luggage, showered and changed. We had to have bar food with no view instead. We got the big restaurant with the view next day at breakfast time.
On the smaller island of Gozo which we visited by ferry for the day, we found a restaurant serving lunch overlooking the pool with a waterfall near a public beach. We had lunch elsewhere at a grander hotel with views over the swimming pool.
Droughts and Water Restrictions
What else could interfere with your view of water? Drought and flooding. Rarely the waterfall reduces to a trickle.
Water can be turned off because of restrictions on water usage in high summer in a country or city drought. More local problems include hotel renovations, or pool cleaning. The pool may be drained for cleaning, or to stop people falling in, or covered to stop autumn leaves, in the off-season.
Pools are also shut in cold weather (perhaps because of the lack of heating, or cost of heating water). Or lack of demand. And dismissal of lifeguards required in some US states - when we lived in Maryland, USA, by insurance.
Late Night Pools
Outdoor pools can also be a source of noise at night from official parties or revellers. Or they could close at 5 pm, 6 pm or 8 pm, when the door through the leisure centre where towers are provided is locked at night.
Closed Pools
I have found the outdoor pool inaccessible off-season in Malta (although the indoor pool was available).
Securing Views
Free seating (Fishguard Bay Hotel, Wales, on Writers' Holiday every July) means you have to arrive early to bag a table with the best view. A little research and the romantic retreat can be yours.
Angela Lansbury, BA Honours, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker.
I have fond memories of:
Waterfall hotels in Singapore:
Hyatt Hotel, Scots Road Singapore. Waterfall into pool, accessible to residents and if you book a table for food and drink at the poolside bar
Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore.
If you don't find a hotel or free spot by a waterfall, invest in a day trip to the indoor gardens with the huge waterfall - a half day trip. Gardens By the Bay, Singapore.
Wedding Photos in Singapore/Malaysia Brides often take a trip to a waterfall in Singapore or Malaysia, dressed in bridal gear. The photo can be blown up to life size as a welcome sign at the door of the wedding reception venue. Afterwards the picture can be made into a poster of framed, or made into a mock oil painting with a canvas effect and framed. Other uses of your picture are wallpaper or a photo over your bed at home.
Philippines:
Shangri-La, Manila.
Peninsular Manila had waterfall but it was turned off last time we went there.
Waterfall hotels in the UK:
Fishguard Bay Hotel, (by Goodwick and Fishguard station), Wales. Restaurant with best views from tables for two or six seats by window. (Others tables with part view, or no view, against wall or obscured by pillar!).
Malta:
Grand Hotel Excelsior with outdoor pool (seasonal). Indoor pool. Tiny beach, might be viewable but accessible only at certain times, not when I was there.
Waterfall hotels in the USA: (Being researched - updated later.)
Reasons For Closing Pools
When using pools or waterfalls for a holiday swim or just a photo, check before booking that the pool will be open in the dates you are visiting. Get the reply in writing and make it clear if your booking depends on this (i.e. a refund or free drink as compensation will not do).
Ski, Gym and Swim
Years ago we stayed at a Best Western hotel at a ski resort in the USA. We'd booked the hotel because of the pool so the non-skiers in the group would have an alternative entertainment and exercise and meeting place. The pool was shut with access blocked by a huge roll of flooring. We were offered a free drink as compensation. This did not make up for the embarrassment as we had booked for ourselves and friends as we had boasted about our hotel and planned to invite them to our hotel and show off.
Nor did it cover the wasted weekend for some of us. The hotel was getting renovated elsewhere. When we sent pictures to head office, the organisers were horrified and we got a full refund. I could have saved my family, the hotel, and the umbrella organisation embarrassment, and money, if I had made a phone call and follow up email confirming that the pool was open during the whole of our stay.
If you are at a ski resort or on business and want to use the pool, poolside bar, or waterside restaurant, in the evening and weekends, check the opening times. Especially if your flight arrives late in the day and you want dinner on Sunday evening in the waterside restaurant with the view.
Malta
In Malta the riverside restaurant's buffet had closed and last orders were taken and chef gone home after we had checked into the room, got our luggage, showered and changed. We had to have bar food with no view instead. We got the big restaurant with the view next day at breakfast time.
On the smaller island of Gozo which we visited by ferry for the day, we found a restaurant serving lunch overlooking the pool with a waterfall near a public beach. We had lunch elsewhere at a grander hotel with views over the swimming pool.
Droughts and Water Restrictions
What else could interfere with your view of water? Drought and flooding. Rarely the waterfall reduces to a trickle.
Water can be turned off because of restrictions on water usage in high summer in a country or city drought. More local problems include hotel renovations, or pool cleaning. The pool may be drained for cleaning, or to stop people falling in, or covered to stop autumn leaves, in the off-season.
Pools are also shut in cold weather (perhaps because of the lack of heating, or cost of heating water). Or lack of demand. And dismissal of lifeguards required in some US states - when we lived in Maryland, USA, by insurance.
Late Night Pools
Outdoor pools can also be a source of noise at night from official parties or revellers. Or they could close at 5 pm, 6 pm or 8 pm, when the door through the leisure centre where towers are provided is locked at night.
Closed Pools
I have found the outdoor pool inaccessible off-season in Malta (although the indoor pool was available).
Securing Views
Free seating (Fishguard Bay Hotel, Wales, on Writers' Holiday every July) means you have to arrive early to bag a table with the best view. A little research and the romantic retreat can be yours.
Angela Lansbury, BA Honours, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker.
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