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Friday, March 15, 2019

Advantages of in-out Swimming Pools At Hotels

USA
I first came across an in-out swimming pool at a ski resort in the USA. It was mid-winter, ski season, freezing outside. What was the point of an in-out swimming pool? Who would swim outside in the cold? I presumed that the outdoor pool was for summer. But why didn't they cover it over in winter? I could see a couple of hardy souls swimming outside. Masochists, I presumed. Health fanatics.

After a day on the ski slopes, I tried the indoor pool. Nice and warm. Later I tried an outdoor Jacuzzi. Warm.

After a short skiing day, I was back in the indoor pool, and tried venturing out a foot, swimming under the plastic vertical strips. Pleasantly warm, view of the sky. I swam further. The water was still warm.

Then it started, snowing. I retreated to the indoor pool.

Later, I discovered another pool at a spa hotel in Umbria.

ITALY
The indoor-outdoor pool was wonderful in summer. Late afternoon, on a sweltering afternoon, in a hot coach, we reached our hotel for dinner, time for a swim.

We moved around the warm, tepid, slightly refreshing and cooling outdoor pool. When it rained, we went indoors.

Singapore
In Singapore I hesitated to swim in the haze. I could smell smoke. My husband said that smoke makes the air grey. If you can see the distant hilltop, there's no haze.

I went for a swim and got to thinking about the haze in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Whether it is an accidental bush fire, or caused by deliberate burning of scrub in order to clear land to plant oil palms, you need to get out of the haze. If you want to swim, wouldn't it be a good idea of all public pools and condo pools had a roof you could pull over during the haze or impending haze.

USA
I've see sports stadiums in the USA, Texas?, with pull over and retractable roofs. The technology is there. All you need is the want, the will, and the money. How to find the money? Make it compulsory and government funded or subsidised. Make it a legal requirement, or get the insurance companies to demand it, then look for sponsorship, or charities raising money. As they say where there's a will there's way.

Malta
Another place with indoor and outdoor pools, not connected. Who needs an indoor pool if the hotel has an outdoor pool and a beach? But the outdoor pool may be closed in winter because there's little demand for it in cold weather, the poolside bar is closed, and a cover is over it to keep out the falling autumn leaves. Also the outdoor pool could be closed for cleaning one day a week or a fortnight. If that's the day of your holiday when you have time in the hotel because your flight just arrived or is about to leave, so it's the only day you are not out on a day tour, you might appreciate in indoor all weather all season pool.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.


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