A collection of my favorite pools from around the globe

Park Hotel Vitznau @ Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

My new #1 favorite hotel. High-tech and understated luxury.

Dolder Grand Hotel & Spa @ Zurich, Switzerland

Flew direct here from Nairobi, Kenya, after spending months roughing it in Africa. Quite a shock of modern luxury. Stainless steel pool.

Boscolo @ Milano, Italy

Underground pool with 100's of domed mirrors, funky shapes, with soothing LEDs. Spent a night in Milan en-route from Cinque Terre to escape the summer crowds and go diving in Egypt.

Villa in Koh Samui, Thailand

Owned by a Roman senator who makes a mean gnocchi. Interior design by famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. Taken care of by a full-time staff of six while escaping the cold northern hemisphere winter. Daily laps followed by lunch served under the verandah.

Hotel Omnia @ Zermatt, Switzerland

Car-free town, under the Matterhorn. Ultra-modern hotel carved into the top of a massive 8-story rock formation. The Swiss love their stainless steel pools. Massive doors swing open at the far end, so you can swim out to the edge and peek out over the town.

Anassa @ Cyprus

Had this pool all to myself. Lovely Greek / Mediterranean architecture. One one side is a courtyard where they'll bring meals. Other side is a salt water soaking tank for thalassotherapy (use of sea water as a form of therapy).

Mandarin Oriental @ Barcelona

Barcelona is design overload. Everywhere you look there's something unique. The spa here is of course wild too. Only problem is its all underground so feels a bit trapped.

Four Seasons @ Maui, Hawaii

A recent addition at the property. Adult pool deck with swim up bar and infinity pool. Private cabanas are spendy, but some of the nicest I've seen.

Semiramis @ Athens, Greece

Designed by Karim Rashid. Still by far the most insane design hotel I've seen. Set in Kifissia, an upscale residential suburb of Athens. If you're in NYC, you can check out a Nooch, a restaurant / thai noodle lounge by the same designer.

W Hotel @ Hong Kong

Roof-top pool on the Kowloon side. Quite cool design at this urban oasis.

Alila Ubud, Bali

Massive pool perched up over a lush green valley in Bali. Hung out here a couple times. The shirodara massage (Ayurvedic massage from India) will "open your third eye". Quite a unique sensation from a constant stream of hot oil running down your forehead.

"Hippo Pools" @ Okavango delta, Botswana

As much as these fancy pools are nice, I'd rather be thousands of kilometers from anywhere, flirting with wild hippos. Snapped this photo from a "mokoro" boat ride in the morning, and went for a rather sketchy swim later in the day. Never felt more alive - my ears constantly perked for the slightest sound.