Swim-up. There’s nothing quite like it. You slide open the glass door, step out onto the terrace, and your feet are already in the water. The pool is right there—calm, warm, waiting. In the Caribbean, this is the closest thing to having the beach at your doorstep: the swim-up suite.
Swim-up rooms are changing the way travelers experience resort life. They’re more accessible than beachfront villas, more private than crowded pool decks—and they offer that perfect blend of luxury and convenience. Now, I should note that when we talk about swim-up, we mean swim-up. That is distinct from rooms that have their own private plunge pool. Here, it’s a swim-up room connecting to a communal pool.
A more affordable alternative to suites with private pools or those located directly on the beach, swim-up rooms are part of a wave of hotel accommodations with unique features that go beyond soaking tubs and patio hot tubs. We always recommend travelers make the splurge for them, one that is seldom as much of an extra premium as you might think.
Here’s a sampling of our favorite resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico’s Riviera Maya where you can dive into a swim-up room.
Lopesan Costa Bavaro — Swim-Up Perfection in Punta Cana I loved these swim-up rooms when I stayed in them on my last visit to a resort we’ve called the best new all-inclusive in Punta Cana (and one that remains our favorite in Punta Cana, period). I love the oversized patio, the chaise lounger, the table, and the palm-lined steps. It feels like your own private plunge pool, not just a swim-up. But as far as swim-ups go, these are hard to beat. While this is a family-friendly hotel, these are fantastic rooms for adults.
O2 Beach Club — Beachfront Luxury in Barbados Ocean Hotels has cultivated the perfect formula for all-inclusive resorts in Barbados, with a mix of elegance, cool and thoughtful design. And our favorite rooms at the company’s South Coast hideaway are the swim-up rooms, which take you almost right up to the beach, but never leaving the center of the action.
Adults-Only Indulgence at the Sonesta Ocean Point Resort, St. Maarten
It starts with the views—every suite has one. But the swim-up suites are different. You’re not just looking at the water. You’re in it. Step out and sink into a submerged recliner. Slide the glass wall wide open and let the breeze in. Butler service means your cocktail never leaves arm’s reach.
Resorts World Bimini, Bahamas
Bimini always feels like a secret. But this is the island’s biggest resort—casino, marina, and all. The best rooms? Exclusive Suites with patios that open onto a huge lazy-river-style pool. You don’t walk to the pool. You live in it. My favorite part? The fact that you’re looking out right into the marina.
Aruba’s New Swim-Up Rooms at JOIA ARUBA by Iberostar
Aruba’s newest resort brings a modern twist to the island’s luxury hotel scene — and it’s right on Eagle Beach. JOIA Aruba by Iberostar gives you a collection of sleek, contemporary Swim-Out Suites, where you can step from your private terrace straight into a semi-private pool.
Italian Swim up Bi-level Butler Suites at Sandals Grenada
This is where it all comes together — the water, the view, the design. At Sandals Grenada, the Swim-Up Butler Suites are a masterclass in modern Caribbean luxury. You’ve got a zero-entry pool just steps from your bed. A soaking tub for two tucked under the open sky. And out beyond the patio, the kind of ocean view that makes you lose track of time. It’s bold, it’s private, and it’s built for two. Perfect for honeymooners — or anyone who wants the swim-up experience with a serious upgrade
UNICO 20˚87˚ Hotel Riviera Maya, Mexico
High privacy walls. A deck with twin loungers half-floating in a shallow shelf of water. These king-bed Alcoba Swim-Up Rooms are designed for quiet days and slow evenings. The pool’s right there, but it still feels like yours alone.
Wellness and Swim-Ups at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana There’s just always something we’ve loved about this resort in Punta Cana: the golden sand, the palm trees, the thatched roofs. The brand is unique, too: Zoetry somehow manages to inject a real wellness feel into a traditional all-inclusive, and that extends to the swim-up rooms here, which give you nearly 800 square feet of space in junior suites.
Sandals South Coast, Jamaica
This one’s different. The new swim-up Rondoval Suites look like something from a Bond movie. Round villas. Private plunge pools. And direct access to a 17,000-foot pool—the longest in the Western Hemisphere. Float from your room to the swim-up bar and back again.
Sanctuary Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
This place feels like a fortress. Literally. The “Castle” section is surrounded by a saltwater moat—shared by a small number of swim-up suites. Add jetted tubs, butler service, and over-the-water sunbeds and it becomes something out of a Caribbean daydream. (This is also the rare swim-up you can book on Marriott Bonvoy points).
The Preferred Rooms at Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay I adored the rooms at the Preferred Club at this popular Montego Bay retreat on my last visit. There’s a nice patio and then steps leading you down to a large wraparound pool, where you look out right to the pool and the stunning corner of Montego Bay where this resort is located.
Calabash Cove, Saint Lucia
This place doesn’t need a swim-up suite to be special. But it has four of them anyway. Each opens to the edge of the infinity pool—steps from the swim-up bar. Stay in one and you’ll never want to leave the water. Or the view. The best part though? You can wade right over to the main pool’s swim-up bar. Swim-up, then drink up.
Pro tip: Book early. The best swim-up suites go fast—and once you try one, you may never want to go back to a “regular” room again.
