LIFE & CULTURE

The 4 Best Pool Bars For Summer

Holy floating flamingo – these poolside venues are all sorts of cool

Anyone who’s ever sipped cocktails from an oversized floating bird can’t help but love a poolside bar. After all, nothing says summer in the city quite like a sip and dip session. From city rooftops at exclusive private members clubs to pulsating day clubs and more casual havens with a Slim Aarons elegance, a pool is the ultimate soiree starter.

The Pool x Pier One, Sydney

At The Pool x Pier One [pieronesydneyharbour.com.au], a pop up plunge pool and pontoon under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the vibe is pure tropical chic. The hotel has teamed up with Seafolly and Chandon to create the ultimate summer hotspot just in time for the party season. Want a private piece of foreshore to dip in? Groups of up to 30 can have the venue all to themselves from 1 to 4pm or 5 to 8pm for a cool $2000 ($500 hire fee plus $1500 minimum spend). On a hot day, its perfect way to give out-of-towners a solid piece of Sydney gold, especially when the free-flowing Chandon is paired with freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters. Open 28 Nov 2018 until 28 Feb 2019.

pier one

Reunion Island Pool Club, Melbourne

The former St Jerome’s glamping hotel on the Melbourne Central rooftop has been reworked for summer as a palm tree sporting plunge pool and bar, The reunion Island Pool Club [reunionislandpoolclub.com.au].

Melbournians can cool off in groups of 2 to 12 in one of the 10 temperature-controlled pools, grazing on LA-style poolside fare by Easey’s Jimmy Hurlston – think club sandwiches and tacos while downing Gintonica G&Ts. The venue opens daily from 7am for rooftop yoga and other wellness-oriented classes and goes well into the night (10pm Monday to Wednesday and 11pm on the weekends). Open October through to May 2019.

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Soho House rooftop pool, Mumbai

On the 11th floor of the Juhu building, this new member-only pool is so exclusive we can’t help but be intrigued. Mumbai [sohohousemumbai.com] is the group’s first foray into Asia and they certainly have Indian decadence nailed. With a tight creatives-only admittance policy and even tighter privacy rules, suits and social media celebs need not apply  – even Kim Kardashian was denied membership at the LA branch. If you happen to fit the anti-mould, though, the pool is a parasol-dotted paradise for like-minded artsy types to network as the sun goes down. Fees start at €1,500 annually or €750 for under 27s, if you’re deemed cool enough and creative enough to join this network of artful glitterati. Open daily.

soho house Mumbai

Mrs Sippy, Bali

With the island’s largest saltwater pool and a DJ line-up to rival Ibiza, Mrs Sippy [mrssippybali.com] is a pool club of epic proportions. Only in Bali can you combine all-day drinking with a soaring diving board. Regardless, chilling on the whitewashed daybeds with a glass of rosé in hand is an ideal way to soak up the grown-up circus scene. Open daily.

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