I travel a fair amount for business and am always looking for hotels with a legitimate pool, i.e. not something that resembles a hot tub. Thought others might have the same problem so thought I would start a thread to keep everyone informed of my experiences and others can post theirs too.
Atlanta - Marriott Marquis (downtown). They have a pool that is oddly shaped. Not rectangular, closer to a large triangle, about 15 yards on each side. You can't really do laps but can hug the wall and swim almost in circles, assuming no one is in your way.
Boston - Copley Square Marriott (Back Bay). They have a legit 25 m pool with lap lanes.
Indianapolis - Courtyard Marriott (by the Capital). Their "pool" is probably less than 10 m long. Don't waste your time.
A few years ago, a swimmer in my LMSC set (and achieved) a goal to swim one million yards in a year. He traveled a lot so he was always looking for appropriate pools. He said that when he called a hotel and asked about their pool, he learned not to ask whether it was a "lap pool" (because hotel clerks assume that any puddle of water is a "lap pool"). Instead, he learned that he got more realistic information when he asked, "Does it have lines painted on the bottom?"
Anna Lea
Yeah, I travel a lot too and it's incredible what people think is an "Olympic size pool." Recently, the concierge at a hotel in Phoenix said that the downtown YMCA has a state of the art "Olympic size pool" so I was guessing that they at least had a 25 yard, 6 lane pool, but when I got there it was in fact 25 yards, but 4 lanes, two of which didn't have lap lanes. Hilarious! At least it was a place to swim a few laps!
Places I have been happy with:
Hilton Chicago- The have an indoor 20 yard pool. Better than nothing and works in a pinch when I can't get to a masters practice.
Couples Swept Away- Negril, Jamaica- Just got back from there and not only do they have a great swimming area in the ocean that was about 350 meters long and safe from boat traffic, but there was a 7 lane, 25 meter pool on the property! It was beautiful! I highly recommend the resort if you're looking to get away during a cold winter!
Mostly I just scope out a masters team and then figure out cabs/public transportation. Every once in a while I do get a rental car so that makes it SO much easier.
Julie
A few years ago, a swimmer in my LMSC set (and achieved) a goal to swim one million yards in a year. He traveled a lot so he was always looking for appropriate pools. He said that when he called a hotel and asked about their pool, he learned not to ask whether it was a "lap pool" (because hotel clerks assume that any puddle of water is a "lap pool"). Instead, he learned that he got more realistic information when he asked, "Does it have lines painted on the bottom?"
Anna Lea
Yeah, I travel a lot too and it's incredible what people think is an "Olympic size pool." Recently, the concierge at a hotel in Phoenix said that the downtown YMCA has a state of the art "Olympic size pool" so I was guessing that they at least had a 25 yard, 6 lane pool, but when I got there it was in fact 25 yards, but 4 lanes, two of which didn't have lap lanes. Hilarious! At least it was a place to swim a few laps!
Places I have been happy with:
Hilton Chicago- The have an indoor 20 yard pool. Better than nothing and works in a pinch when I can't get to a masters practice.
Couples Swept Away- Negril, Jamaica- Just got back from there and not only do they have a great swimming area in the ocean that was about 350 meters long and safe from boat traffic, but there was a 7 lane, 25 meter pool on the property! It was beautiful! I highly recommend the resort if you're looking to get away during a cold winter!
Mostly I just scope out a masters team and then figure out cabs/public transportation. Every once in a while I do get a rental car so that makes it SO much easier.
Julie
