Infinity, Sky and Panorama pools: what's what?

Infinity describes how a pool is built: on at least one side the water flows over an edge, so the water surface there seems to have no visible rim. Sky and Panorama, on the other hand, are not fixed types of construction but names that hotels use in different ways. They do not reliably stand for a particular location or view and say nothing about whether a pool is open or heated.

Infinity: a way of building, not a location

An infinity pool can be in the garden, on a slope, on a terrace or on the roof. The overflow edge says nothing about how high up the pool is, whether it is indoors or outdoors and what you can see from it. It has its full effect when there is landscape beyond the edge. Whether that is the case for a particular pool only becomes clear when you look at that pool.

Sky, Rooftop and Panorama: names the property chooses

Rooftop simply means that a pool is on the roof. Sky Pool is a name that hotels use in different ways, for example for a pool on the roof or for a pool with a wide view of the valley. The name Panorama refers to the view and can describe an outdoor pool as well as an indoor pool with large windows. The name does not tell you what view a pool actually offers.

None of these names reliably tells you whether the pool has an overflow edge, whether it is heated or whether it is open all year. A Sky Pool can be an infinity pool, but it does not have to be. If any of these points matter to you, ask about them specifically.

Indoor, outdoor and other water areas

An indoor pool does not depend on the weather, while an outdoor pool is under the open sky. Which pools a property has varies greatly. The Pools and water worlds selection includes hotels with an indoor pool, outdoor pool, whirlpool or natural swimming pond. A hotel can have more than one of these water areas.

Heated does not mean open all year

A heated outdoor pool is not automatically in operation all year. Some properties open their outdoor pool only in the warm season, others in winter as well. What matters is whether the pool you are looking forward to is open during your travel dates. For indoor pools, too, it is worth checking the opening hours, for example in the evening.

Warm water is not automatically thermal water

Temperature alone does not reveal where the water comes from. Warm water can be heated or come naturally warm from a spring. Whether it is thermal water is a separate detail that a property or public pool states explicitly. If thermal water matters to you, ask where the water comes from.

Access to the pool you want

Not every pool at a property is open to all guests at all times. Some pools are in an adults-only area or have a minimum age, and individual areas may be charged separately. Which rule applies is up to each property.

So before booking, ask specifically about the pool you have in mind: is it indoors or outdoors, is it open during your travel dates and can everyone traveling with you use it?

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