HotelChatter

Trump Soho

What do you get when you combine trademark Trump opulence with a 6,000 square foot pool deck? A waterfall, premium vintage champagne, and a bocce ball court, actually. Take the elevator to the seventh floor to take a peek (or maybe more) at the Trump Soho. It's smaller than you'd expect from Trump but this is Manhattan after all and space is limited. If you're a guest, hit the pool up in the morning before the crowds get there.

Gansevoort Park

Yes, the pool at Gansevoort Park Hotel boasts three separate floors, and is arguably Manhattan's largest pool deck. What's more, the hotel's location makes it accessible from both Times Square and Union Square, though it feels remote from the bustle of either of those places. Once in a while, the pool crowd likes to make a little noise of its own. But who goes to a pool to stay dry?

Dream Downtown

Unsurprisingly, the Dream Downtown's secluded pool deck has quickly became the hotel's most popular destination, judging from our past few visits. Pull up a deck chair on the sand-covered beach nook, strip down to your skivvies, and dive in! Just remember those see-through holes in the bottom of the pool. We wouldn't want anyone catching any compromising photos of you from the lobby.

Empire Hotel

We'd like to tell you it's not always about fashion at the Empire Hotel. Unfortunately, because of the pool's small size, you end up doing more mannequin-style lounging than actual swimming. But hey, when you're this far uptown, you can't be too choosy. And did we mention the cabanas with plasma screen TVs?

Sheraton Brooklyn

Despite some initial confusion, this pool is actually a part of the Sheraton Brooklyn, NOT the Aloft Brooklyn. Though the two are right next to each other on the same street, and guests at the Aloft have access to the neighboring pool. That glass ceiling may seem a nuisance when compared to other open-air rooftop pools on this list, but think of this—until Williamsburg gets its act together, this is the only game in town Brooklyn.

Peninsula Hotel

At 13 meters, the ESPA Spa pool at The Peninsula puts a lot of other Manhattan penthouse pools to shame. The cool, detached ambiance here is almost as appealing as the multitude of toe-curlingly good spa treatments (aromatherapy thermal suites, anyone?). Best of all, it's open year-round so this doesn't have to be your last chance to strip down after all! And when you do manage to drag yourself out of the 82ºF water, simply hop two floors up to the hotel's famous Shanghai-inspired Salon de Ning.

[Photos: HotelChatter, Trump Soho/Facebook, HotelChatter, Empire Hotel, Sheraton Hotels, The Peninsula]