What’s your pool personality?
Infinity obsessive, cold plunger or serious lap swimmer? However you like to make a splash, we’ve found the Vrbo for you
A beautiful pool is the ultimate cherry on the vacation-rental cake. But anyone who has browsed Vrbo’s most sought-after homes will know that there are ever more types of pools to choose from, from innovative new designs to resort-worthy features. Consider this your go-to guide—and dive right in…
Zero entry: For easy-does-its
Holden Beach, NC
Sleeps 18
Zero entry (aka “beach entry”) pools have a gradual slope that opens up the water to everyone—including non-swimmers and those with accessibility issues. As the design mimics a beach (minus the sand and tides), they’re a hit with toddlers who can paddle in freely. This one, in Holden Beach, North Carolina, is connected to a 12-person spillover hot tub and comes with a sunbathing deck for optimum ray-catching.
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Saltwater: For sensitive sorts
Palm Springs, CA
Sleeps 6
Chlorinated water can irritate eyes and dehydrate skin. While saltwater pools aren’t entirely chemical-free (most often, a saltwater generator works by converting dissolved salt into chlorine through a process called electrolysis), the treatment process is gentler and results in lower levels of chloramines. The water stays clean and practically odorless, so it’s win-win all round. This 10/10 property in Palm Springs, California, also has a pair of loungers cleverly built into the design.
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Cold plunge: For health fanatics
Austin, TX
Sleeps 8
A quick dip in ice-cold water may not sound that nice, but the health benefits have been scientifically proven: Just a few minutes can improve your mood and cardiovascular circulation. Do it regularly and it can improve your body’s natural recovery process—so renting a Vrbo with a cold-plunge pool is a great way to dip your toe into the trend, metaphorically and literally. The neat design of this one in Austin, Texas, comes with a built-in fire feature—perfect for warming up afterwards.
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Infinity: For Instagram addicts
Los Angeles, CA
Sleeps 8
We defy you not to spam your feed with selfies if you rent a home with an infinity pool. Minimally designed to appear to merge into the view beyond, they are also a hit with architecture fans. At this L.A. pad, the infinity pool appears to have been parachuted into the Hollywood Hills. Its clean lines echo the covetable design of the contemporary four-bedroom property, while the sweeping views of downtown twinkling in the distance—and the swell of the Pacific Ocean—won’t ever get old.
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XL: For serious swimmers
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Sleeps 8
At 50m (164 feet) in length, Olympic pools are designed with professional athletes in mind—and are perhaps a little much for a vacation rental. But at this oceanfront property in Baja California, Mexico, the extra-long pool cleverly snakes in front of the charming casitas (says one reviewer: “My family had to stage an intervention to get me out of my swimsuit”). And it’s not just for serious pursuits: There are three shallow areas for young children, plus a swim-up bar with seats for six. Will yours be a Gatorade or a gimlet?
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Wonderful Vrbos for water babies
Play: For little kids (and big ones too)
Hurricane, UT
Sleeps 36
Sometimes, it’s not about actually swimming… splash pools with play facilities built in are perfect for families. This mammoth nine-bedroom property near Zion National Park, Utah, has taken this idea and run with it, creating a waterpark-style backyard: As well as a splash area for little ones, it has a 200-foot slip and slide, an aquatic trampoline, hot tub and waterfall, plus another outsized pool, flanked by its very own rockface designed for budding cliff-jumpers.
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Lap: For energetic exercisers
Sarasota, FL
Sleeps 6
A long, linear pool is a must if perfecting your strokes is your motivation. This rental in the Sunshine State has a 50-foot pool in its backyard. Get in first thing (donut rings optional) then refuel at the local restaurants. You can then spend the rest of the day horizontal on the dazzling white sands of Siesta Key, just a short walk away.
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Olivia Lidbury is an interiors and lifestyle writer who has worked for titles including Domino, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph. She has visited at least 29 countries.
