There’s no better cure for the unbearable summer heat than a dip into the chilly waters of some of Houston's best pools. And you can’t forget to snap a cute photo or video for your Instagram and TikTok feeds. The place to be this summer? Floating down the Texas-shaped lazy river at Marriott Marquis Houston.
The relaxing rooftop oasis, which sits on the sixth floor of the hotel in the heart of downtown Houston, was included in a new list of the "most picturesque pools" in the United States, and the third most photogenic pool in Texas. It stretches a mind-boggling 500-plus feet and is heated at 80 degrees throughout the year.
The study by BonusFinder.com analyzed data from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to find the most mentioned, photographed, and viewed pools from around America. The Texas lazy river finished at No. 18 in the overall rankings, which included pools from across the country. However, the pool ranked as the third best Texas pool on the list, following behind Dallas' The Joule (No. 14) and Austin's Barton Springs (No. 4).
The Marriott Marquis Houston has poolside programming for hotel guests that often includes live music and rentable cabanas, pergolas, or day beds. They also offer day passes Monday through Thursday on certain dates throughout the year, so you can book a resort-like experience year round.
Austin's Barton Springs was named fourth most picturesque overall, and was actually the most Instagrammed pool in the U.S., the study says. Videos of Barton Springs had been viewed over 28.5 million times on TikTok and hashtagged over 15,000 times on Instagram.
In total, Las Vegas hosts six of the top 10 most photogenic pools on BonusFinder’s list. Mandalay Bay Beach and The Mirage in Las Vegas were deemed the No. 1 and No. 2 most photogenic pools, and just above Barton Springs in the third place rank was The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Other pools on the list were found in Glenwood Springs, Colorado (No. 6) and Atlantic City, New Jersey (No. 10).
The top 10 most photogenic pools in the United States are:
- No. 1 – Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas
- No. 2 – The Mirage in Las Vegas
- No. 3 – The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California
- No. 4 – Barton Springs in Austin
- No. 5 – The Tank at Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
- No. 6 – Glenwood Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- No. 7 – The Backyard at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas
- No. 8 – Stadium Swim at Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas
- No. 9 – Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas
- No. 10 – The Water Club at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Fintan Costello, the managing director at BonusFinder.com, said Americans are “turning their attention to where they can kick back and enjoy catching some rays by the poolside” with their spring break and upcoming summer holidays.
“Luckily, the study shows that the U.S. is blessed with some of the best and most picturesque pools in the world and there are plenty of idyllic escapes that can be found across America, without ever having to leave the country,” he explained in a statement.
The full study can be found on bonusfinder.com.
Photo courtesy of Marriott Marquis Houston
Find this photogenic pool at the Marriott Marquis downtown.
