3. Lodge at Ventana Canyon, Tucson
The little known Lodge may not be as well known as a few of its popular resort neighbors, but hard core swimmers shacking up at the Lodge will attest that this lap pool is the best around. Guests receive complimentary access to an outdoor, eight-lane by 25-yard competitive pool with floating lane lines and bottom stripes. Instructors are available for lessons and vacationing swimmers are encouraged to join the local swim club's workouts.
4. Houstonian, Houston
Swimmers will do flip-turns over the Houstonian's outdoor lap pool. Marked with floating lines and bottom stripes, the 25-yard rectangle is a competition level pool with all the bells and whistles, except for backstroke flags.
5. Inn at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Inn swimmers will happily find floating lane lines and bottom stripes along with kickboards and pull-buoys in what may be one of the most dramatic settings for a lap pool--steps from and overlooking the beautiful Ponte Vedra beach. Sand is in plentiful supply.
6. Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek, California
This upscale hotel near Silicon Valley has a splendid outdoor lapper with six lanes at 25 meters. Kickboards, pull-buoys and all the trimmings make for a very impressive swim experience. Separate pools for water aerobics and the like keep the non-lapping crowd out of the way and a sister hotel in Aliso Viejo also just opened.
7. Cooper Guest Lodge, Dallas
Double your swimming pleasure with two, six-lane-by-25-yard lap pools at this health and fitness resort outside of Dallas. Floating lane lines mark the straight route from end to end and plenty of toys--kickboards, pull-buoys, fins, etc.--are stocked for drills.
8. Sanctuary, Scottsdale
The hotel's stunning infinity-edge pool is enticing, but it's the two-lane, 25-yard outdoor lapper that really gets our attention, and is the reason Sanctuary makes the cut. Complete with floating lane-lines, a pace clock and toys, this wet venue is not as impressive as the seven above, but still a great place to get your swim groove on.
9. Peninsula, Chicago
As the best indoor hotel lap pool in the U.S., swimming guests staying at the Peninsula will be awed. The three-lane, 25-meter lap option with floating lines and bottom stripes is a beauty. Don't fret the hotel website's online picture, which omits the lane divisions. Photographers purposely removed the "ugly" lines and stripes for "artistic" reasons. The remainder of the photo is accurate, including the high ceilings and bright atmosphere.
10. Terminal City Club, Vancouver, B.C.
As the best hotel lap pool in Canada, this ozone-filtered, four-lane by 25-meter, indoor lap pool is a rare find north of the border. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround the deck providing amazing views of the nearby British Columbia Mountains and Vancouver harbor.