Seasonal is the default, not the exception
Most rooftop pools in New York open around May and close in September. If you are travelling between October and April, assume the pool is shut unless the hotel says otherwise, and check directly rather than trusting a listing photograph taken in July.
Ask who else can use it
Several of the best-known hotel pools are attached to bars that sell tickets to non-residents. That can mean a hotel pool you cannot get near on a Saturday afternoon. The hotels that reserve pool hours for guests are flagged below, and they are the safer booking if swimming matters.
Two are open all year
The Gansevoort's rooftop pool is heated and runs year round, which is genuinely unusual. Equinox has an indoor 25-metre saltwater lap pool, so it is the only entry here that is weatherproof by design rather than by heating.
The shortlist
Hotels that fit, and why.
Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC
A 45-foot heated rooftop pool that operates year round, which almost no other New York hotel offers.
- Subway
- 14 St and Eighth Av
Equinox Hotel New York
An indoor 25-metre saltwater lap pool plus an outdoor pool and sundeck, through the attached 60,000 square foot club. The only genuinely weatherproof option here.
- Subway
- 34 St-Hudson Yards on the 7 line
ModernHaus SoHo
Guests get exclusive use of the rooftop pool from 8am to 4pm on weekdays before it opens to the public, which solves the crowding problem.
- Subway
- Canal St and Spring St
Virgin Hotels New York City
The outdoor Pool Club is reserved for hotel guests rather than sold to the public, which is rare in Manhattan.
- Subway
- 28 St and 34 St-Herald Sq
Margaritaville Resort Times Square
A heated outdoor pool on the sixth floor, and the most realistic pool option in Midtown for a family.
- Subway
- Times Square-42 St and 34 St-Penn Station
Royalton Park Avenue
A heated outdoor pool on the twentieth floor with the Empire State Building in view. Seasonal, so confirm for winter dates.
- Subway
- 28 St and 33 St
SIXTY LES
A heated seasonal rooftop pool, but adults only at 21 and over, and the hotel adds a nightly facility fee of around $40.
- Subway
- Second Av on the F, and Delancey St-Essex St
Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel
One of the highest outdoor pools in Manhattan, on the 38th and 39th floors, though it operates as a ticketed public venue.
- Subway
- 23 St and 28 St
Dream Downtown
A pool with a glass bottom that looks down into the lobby, and a strong summer scene that gets busy at weekends.
- Subway
- 14 St and Eighth Av
The Empire Hotel
A seasonal rooftop plunge pool and sundeck on the Upper West Side, a short walk from Central Park.
- Subway
- 59 St-Columbus Circle and 66 St-Lincoln Center
Fast answers
Questions UK travellers ask.
Which New York hotel pools are open in winter?
The Gansevoort's rooftop pool is heated and runs year round, and Equinox has an indoor 25-metre lap pool. Almost everything else is seasonal and closed from roughly October to April.
Can hotel guests always use the pool?
No, and this catches people out. Several rooftop pools operate as ticketed public bars, so access can be restricted or sold out. ModernHaus reserves guest-only morning hours and Virgin keeps its pool club for guests, which makes both safer bets.
Are New York hotel pools suitable for children?
Often not. SIXTY LES is over-21s only, and several rooftop pools are attached to bars. Margaritaville's sixth-floor pool is the most family-workable option in Midtown.
Sources and update notes
Last updated: 17 August 2026. Hotel rates, fees, rules and transport details can change.