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Colombo is warm all year, with average highs of 30.6°C in November, 30.9°C in December and 31.4°C in January, and January to March is the best stretch for a swim. Every one of the 12 hotels we cover has its pool up top. Three are guests only, nine don't publish who can swim, and none sells day passes.
Our first pick is Amari Colombo, where a 19.4-meter infinity pool sits 26 floors up and faces the ocean. The easier pick is Granbell Hotel, on the 27th floor, which says plainly that the pool is for guests only, so you know where you stand before you book.
26th-floor infinity pool, 19.4 meters long, with ocean views
Colombo 03, 5-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (2,084 reviews)
Sample photo, not Amari Colombo. Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
26thfloor pool
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick this one for the firmest numbers on our list: a 19.4-meter infinity pool on the 26th floor, with ocean views from the water. Who may swim there isn't published by the hotel, so ask the front desk before you build a day around it.
At 254 Galle Rd in Colombo 03, the 26th-floor pool is a 19.4-meter infinity pool, and the hotel says it has ocean views. The catch is access: the hotel publishes no rules for non-guests.
Best forTravelers who want a long infinity pool high above Galle Road.
Skip it ifYou need a confirmed day pass before you book.
Rooftop infinity pool next to an open-air cocktail bar
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (10,045 reviews)
Sample photo, not Marino Beach. Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose from Montreal, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Marino Beach is the one for a swim and a drink in the same open-air spot. The infinity pool sits beside the Garden Bar on the rooftop, facing the ocean. The floor and access rules aren't published.
At 590 Marine Drive, Colombo 03, the infinity pool is on the rooftop beside the open-air Garden Bar. The bar has a panoramic ocean view. The hotel doesn't publish the floor or who can swim.
Best forCouples who want cocktails near the pool, with the ocean in view.
Skip it ifYou want a published floor, pool size or day pass price.
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (1,388 reviews)
Sample photo, not MaRadha Colombo. PattayaPatrol, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose MaRadha for sunsets: the Sky Yard pairs an infinity pool with a bar, open-air on the rooftop, facing the Indian Ocean and the Colombo skyline. A guest calls the pool relatively small, and access rules aren't published.
On Marine Drive at 31 St. Kilda's Lane, the Sky Yard sits on the rooftop in Colombo 03. It is an open-air infinity pool with a bar and lounge, and it faces ocean sunsets and the Colombo skyline. The hotel doesn't publish a floor or access rules, and a guest describes the pool as relatively small.
Best forSunset drinkers who want a short swim with skyline views.
Skip it ifYou plan to swim laps or need confirmed non-guest access.
Illuminated rooftop infinity pool beside Ward7 restobar
Colombo 08, 5-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (3,700 reviews)
Sample photo, not Jetwing Colombo Seven. Pjotr Mahhonin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Year-round rooftop pool
Why it's here. Jetwing suits anyone who wants a five-star stay with a lit infinity pool up top, beside Ward7, a restobar the hotel counts among Colombo's highest. No floor or access rules are published.
At 57 Ward Place, Colombo 08, the illuminated infinity pool is on the rooftop beside the Ward7 restobar. The view is of Colombo city. The hotel doesn't publish the floor or who can swim.
Best forTravelers who want a spa-and-gym hotel with a lit rooftop pool.
Skip it ifYou want sea views or a published day pass.
27th-floor infinity pool with jacuzzi, guests only
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (6,490 reviews)
Sample photo, not Granbell Hotel. Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
27thfloor pool
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Stay here if you want the highest floor we can name: the 27th, with an infinity pool and a jacuzzi, for guests only. Visitors can't count on the pool, though the rooftop bar keeps set hours.
The 27th-floor rooftop has an infinity pool and jacuzzi, with views of the sea and the city skyline. The hotel's address is Marine Drive, 282/5 Kollupitiya Road. The pool is for guests only, and the rooftop is a designated smoking area.
Best forTravelers who want a jacuzzi and a high-floor pool together.
Skip it ifYou're not staying and want to swim, or you want a smoke-free deck.
Colombo 03, 5-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (936 reviews)
Sample photo, not Sheraton Colombo. Supercarwaar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Sheraton is the thinnest entry here: the hotel's Marriott page lists an outdoor pool next to a rooftop bar. It publishes no floor, size, hours, price or access rules, so ask before you plan a swim.
The outdoor pool is at 265 Galle Rd, Colombo 03, next to a rooftop bar at the pool. The hotel's Marriott page gives that description. It doesn't state the floor, a size or who can swim.
Best forGuests already booked at a Galle Road five-star who like a bar by the pool.
Skip it ifYou want a published floor, pool type or day pass.
Sunset pool with loungers and towels on a rooftop terrace
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (161 reviews)
Sample photo, not Taprobane House. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick this small 4-star for a rooftop sunset terrace with sea and city views, and book a room to be sure of a swim. Access rules and the pool's floor are missing from the hotel's pages, so ask before you book.
Taprobane House is on St Kilda's Lane in Colombo 03, with its pool on a rooftop terrace. The hotel describes a sunset pool with sea and city views, and the deck is set up with loungers and towels. The floor and pool size are not published.
Best forGuests who want a small hotel with a sunset pool deck and step-free access.
Skip it ifYou need a published floor, pool size or day-visitor policy before you book.
Sample photo, not ITC Ratnadipa. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this one if you're traveling with kids and want a separate children's pool plus a poolside bar. Who can swim and the pool's floor are not published, so check both first.
ITC Ratnadipa, in Colombo 03, has a children's pool alongside its outdoor pool, and a poolside bar serves drinks. The address is 21 Galle Face Center Rd. Floor, hours and access rules are not published.
Best forFamilies who want a children's pool and a bar next to the water.
Skip it ifYou need the floor, hours and non-guest policy published first.
Large pool with Jacuzzi, guests only while the rooftop is renovated
Colombo 05, 4-star hotel, rated 4.2 on Google (1,479 reviews)
Sample photo, not ME Colombo. Alexandre Ultré, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book here only as a guest: during renovation the rooftop pool is for in-house guests. The hotel calls the pool vast and adds a Jacuzzi, but the public rooftop bar is closed with no reopening date.
ME Colombo's pool is on the rooftop at 16 Park Rd, Colombo 05. The hotel calls it vast, gives no dimensions or floor, and adds a Jacuzzi, with panoramic city and skyline views. The hotel says the rooftop is being transformed, and for now only in-house guests can use it.
Best forIn-house guests who want a large pool with a Jacuzzi and skyline views.
Skip it ifYou plan to visit as a non-guest or want the rooftop bar scene.
Infinity pool on the Skyscape roof facing the Indian Ocean
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (1,370 reviews)
Sample photo, not Sofia Colombo. Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. An infinity pool with Indian Ocean and Colombo cityscape views is the draw here. Floor, hours and who can swim are missing from the hotel's pages, so confirm those before you book.
Sofia Colombo City Hotel is at 295 Galle Rd in Colombo 03. Its infinity pool sits on an expansive rooftop area the hotel calls Skyscape, with views of the Indian Ocean and the Colombo cityscape. The floor and the pool size are not published.
Best forTravelers who want an infinity pool facing the ocean and are staying anyway.
Skip it ifYou need confirmed hours or a non-guest option.
Five-star Marriott pool at Colombo City Centre, guests only
Colombo 02, 5-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (2,518 reviews)
Sample photo, not Courtyard Colombo. Hu Totya, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Stay here for a 5-star Marriott with a guests-only pool at Colombo City Centre. Floor, hours and pool size are not published, and non-guests can't swim.
Courtyard by Marriott Colombo sits at Colombo City Centre, 137 Muttiah Rd, in Colombo 02. The pool is for hotel guests. The floor and the pool size are not published.
Best forGuests who want a 5-star chain hotel and plan to swim during their stay.
Skip it ifYou want to swim as a day visitor or need a published floor.
Rooftop pool on a 26-floor hotel, plus a children's pool
Colombo 03, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (6,176 reviews)
Sample photo, not Cinnamon Red Colombo. Jvhertum, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Cinnamon Red suits a stay where the pool sits beside free parking and a fitness center. The hotel has 26 floors and a rooftop outdoor pool, but who can swim and the pool's floor are not published.
Cinnamon Red Colombo, in Colombo 03, has 26 floors, and guests can relax at its rooftop outdoor pool. The address is 59 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha. Its amenity list also includes children's and indoor pools, with no location given for them.
Best forGuests who want a rooftop pool, a fitness center and free parking in one stay.
Skip it ifYou need a published pool floor, hours or day-visitor rule.
January to March is the best window for a rooftop swim in Colombo, and highs are already 30.6°C in November and 30.9°C in December. None of the hotels on our list publishes a heated pool, so winter here means warm air, not warmed water.
Two events fall in the best swim months of 2027: the Navam Maha Perahera on 19-20 February and the We Are Lost Festival, a house music event, on 27 February. Check room availability for those dates before you commit. The International Ethnic Folklore Festival "Colombo" is listed for 23-30 June 2027.
Average daily highs: November 31°C (87°F), December 31°C (88°F), January 31°C (89°F). The warmest stretch for swimming is Jan–Mar.
Where to stay: Colombo's rooftop pools by area
Colpetty and Bambalapitiya
Colombo 3 and 5 suit a first visit, with plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops around. Most of our list is here, including Amari Colombo, Marino Beach, MaRadha, Granbell, Sheraton and ME Colombo.
Cheaper ways to swim in Colombo
The public pool we found is the SNSCA Sub Pool, part of the Sugathadasa Aquatic Centre, and it is the cheaper route if you only want laps. It publishes no adult admission price, so check at the door before you go.
SNSCA Sub Pool (Sugathadasa Aquatic Centre, Colombo). Only one source qualified. The sources give no adult admission price. Colombo Swimming Club and the Sugathadasa Stadium pool were excluded: the club is membership-only, and the stadium pool had no source URL.
Hotels you might expect here, and why they're not
Two hotels people expect here have no rooftop pool: Colombo Court Hotel & Spa has a garden pool and a rooftop bar, and The Ocean Colombo has no confirmed pool.
Colombo Court Hotel & Spa. The pool is a garden pool beside Amber Poolside. The rooftop is Cloud Café & Bar, a bar with no pool, so this is not a rooftop pool.
The Ocean Colombo. No source mentions a swimming pool. The Google Maps listing gives only name and address. The hotel's site pages contain only placeholder lorem ipsum text, so no rooftop pool is confirmed.
Colombo rooftop pools: questions people ask
Which Colombo hotels let non-guests swim on the roof?
None that publish it. No hotel on our list sells day passes. Granbell Hotel, ME Colombo and Courtyard by Marriott are guests only, and the other nine don't publish their access rules, so ask the hotel before you plan a visit.
Are any Colombo rooftop pools heated or open in winter?
No hotel on our list publishes a heated pool. Colombo's average highs are 30.6°C in November, 30.9°C in December and 31.4°C in January, so the air stays warm through winter.
Which Colombo hotel has the highest rooftop pool?
Granbell Hotel, on the 27th floor, is the highest pool on our list that publishes its floor. Amari Colombo is next at the 26th floor. Most other hotels don't publish the pool's floor.
Are there family-friendly rooftop pools in Colombo?
Yes. ITC Ratnadipa has a separate children's pool and a poolside bar, and Cinnamon Red Colombo has a rooftop pool plus a children's pool. Neither hotel publishes its access rules, so ask before you go.
Are any Colombo rooftop pools adults only?
No hotel on our list says its pool is adults only. Granbell, ME Colombo and Courtyard limit the pool to guests, which is a different rule.
How can I swim in Colombo on a budget?
The SNSCA Sub Pool, part of the Sugathadasa Aquatic Centre, is the public option, but it publishes no adult admission price. No hotel on our list publishes a pool price either.
