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Houston's best swimming months are June to August, though average highs still reach 22.6°C in November. Every one of the 10 hotels we list has its pool on the roof. Eight sell day passes, one is guests only, and one doesn't publish who can swim.
Our first pick is La Colombe d'Or in Montrose: a Tower pool on the 10th floor with a bar beside it. Non-guests can buy a day pass, though the price isn't published. For the cheapest swim, the Marriott Marquis downtown sells ResortPass entry at $20 per adult, the lowest day pass on our list.
The highest published pool floor on our list, 18th
Westside, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (1,814 reviews)
Sample photo, not Westin Memorial City. Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
18thfloor pool
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $50
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this one for height: the pool is on the 18th floor, the highest floor on our list that anyone publishes. Non-guests pay $50 per adult through ResortPass, so it is a splurge day pass.
At The Westin Houston, Memorial City, on the Westside, the rooftop pool is on the 18th floor and overlooks the city. The fitness room looks onto the pool area. The catch is parking: $26, and the hotel says it can be difficult to access.
Best forAnyone who wants the highest published pool floor in Houston and will pay $50 for it.
Skip it ifYou want the cheapest day pass or plan to drive and park for a short visit.
Downtown rooftop pool with the lowest day pass listed, $20
Downtown Houston, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (8,269 reviews)
Sample photo, not Marriott Marquis. Supercarwaar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $20
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. The easiest rooftop swim downtown, and the lowest published day-pass price on our list: $20 per adult on ResortPass. Towels are listed as an amenity, and cabanas for two start at $95.
Marriott Marquis Houston has its pool on the roof, downtown near the George R. Brown Convention Center. The hotel doesn't publish a floor number. The catch for overnight guests is a $29.25 destination fee per accommodation, per night.
Best forDowntown visitors who want a rooftop swim for $20 and an accessible pool.
Skip it ifYou need to know the floor before you book.
Heated rooftop pool with reservable cabanas for $25
Westside, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (2,249 reviews)
Sample photo, not JW Marriott Galleria. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $25
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this for a heated rooftop pool and a day pass under $30: ResortPass sells entry at $25 per adult, and two private cabanas can be reserved.
JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria, on the Westside, has a heated outdoor rooftop pool with Houston skyline views. The hotel doesn't publish a floor. Cabanas are reservable, but the hotel doesn't publish their price.
Best forGalleria visitors after a heated rooftop swim, with a cabana as an option.
Skip it ifYou want a published floor or a firm cabana price.
Skyline pool with a rooftop bar beside it, $25 entry
Westside, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (2,335 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hyatt Regency Galleria. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $25
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Go here for a $25 day pass and a bar next to the water. ResortPass sells entry for outdoor pool day use, and drinks come from the Ranch Water bar by the pool.
Hyatt Regency Houston/Galleria, on the Westside, has an outdoor rooftop pool with downtown skyline views and a rooftop bar next to it. Valet parking costs $25 cash or $30 by card, and the hotel doesn't publish a floor.
Best forGalleria visitors who want a drink at the pool for the price of a $25 pass.
Skip it ifYou need heating confirmed or a published floor.
Heated 7th-floor pool with lap swimming and a pool bar
Medical Center Area, 3-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (412 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hyatt Place Medical Center. Alexandre Ultré, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
7thfloor pool
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $35
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book here if you're in town for the Medical Center and want a heated pool you can lap-swim in. Non-guests can also buy a $35 day pass on ResortPass, which is mid-range for our list.
An outdoor, heated pool on the 7th floor of the Hyatt Place on Fannin Street, in the Medical Center area. Loungers, lap swimming and a pool bar share the deck, and the hotel's guests praise the views. Hours aren't published, so check before planning a late swim.
Best forMedical-center visitors who want laps and a heated pool at a mid-range day-pass price.
Skip it ifYou want a view from high up or a nightlife area outside the door.
Downtown rooftop day pass at $50, with cabanas extra
Downtown Houston, 5-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (1,268 reviews)
Sample photo, not The Laura Hotel. Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $50
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick The Laura for a Downtown Houston rooftop swim without booking a room. The day pass is $50 per adult on ResortPass, $30 more than the Marriott Marquis, and cabanas cost extra.
The Laura is in Downtown Houston at 1070 Dallas St, and its rooftop pool is open to day-pass buyers. No floor number is published. Food and drinks are on sale, and the pool is wheelchair accessible.
Best forDowntown visitors who want a day-pass rooftop pool and are fine paying $50.
Skip it ifYou want the cheapest Downtown pass or need to know the floor before you go.
Montrose, 5-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (295 reviews)
Sample photo, not La Colombe d'Or. Hu Totya, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
10thfloor pool
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
Sold, price varies
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick La Colombe d'Or for a 10th-floor Tower pool in Montrose with a bar close to the water. Non-guests can swim with a day pass.
On the 10th floor of the Tower at La Colombe d'Or in Montrose, this rooftop pool has downtown Houston views and an outdoor bar near the water. The catch is the day-pass price, which the seller's page doesn't show.
Best forVisitors staying in Montrose who want a bar close to the water.
Skip it ifYou need to know the day-pass price before you commit.
Rooftop pool on a 30-storey tower, access rules unpublished
Downtown Houston, 5-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (2,506 reviews)
Sample photo, not Four Seasons Houston. 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. Stay here if you're booking a Four Seasons room anyway and want a rooftop pool included. The hotel doesn't say whether non-guests can swim and lists no day pass, so don't plan a visit around it.
The roof of the 30-storey Four Seasons at 1300 Lamar St, in Downtown Houston, holds the pool. The hotel lists poolside lounging, and a semi-private patio off the rooms overlooks the outdoor pool and deck. Floor, hours and heating aren't published.
Best forGuests who are choosing a Four Seasons room and want a rooftop pool on site.
Skip it ifYou need a day pass, a price or confirmed hours.
Heated rooftop pool, with a day pass price not shown
Westside, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (2,381 reviews)
Sample photo, not Westin Galleria. Ori Ackerman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
Sold, price varies
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Treat this as the Galleria backup to JW Marriott and Hyatt Regency. A day pass for non-guests is sold on houstonchronicle.com, but the price isn't shown there.
The pool is a rooftop pool at The Westin Galleria Houston, on the Westside. Food and drinks are sold in the pool area. The hotel doesn't publish a floor, views, or a day-pass price in the facts we can state.
Best forGalleria-area visitors already near the Westin who want a pool with food and drinks on site.
Skip it ifYou want to see the day-pass price, floor and hours before you buy.
Downtown Houston, 4-star hotel, rated 4.2 on Google (2,140 reviews)
Sample photo, not Magnolia Hotel Houston. Amanda Hawker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose Magnolia if you're already booking a Downtown room and want a rooftop pool included. It is the only guests-only pool on our Houston list, so visitors can't buy their way in.
Magnolia Hotel's rooftop pool, at 1100 Texas Ave in Downtown Houston, is for hotel guests only. No floor number or day pass is published.
Best forDowntown guests who want a rooftop pool included with the room.
Skip it ifYou want to swim without staying overnight.
June to August is the best stretch for a rooftop swim in Houston, and every pool on our list suits it. Winter is cooler: average highs are 22.6°C in November, 18.5°C in December and 17.7°C in January.
For those months, pick one of the four heated pools: JW Marriott Galleria, Westin Galleria, Hyatt Place Medical Center or The Laura Hotel. Magnolia Hotel Houston's pool is not heated. Houston Pride Festival returns in 2027 and the date isn't stated yet, so check it before you book a room.
Average daily highs: November 73°F (23°C), December 65°F (19°C), January 64°F (18°C). The warmest stretch for swimming is Jun–Aug.
Where to stay: Houston's rooftop pools by area
Downtown
Downtown is fairly lively, and it is the most efficient base if your meetings are at the George R. Brown Convention Center or Minute Maid Park. Marriott Marquis, The Laura Hotel, Four Seasons and Magnolia Hotel Houston are here.
Montrose
Montrose is known for its culture and nightlife, including craft cocktail bars and live music venues. La Colombe d'Or, our first pick, is the listed hotel here.
Galleria / Uptown
The Galleria area, also called Uptown Houston, has upscale hotels, fine dining and more than 700 retailers. JW Marriott Galleria, Hyatt Regency Galleria and Westin Galleria sit here, and all three sell day passes.
Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is described as the world's largest medical complex, and it draws many healthcare and research travelers. Hyatt Place Medical Center is the listed hotel, with a heated 7th-floor pool.
Cheaper ways to swim in Houston
Houston's city public pools are free, which undercuts even the $20 rooftop day pass at the Marriott Marquis. One public pool listed $6 per person in an article from 2018, so check the current price.
Houston city public pools: Free. Price is free. The Houston Chronicle post is dated in the snippet only by its headline, not a specific year.
Unnamed Houston public pool (from 'Dip into Houston swimming pools'): $6. The $6 rate is per person, not stated as adult-only. The pool is not named in the snippet, and the article is dated May 10, 2018, so the price may be outdated.
Hotels you might expect here, and why they're not
The Moran Hotel CITYCENTRE is one you might expect here, but the hotel's own FAQ places its pool on Level 2 (Lobby Level), not on the roof.
The Moran Hotel CITYCENTRE. The hotel's own FAQ places the pool on Level 2 (Lobby Level), not on the roof or a top-floor terrace.
Houston rooftop pools: questions people ask
Which Houston hotels let non-guests use the rooftop pool?
Eight do, through day passes. Prices per adult run from $20 at Marriott Marquis, to $25 at JW Marriott Galleria and Hyatt Regency Galleria, $35 at Hyatt Place Medical Center, and $50 at The Laura Hotel and Westin Memorial City. La Colombe d'Or and Westin Galleria sell passes but don't show a price.
Are any Houston rooftop pools heated?
Yes, four: JW Marriott Galleria, Westin Galleria, Hyatt Place Medical Center and The Laura Hotel. Average highs are 18.5°C in December and 17.7°C in January, so these are the ones to pick for winter. Magnolia Hotel Houston's pool is not heated.
Which Houston hotel has the highest rooftop pool?
Westin Memorial City, on the 18th floor. Three hotels on our list publish a pool floor: that one, La Colombe d'Or on the 10th and Hyatt Place Medical Center on the 7th.
How can I swim in Houston for the least money?
Free, at Houston's city public pools. For a rooftop, the lowest day pass is $20 per adult at the Marriott Marquis, then $25 at both JW Marriott Galleria and Hyatt Regency Galleria.
Is there a Houston rooftop pool only for hotel guests?
Yes, one: Magnolia Hotel Houston downtown, with no day pass. Four Seasons Houston says nothing about non-guest access and lists no day pass, so treat it as a stay-only pool.
Can I book a cabana at a Houston rooftop pool?
Yes, at three. Marriott Marquis cabanas for two start at $95, JW Marriott Galleria has two private cabanas to reserve, and The Laura Hotel charges extra for cabanas on top of its $50 day pass.
