Every time we go to Wet and Wild on the Gold Coast, we spend A LOT of time in the lazy river. But you know what’s even better? Hotels with a lazy river.
If your kids love a hotel pool as much as I do, these hotels will make them jump up and down with the kind of excitement only seen on a sugar rush.
These are our picks for the best hotels with a lazy river
Aulani Resort, Hawaii
Aulani is a Disney Resort so you can expect that it will flawlessly fuel the imagination. It has water slides, a private lagoon you can snorkel in, infinity edge pools, water play areas and a quiet pool for some downtime.
The Aulani Resort’s lazy river is called the Waikolohe Stream which means “mischievous water” in the Hawaiian language. It takes about 15 minutes to go around the whole river. Grab a tube and slowly float past rock formations, through caverns and past fountain springs.
For even more of a thrill, climb to the top of Pu‘u Kilo—a craggy peak overlooking Waikolohe Valley and take off on a choice of two turbulent river rapids. Volcanic Vertical is an enclosed, extreme body slide that plunges you into Waikolohe Pool. Tubestone Curl is an open-air, twisting and turning tube that eventually launches you into Waikolohe Stream—ride it solo or with a friend.
Marriott Marquis Houston, Texas
This hotel has a heated, Texas-shaped lazy river on the rooftop which looks spectacular lit up at night time. Check out the infinity-edge up the top – you can see over the side of the building.
The Marriott also has an infinity pool and rooftop yoga sessions. So if you are planning a trip to the USA, it’s totally worth a stop. Houston is the home of United Airlines and you can fly there direct from Sydney.
The Outpost hotel Sentosa Island Singapore
The Outpost is the newest and closest resort on our hotels with a lazy river list. It has four unique themed pool areas based on stunning international locations such as the cascading Pamukkale pools in Turkey and the stunning SuperTress of Singapore. The lazy river is themed on the Amazon and winds its way through lush tropical foliage, under rain curtains and past landscaped rock clusters.
This hotel is close to everything on Sentosa Island – Universal Studios, Adventure Cove Waterpark and Siloso Beach. You can get to Singapore for less than $250 on Scoot.
Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World
The Four Seasons Orlando hotel is actually in the grounds of Walt Disney World and if you stay here you can get access to Disney’s Magic Band System with priority Fast Passes and cardless payment system. Transport to Disney’s FOUR Orlando themeparks is included in the price of your stay. But… this hotel also has an incredible pool with a lazy river. The kids are actually going to love leaving the themepark to come back here.
The lazy river winds slowly around tropical gardens. In between rotations, you can take the plunge on one of two waterslides, play beach volleyball, have a game of tennis or take a break from the kids in the adults-only pool.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa Hawaii
The second Hawaii entry on our list, the Grand Hyatt Kauai is a luxury oasis of tropical gardens and swimming pools Kauai’s sunny south shore.
The lazy river at this hotel is unique because it is lined with lava rocks. Check it out below.
It looks calm here, but this lazy river does wind past waterfalls and secret caves to end at a 45m waterslide. You’ve been warned.
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Orlando Florida
Just as Disney has their affiliated hotels, so does Universal Studios. Cabana Bay is rated as a value hotel, so we’re super impressed that comes WITH a lazy river. No wonder it’s a popular choice for many Australian families taking a holiday in Orlando, Florida.
Go for a ride through with this POV video.
The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs Virginia
This one is probably too far for Australians to get to unless you’re in the USA visiting family, but it is so unique we just had to include it. The hotel’s two-acre water park is actually filled with mineral water.
It has a 121m long lazy river, two huge waterslides, a kids’ water play zone and a sandy beach. Plus it has stunning views over the Allegheny Mountains and in winter all the pools are heated!
Atlantis Paradise Island, The Bahamas
The last of our family-friendly hotels with a lazy river is the Atlantis hotel on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. This is a mega-resort that has everything. So we’re not surprised The Atlantis has TWO rivers – the lazy river and The Current.
The Lazy River was voted the best lazy river in the world by Oyster Magazine. It’s a relaxing scenic ride that loops through tropical landscapes.
The Current is a lazy river on steroids. This inner tube ride has water escalators, rolling waves and extreme rapids. We LOVE it.
That’s our top eight. Do you know any more? Let us know and we will add them in.
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