What, pray tell, makes a great pool? Who can describe the Platonic Ideal of the Pool? Should the water be salt-treated or chlorinated? What is the perfect chair-to-umbrella ratio? Kids or no kids whizzing in the water? For us, the slam dunk is simple: a lazy river. Any pool with a lazy river equals automatic badass. The Pelican Grand on Fort Lauderdale Beach offers exactly this sort of entertainment. The hotel's lazy river loops languidly around the pool proper, which is situated just steps from the sand. The hotel provides inner tubes so you can take a relaxing tour down the lazy river. Oh, and that pool proper ain't no slouch — a no-frills peaceful blue lagoon with steps leading down to the waves.
Readers' Choice: The W Fort Lauderdale