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Summer is the season in San Antonio: June to August is the best stretch for a rooftop swim, and average highs fall to 22.1°C in November and 17.4°C in January. Every one of the 7 hotels we cover has its pool on the roof, and 5 sell day passes to non-guests. None is guests-only, and the other 2 don't publish their access rules.
Hotel Emma is our first pick for swimming without a room: a $100 ResortPass day pass covers a rooftop pool open 7am to 10pm. For the lowest price, Drury Plaza Riverwalk and Hyatt Regency Riverwalk both start at $20, and Drury's heated pool is on the 22nd floor.
Open 7am to 10pm by the Riverwalk, bar in a Pearl beer truck
Tobin Hill, 5-star hotel, rated 4.8 on Google (3,433 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hotel Emma. Amanda Hawker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $100
Heated
Not published
Season
Year-round
Why it's here. Book Emma if you want to swim without a room. A $100 day pass on ResortPass covers a rooftop pool open 7am to 10pm daily, with a poolside bar housed in a former Pearl beer truck.
Hotel Emma, in Tobin Hill, has its pool on the rooftop beside the San Antonio Riverwalk. Poolside Provisions, a food and drink bar housed in a former Pearl beer truck, sits at the pool. The hotel doesn't publish the floor or whether the water is heated.
Best forAnyone who wants a long, flexible swim window and a poolside bar by the Riverwalk.
Skip it ifYou want the lowest price, or must know the floor and water temperature before you book.
22nd-floor heated pool, two whirlpools, day passes from $20
Downtown, 4-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (5,152 reviews)
Sample photo, not Drury Plaza Riverwalk. Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
22ndfloor pool
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $20
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Our pick if you want height and a low price. Of the pools on our list, only this one publishes its floor (the 22nd); it is heated, and a ResortPass day pass starts at $20.
The rooftop pool is on the 22nd floor of the Drury Plaza in Downtown, a heated outdoor pool with two whirlpools. It looks over the city and is open 9am to 10pm. A separate indoor pool and whirlpool sit in the San Fernando Tower.
Best forBudget-minded visitors who want a heated high-floor pool and two whirlpools.
Skip it ifYou want to swim before 9am or need a poolside bar built around the pool.
Year-round rooftop pool heated to 85 degrees, 50 feet up
Downtown, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (755 reviews)
Sample photo, not InterContinental Riverwalk. Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $35
Heated
Heated
Season
Year-round
Why it's here. A mid-range price for a pool that stays open in any month. The rooftop is heated to 85 degrees, open year-round, and day passes start at $35 on ResortPass.
The InterContinental in Downtown has its pool on the rooftop, 50 feet above the city. The hotel heats it to 85 degrees and keeps it open year-round. Skyline and river views come with indoor and outdoor seating at the pool.
Best forVisitors coming outside summer who want a stated water temperature at a mid-range day-pass price.
Skip it ifYou need published pool hours or a bar right beside the water.
Rooftop infinity pool with cabanas and daybeds for day-pass holders
Downtown, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (3,297 reviews)
Sample photo, not The St. Anthony. Blake Patterson from Alexandria, VA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $100
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick this for a rooftop day with cabanas and daybeds included. The infinity pool takes day-pass holders at $100 per adult on ResortPass, with a cabana bar serving American food and cocktails.
At The St. Anthony in Downtown, the pool is an outdoor infinity pool on the rooftop, with city skyline views. Day-pass holders get the pool plus cabanas and daybeds. American at Rooftop Pool Cabana Bar serves the area.
Best forDay-pass buyers who want an infinity edge and a cabana without paying for a room.
Skip it ifYou want the lowest price or need published hours and heating.
$20 day pass, with a private room for resting between swims
Downtown, 3-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (7,294 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hyatt Regency Riverwalk. Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
From $20
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this when you want a cheap day pass with somewhere to rest. At $20 per adult on ResortPass, it matches Drury Plaza on price and adds a private room between swims.
The Hyatt Regency, in Downtown, gives non-guests rooftop pool access with a day pass, and the pass comes with a private room to rest between swims. The hotel doesn't publish a floor or the pool hours we can use.
Best forVisitors on a budget who want to swim and then rest in a room during a long day downtown.
Skip it ifYou need a published floor, pool hours or a poolside bar.
Heated pool and whirlpool on the roof, open 7am to 10pm all year
Downtown, 4-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (1,135 reviews)
Sample photo, not Mokara. 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
Heated
Season
Pool and whirlpool open year-round
Why it's here. Mokara suits overnight guests, since the rooftop pool and whirlpool are heated and open 7am to 10pm year-round. The hotel doesn't publish any day-pass or non-guest access.
Mokara's pool is on the rooftop in Downtown, over the River Walk, with downtown city views. The hotel heats it and opens the pool and whirlpool 7am to 10pm all year. The Rooftop Café beside the pool serves salads, sandwiches and cocktails.
Best forOvernight guests who like swimming at 7am or late in the evening in a heated pool.
Skip it ifYou aren't staying and need a published day pass.
Rooftop deck held at 85 degrees all year, with a hot tub
Downtown, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (4,307 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hotel Contessa. 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
Year-round, kept at 85 degrees
Why it's here. Pick Contessa for a winter swim: the rooftop water stays near 85 degrees all year, and a climate-controlled hot tub sits on the same deck. The catch is that the hotel publishes neither the floor nor the access rules.
Hotel Contessa has its pool on a rooftop deck in Downtown San Antonio, overlooking the downtown skyline. The hotel maintains it at about 85 degrees year-round, and a climate-controlled hot tub shares the deck. The hotel doesn't publish the floor or say whether non-guests can swim.
Best forGuests who want a warm rooftop pool and hot tub in the cooler months.
Skip it ifYou need a published day pass or a confirmed floor number before booking.
June to August is the best window for a rooftop swim in San Antonio. Winter highs fall to 18.2°C in December and 17.4°C in January, so heat matters then. InterContinental Riverwalk is heated to 85 degrees and open year-round, and Mokara's heated pool and whirlpool run 7am to 10pm all year. Hotel Contessa keeps its rooftop water near 85 degrees all year, though it doesn't publish access rules.
Three 2027 dates fill hotels. Treffen San Antonio is March 21 to 25, the 11-day Fiesta falls on April 15 to 25, and Metallica plays the Alamodome on May 22. Book rooms early for those weeks, and buy day passes on ResortPass before you arrive.
Average daily highs: November 72°F (22°C), December 65°F (18°C), January 63°F (17°C). The warmest stretch for swimming is Jun–Aug.
Where to stay: San Antonio's rooftop pools by area
Downtown / River Walk
Downtown is described as the best base for first-time visitors, with easy access to the River Walk and the Alamo. Drury Plaza Riverwalk, InterContinental Riverwalk, The St. Anthony, Hyatt Regency Riverwalk, Mokara and Hotel Contessa are all here.
Cheaper ways to swim in San Antonio
Free public pools cost less than any rooftop pass: Kennedy Pool and Dellview Park pool (500 Basswood Drive) are listed as free, and a public pool near Stone Oak charges $4 for adults. Check current opening status first, since schedules for these pools aren't confirmed.
Kennedy Pool: Free. The sources don't confirm current open status. The snippet is undated, and the search results don't say whether it is open today.
Dellview Park pool (500 Basswood Drive): Free. This is from a May 2024 article about preseason openings. The source says the preseason pools were open free, but the 2026 schedule isn't confirmed.
Public pool near Stone Oak (name not given in the source): $4 adults. The snippet gives the adult general admission price and hours, but does not name the pool. Hours are M-F 10am-2pm and 5pm-7:45pm, and Saturday 11am-630pm.
Hotels you might expect here, and why they're not
Several hotels people expect on the River Walk, including Kimpton Santo, The Westin Riverwalk and Menger Hotel, have no confirmed rooftop pool.
Kimpton Santo San Antonio - Riverwalk by IHG. The hotel's own pages describe a year-round open-air rooftop bar (Tenfold Rooftop), but none of the sources mention a swimming pool on the roof, top floor or anywhere else. Pool fields are left null because the sources do not state whether a pool exists.
The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio. Two third-party pages (EaseMyTrip, PinthePool) mention an outdoor pool, but none places it on the roof or a top floor. The Facebook and Sky & Swim results describe other hotels' pools and were excluded.
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk. The hotel's own site describes only an "outdoor pool" and never says it is on the roof or a top floor. The Trip101 ranking page covers other hotels (its price and pool text are about Drury Inn & Suites), so it is not used. The Google Maps listing has no pool information.
Hyatt Vacation Club at Wild Oak Ranch. No source places a pool on the roof or a top floor. Snippets describe an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor pool area and a pool area with lounge chairs, with no level stated. Status is not-rooftop on that basis, not a confirmed rooftop pool.
Menger Hotel. No source says the pool is on the roof or a top-floor terrace. The hotel's pool page describes it as nestled beside the hotel, with no mention of an upper level. Treat as not confirmed rooftop.
Omni La Mansión del Rio. The hotel describes a heated courtyard pool on the ground floor, with no rooftop pool mentioned in any source.
Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, Valencia Collection. The hotel's own Policies & FAQs page states it has no pool on-site, so there is no rooftop pool.
La Cantera Resort & Spa, A Signia Hilton Resort. The only source, a Google Maps listing, mentions no swimming pool or rooftop. Its categories are resort hotel, golf course, hotel and spa. No rooftop pool can be confirmed from it.
San Antonio rooftop pools: questions people ask
Which San Antonio hotels let non-guests swim on the roof?
Five do, all through ResortPass: Hotel Emma ($100), Drury Plaza Riverwalk ($20), InterContinental Riverwalk ($35), The St. Anthony ($100 per adult) and Hyatt Regency Riverwalk ($20 per adult). Mokara and Hotel Contessa don't publish any non-guest access.
Are any San Antonio rooftop pools heated or open in winter?
Yes, five on our list are heated. InterContinental Riverwalk is heated to 85 degrees and open year-round, Mokara's pool and whirlpool are heated and open 7am to 10pm all year, and Hotel Contessa keeps its rooftop water near 85 degrees all year. January highs average 17.4°C.
Which San Antonio hotel has the highest rooftop pool?
The 22nd floor at Drury Plaza Riverwalk. It is the only hotel on our list that publishes its floor. InterContinental Riverwalk says its rooftop pool is 50 feet up.
Are there guests-only rooftop pools in San Antonio?
No, none on our list is listed as guests-only. Five sell day passes. Mokara and Hotel Contessa don't publish their access rules, so contact the hotel before you go.
How can I swim in San Antonio for the least money?
Hyatt Regency Riverwalk and Drury Plaza Riverwalk have the cheapest rooftop option, a $20 day pass. Public pools cost less: Kennedy Pool and Dellview Park are listed as free, and a public pool near Stone Oak charges $4 for adults. Confirm opening status first.
