Hotel Rooftop Pools: Maxin' Relaxin'

The Gansevoort South Hotel, Miami: Located atop the massive Gansevoort South, Plunge has become the hottest rooftop pool scene in Miami. Inside, steel doors open to a spectacular deck with a peppy bar and a decadent pool that's surrounded by teak lounge chairs. There are several private cabanas reserved for bottle service, whether you're drinking oversize bottles of Grey Goose or magnums of Cristal.

Well-oiled bodies dance to hip-hop played by DJs all day. The crowd is not for the shy; show-offs must compete with the daily assortment of models who visit from the nearby Wilhelmina modeling agency.

Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego: The Hard Rock's San Diego hotel, located in the city's historic Gaslamp Quarter, offers what you expect: A moody nightclub-themed resort where Rolling Stones and Beatles anthems can be heard throughout. Visitors can check out branches of sushi chain Nobu and Rock Spa inside.

Guests will also find Float, a pool lounge and outdoor music venue, on top of the fourth-floor roof. Sundays serve as "Intervention" day, a spin on Las Vegas's infamous "Rehab Pool Party." The event attracts more than 1,000 people, who come to listen to live music and DJs, sip goblet-size margaritas and nosh on Kobe beef sliders and Baja-style fish tacos.

Soho House New York: Being a member of Soho House is the next best thing to having your own penthouse pool. Fees start at $1,400, or $700 if you're under 27. Guests of the 24-room boutique hotel can also take advantage of the amenities.

Soho House's seventh-floor pool terrace, made famous in Sex and the City, overlooks Manhattan's West Village and the Hudson River. It attracts a posh crowd of locals and London pond-hoppers who trade concrete and traffic for sunbathing and swimming.