The Pool at The Merrion Hotel

"View the entire 2011 Gold List of the world's best places to stay › Also appeared in the Gold List in 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 Amenities: Pool, Spa"

"The little spa and infinity pool are perfect places to unwind, and leading Dublin restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud has his eponymous, Michelin-starred restaurant on the premises"

"It has fewer rooms than the nearby Shelbourne and feels more intimate and private, though its list of features is still extensive: The hotel has a full-service spa, lovely Roman-style indoor pool, and well-equipped fitness center"

"Still, the hotel manages to avoid feeling stuffy—likely due to the friendly openness of the staff and modern features like the colonnaded infinity pool of the Tethra Spa or the two-Michelin-starred, cuisine at Patrick Guilbaud’s restaurant"

"Roaring fires burn in the cozy lounges, and there’s a serene infinity pool, too"

"The health center encompasses a gym, steam room, spa treatments and a classically designed 18-m indoor pool finished in blue mosaic tiles and set in French limestone"

"The colonnaded infinity pool in the Tethra Spa is one of the finest in the city, and the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is downstairs"

"The latter looks like a bath you might have encountered in ancient Rome, and the cheery murals along the wall make up for the pool's secluded underground location"

"The spa's centerpiece is a stunning, French limestone swimming pool set off by mosaic tiles and a beautiful wall mural"