Halekulani, Honolulu, Hawaii

IN THE SWIM To create the “most memorable, beautiful, no-other-in-the-world swimming pool,” Halekulani’s former CEO, Shuhei Okuda, commissioned a 46- by 82-foot pool with a painstakingly tiled image of a giant cattleya orchid, visible from airplanes as they fly above Waikiki Beach.

POOL SCHOOL A graphic design team worked with an Italian mosaic artist for more than a year, using 1.25 million glass tiles. The heated freshwater pool holds 97,000 gallons.

BEST TIME TO DIVE IN April to October, with temperatures in the 80s.

AFTER DRYING OFF Take advantage of complimentary tickets to the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu Symphony, or Iolani Palace (official residence of Hawaii’s last monarchs).

RATES Rooms start at $435; 800/367-2343 or halekulani.com.