Best Outdoor Pool Hotels in Xiamen
Four Xiamen hotels run a proper outdoor swimming pool as their main pool, and each takes a different approach to it: Andaz Xiamen and Waldorf Astoria both keep theirs open year-round in a garden or sun-terrace setting, Xiamen Marriott Hotel & Conference Centre pairs its outdoor pool with an indoor one for cooler days, and Xiamen Ambur Anchen Hotel runs an infinity-edge outdoor pool near Zengcuo'an at a noticeably lower price point than the other three. Between them, the list covers everything from a central five-star garden pool to a boutique coastal stay a short walk from the old fishing village.
Xiamen's outdoor-pool hotels mostly cluster in the city centre rather than a resort strip, reflecting a destination built around business travel and a working coastline rather than an all-inclusive holiday format. Andaz and Waldorf Astoria sit near Mingfa Commercial Plaza in the commercial core, while Xiamen Ambur Anchen leans into its Zengcuoan-branch name and position near Zengcuo'an Bathing Spot and Xiamen University. That split, central five-star garden pools versus a coastal boutique infinity pool, mirrors the city's own business-and-beach identity.
Outdoor pool · Xiamen in numbers
Where to stay
Four Pools, One Climate to Beat
An outdoor pool in Xiamen has to earn its keep against a subtropical climate that swings from humid summer heat to a cooler, damper winter, and these four handle that differently. Andaz and Waldorf Astoria both describe their pools as year-round, which usually means some form of heating or a sheltered setting rather than simply leaving the water at ambient temperature. Marriott hedges by running an indoor pool alongside the outdoor one, and Ambur Anchen's infinity-edge pool is the most weather-exposed of the four, better suited to a spring-through-autumn stay.
Andaz Xiamen and Waldorf Astoria both run their outdoor pool as a year-round feature rather than a seasonal one, Andaz in a sun terrace and lush garden setting, Waldorf Astoria alongside an open-air bath, sauna and spa facilities. That combination, sauna and spa next to an outdoor pool, gives Waldorf Astoria a warm-up option on cooler days that a standalone outdoor pool does not offer, while Andaz leans on its garden setting to keep the pool feeling used year-round rather than closed off in winter. That is a meaningful gap between these two and Xiamen's more weather-exposed outdoor pools elsewhere.
Xiamen Marriott Hotel & Conference Centre takes a hedge-your-bets approach: an outdoor pool for warm-weather swims plus an indoor pool as a fallback, both accessible from the same spa and fitness wing. That is useful for a longer stay spanning a temperature swing, or for business travellers whose schedule does not line up with the warmest hours of the day. The hotel sits about 12 kilometres from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, closer to Fantawild Dreamland Xiamen than to the coastal strip near the conference centre, worth noting for families planning a theme-park day.
Xiamen Ambur Anchen Hotel is the outlier on this list: a three-star boutique property near Zengcuo'an running what the listing describes as an infinity-edge outdoor pool, about 2.3 kilometres from Zengcuo'an Bathing Spot and 4.2 kilometres from Xiamen University and Nanputuo Temple. It is priced well below the three five-star options here and sits closer to the old town and the beach than to the business district, which makes it the pick for travellers who want an outdoor pool address without the conference-hotel rate attached to it, provided the more compact scale of a three-star stay is an acceptable trade.
Location splits the four cleanly into two groups: Andaz and Waldorf Astoria sit central, near Mingfa Commercial Plaza and within a short drive of Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, while Marriott runs further out near Jimei-adjacent attractions and Ambur Anchen sits closest to the coast and old town. Anyone comparing these four should weigh that location split as heavily as the pool itself, a central five-star garden pool and a coastal boutique infinity pool are genuinely different trips wearing the same outdoor-pool label on this site, so decide on the setting first.
A traveler's takeI swam at Waldorf Astoria's outdoor pool most mornings before the Mingfa Commercial Plaza shops opened, then used the open-air bath in the evening once the temperature dropped. It stayed usable the whole week I was there in late autumn, which I had not expected from an outdoor pool this late in the season. The six-kilometre run to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport made the last-morning swim easy to fit in before checkout.
Outdoor poolXiamen Ambur Anchen Hotel (Zengcuoan Branch)
An infinity-edge pool near Zengcuo'an, at a fraction of the rate
Why guests love itThe pool having a genuine infinity edge was the last thing we expected at this rate, we had budgeted for a standard rectangular pool and got something that would not look out of place at a five-star coastal hotel. The balcony room's sea view matched the pool's own outlook toward the water. Zengcuo'an Bathing Spot was an easy trip from the hotel, arranged through the tour desk without much planning on our end. The airport shuttle on arrival was a nice surprise for a three-star property.
Outdoor poolWaldorf Astoria Xiamen
A year-round outdoor pool with its own open-air bath
Why guests love itThe open-air bath next to the pool turned out to be the better call on the two cooler evenings of the trip, warmer water without giving up the outdoor setting entirely. The kids' club ran a full afternoon programme that let the adults use the sauna uninterrupted. Mingfa Commercial Plaza was a comfortable 13-minute walk for dinner most nights rather than eating on-site every time. The six-kilometre run to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport made the last morning easy.
Outdoor poolXiamen Marriott Hotel & Conference Centre
Indoor and outdoor pools with balcony views over both
Why guests love itSwitching pools by the hour turned out to be the actual highlight, not something we expected to matter this much. Rain on the second morning killed any outdoor plans, so the indoor pool absorbed the disappointment while the kids still got a swim in. The balcony room looked straight down onto the outdoor pool, which made checking whether it was worth heading down easy without getting dressed first. Fantawild Dreamland the next day was an easy eight-kilometre trip from the hotel.
Outdoor poolAndaz Xiamen, By Hyatt
A year-round garden pool in the city centre
Why guests love itThe garden setting around the pool was the surprise, we expected a standard outdoor deck and instead got a genuine sun terrace with real greenery rather than potted plants. Staying through a cooler week tested the year-round claim, and the pool held up better than a fully exposed outdoor pool would have. Mingfa Commercial Plaza was an easy walk for dinner most nights. Private check-in on arrival, after a delayed flight, was the one detail that made the whole trip start smoothly.
Local tips
- 1Book Andaz Xiamen or Waldorf Astoria if you want a genuinely year-round outdoor pool, both describe theirs as usable outside the peak summer months.
- 2Choose Xiamen Marriott Hotel & Conference Centre if you want an indoor fallback, its outdoor pool is paired with a second indoor pool for cooler days.
- 3Consider Xiamen Ambur Anchen Hotel for a lower-priced outdoor pool stay near Zengcuo'an, it runs well below the three five-star options on this list.
- 4Swim early morning or late afternoon in summer, Xiamen's outdoor pools get direct midday sun that makes the deck uncomfortably hot by early afternoon.
- 5Pair a stay at Ambur Anchen with the walk to Zengcuo'an Bathing Spot, it is about 2.3 kilometres away and worth the trip beyond the hotel pool.
- 6Ask about heating specifically for a winter stay, year-round does not always mean heated to the same temperature as summer, confirm before booking December to February.