Written by Melissa Lisell

Planning a vacation and thinking about a swim-out room? Not all swim-out rooms were created equal! Keep reading to find out about the Top 5 Things you need to know BEFORE you book.

1. Does the swim-out room have direct access to the pool or do you have to walk across grass? Are there stairs from your patio into the water?

Believe it or not, both of these rooms are considered to be “Swim Out” categories!

2. Most swim out rooms have an entrance to a semi-private pool that is shared with 3-10 rooms. Other resorts offer swim out rooms with your own pool.

3. Consider the view from your room or the pool.

As you may have guessed, most swim-out rooms are located on the first floor to have access to the pool. This normally means it has a garden or pool view instead of ocean view.

If you book an oceanfront or beachfront swim out room, then you are guaranteed to see the water.

Also, there are a few resorts that offer swim out rooms on higher floors. Isn’t this amazing?

4. If this isn’t a romantic getaway and you are traveling with the whole family, you need to know the minimum age for kids staying in a swim out room category. Some resorts require guests to be 10, 13, or even 15 years old to stay in this special type of room. This is due to safety concerns and is non-negotiable, even for the most responsible child.

Even though my nephew would have enjoyed having direct access to the pool, it was much safer for him to play on the balcony, while his baby sister napped inside.

5. Which resort has the best swim out room? This one is too hard to pick because there are so many factors: best view, best size, easiest access, most private, etc.

If you are interested in hearing more, stay tuned for next week’s Top Five Tuesday blog: Top Five Swim Out Rooms in Mexico and the Caribbean!