For me there is nothing better than spending a sunny day lounging by the pool with a good book and a load of podcasts. As we had decided not to travel for the Qingming holiday I chose to have a pool day at the Ritz in Futian. I was unable to find any information on their website about pool access so I sent an email to the hotel and I received a response within a few hours. They confirmed that non hotel guests could buy a pass for 500RMB which gave full day access to the outdoor pool and indoor spa facilities. I arrived at about 11am on Saturday and I was shown up to the spa area on the 5th floor. From there I was welcomed at the spa reception and Venus showed me around the facilities I was able to use.

In addition to the outdoor pools there is an indoor relaxation room, sauna, steam room and two small jacuzzi/plunge pools.

I was given a locker and after getting changed I went out to the pool. The view is pretty impressive but the pool was a lot smaller than I thought, there were a few sets of chairs, tables and about 5 pairs of sun loungers with umbrellas. I think what struck me most was the noise…..or lack of. Having being surrounded by construction noise 24/7 for the last few months the peace and quiet was absolute bliss!

I spent the next few hours by the pool reading and just enjoying the sun. There was a plentiful supply of water and towels at hand which you could help yourself to, but there were no food / beverage menus on display. As I was getting hungry I went back to the spa reception and they gave me a full menu to order from. I opted for the sweet and sour pork and it arrived within about 30 minutes and served at my sun lounger.

Throughout my stay the pool wasn’t really very busy. Later in the afternoon as people started to check in or arrive back from their day out it did get busier, so I think if you want a quieter time head there before 3pm.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get time to use the spa facilities inside but next time I will. The changing facilities are very good – 3 powerful showers with all toiletries provided, private changing rooms and the dressing room was equipped with hairdryers, deodorant, body lotion, hand sanitizer, cotton buds/pads and hair styling products.

I really enjoyed my time here and it is definitely somewhere I will come back to. I did ask if you can combine a spa treatment with the use of the pool and spa facilities and they confirmed you can. If you book a spa treatment you can use the pool and spa for 2 hours before or after your treatment, so if you want to turn it into a proper pampering session that is a great option.

Oh, one last thing to note is that you will need a swimming cap to use the outdoor pools, this policy is strictly enforced so don’t forget to pack yours!