Five of the chicest designed hotel rooftop and terraces

From poolside bars to leafy courtyards and rooftops built for golden-hour views, SPACE rounds up the standout hotel outdoor spaces where style and escapism meet under open skies.

WORDS BY SPACE EDITORIAL

SIX SENSES, ROME

At Six Senses Rome, indoor-outdoor living takes centre stage, offering guests a calm, sun-drenched retreat in the heart of the Eternal City. Designer Patricia Urquiola has transformed a historic Roman palazzo into a serene sanctuary, blending soft geometry with natural textures and traditional Italian materials. The Bivium restaurant flows effortlessly from the lobby into an airy courtyard, where a curved green marble bar mirrors its indoor counterpart, forming an elegant, near-complete circle beneath sculptural, earth-toned steelwork. Up on top, the NOTOS rooftop bar embraces Urquiola’s signature tactile style, serving botanical cocktails with panoramic views of Rome at golden hour.

THE EVE, SYDNEY

The rooftop is where its at at The Eve – home to a garden, pool and restaurant it’s a hedonist’s playground. For the look and feel of the restaurant, Lottie, interior architect George Livissianis drew directly from Haddow’s architectural palette. Sandblasted travertine, Palladiana flooring and exposed concrete create a tactile backdrop. Red travertine forms the core of the colour story, shifting from ochre to vibrant orange – hues that echo both the cuisine and the Sydney sunset. Designed by Daniel Baffsky, the garden pays homage to the site’s former life as one of colonial Sydney’s earliest pleasure gardens, part of Portuguese immigrant John Baptist’s 40-acre nursery in East Redfern, which operated from the 1900s to the 1930s. At the centre of the garden is a 20-metre pool clad in dark green Sukabumi tiles, surrounded by sunbeds and cabanas with retro-style umbrellas in a punchy Hermès orange.

DELANO, DUBAI

Designed by Elastic Architects, SA Consultants, La Bottega Interiors, and YDesign – alongside Ennismore’s in-house team – Delano Dubai takes the bold spirit of the Miami original and gives it a fresh, laid-back twist. At the centre of the resort, the Delano Pool makes a statement with oversized, billowing umbrellas, sculptural topiary, and sunken lounge seating built into the shallows. Just steps away, the pool’s bar and restaurant continues the relaxed vibe with a warm, textural palette of stone floors, rattan furniture, and sunshine-yellow striped upholstery.

THE LANA, DUBAI

The Lana, set in Dubai’s Business Bay, brings together bold architecture and sky-high leisure with unmistakable style. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 30-storey tower nods to the city’s shifting skyline, while interiors by Gilles & Boissier layer in rich textures, curated art and a strong sense of place. But it’s the rooftop that steals the spotlight. High Society, the hotel’s bar and restaurant, wraps around a show-stopping infinity pool with front-row views of the Burj Khalifa and beyond. With sunken seating, parasol-lined daybeds and sharp city views, it’s Dubai’s newest contender for most photogenic pool scene.

THE CHANCERY ROSEWOOD, UK

Once the former home of the United States Embassy, The Chancery Rosewood now sits behind the dazzling façade on Grosvenor Square. Originally the work of Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, the building’s restoration has been led by Sir David Chipperfield in collaboration with developers Qatari Diar Europe LLP. The opening of the hotel debuted eight distinct restaurants and bars, each with its own sense of character and craft. Taking its name from the iconic gilded eagle sculpture perched atop the building, the Eagle Bar occupies the rooftop terrace – a wraparound aerie with views over Grosvenor Square and a vinyl-led music programme curated by an East London collective.