A handful of bookable private pools have popped up around London
London has had so many heatwaves already this summer, at times it has felt like one continuous hot-and-bothered haze. With the hot weather showing no signs of going away any time soon, plenty of Londoners are looking for ways to cool off.
With paddling pools also out of the question thanks to the ongoing hosepipe bans in force across much of London, many of us will be looking instead to our nearest public lidos.
From Parliament Hill to Hampstead Heath, the Serpentine to Charlton, there are brilliant public pools, lidos and swimming lakes to be found all across the city, offering daily sessions for reasonable prices. However, often it feels like the rest of London has had the same idea, with pools left heaving and fully booked on the hottest days.
If you’ve been struggling to secure a slot at your nearest public pool and don’t fancy travelling to the coast, there might be another option. A small number of private pool-booking apps have popped up which enable swimmers to book sessions at private homes.
Working in a similar way to services like Airbnb, pool booking apps give swimmers access to pool facilities for a set period of time for a set price. Swimmers can then come and use the facilities without having to worry about clean-up and upkeep.
There are plenty of reasons why people may want to book private pools, for example, those who don’t feel comfortable swimming in public. Many pools are also available for private training sessions and events like birthday parties or stag and hen dos.
US-based pool booking site Swimply currently has over 15,000 pools listed with over four million people using the site so far, which shows just how popular the model can be. Unfortunately Swimply doesn’t yet operate in the UK, but similar app Swimple does, and there are already a number of private pools available to book in London, including a private swim spa in a garden in Bromley for £70 an hour for up to six people and a luxurious indoor saltwater pool in Cheam for £60 an hour for up to eight people.
For those willing to travel a little further afield, there are several pools listed in Kent and Surrey too, from secluded private garden pools set in ancient woodland to indoor pool, gym and spa experiences available for exclusive hire.
While only a handful of pools are currently listed on the site, users have praised their experiences. Describing her experience at the private pool in Cheam, South London, reviewer Susie Kelly said: “Wow what a gorgeous pool. An amazing hidden gem to take your family to. So clean and the host super helpful. Will definitely be coming back. Thank you”.
Meanwhile, reviewer Daniel Linehan said: “Absolutely stunning pool in an amazing setting. Hassle free access, extremely clean, responsive & helpful hosts, would definitely recommend.”
You can find out more about Swimple on their website here, including a map of pools near you, how to book, and how list a pool for hire if you’re lucky enough to have one of your own.
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