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Top 8 Malaga Rooftop Pools Open to Non-Guests (2026)

Picture this: the Andalusian sun baking the earth below, but you're floating weightless, toes grazing an infinity edge that kisses the Mediterranean horizon. Malaga's rooftop pools aren't just for the jet-set crashing in suites—they're gateways for day trippers like you and me. No room key required. I've chased these watery oases across three summers, towel slung over shoulder, haggling for day passes amid the hum of espresso machines and salty breezes. Among the best rooftop pools Malaga open to non-guests 2026 has on offer, these eight stand out, each with its own pulse: a sultry cathedral silhouette here, a beachfront shimmer there.

Which calls to you? The romantic gaze across spires? A family frolic with waves crashing audible below? Or solo zen with a caña in hand? Sketch a mental map—start historic center-bound if you're culture-craving, swing east to the coast for sand-kissed vibes. I've mapped 'em with addresses, hours, and insider gripes. No lists, just my meandering path through paradise. Let's dive in, shall we?

Gran Hotel Miramar: Where Belle Époque Meets Endless Blue

Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, 1, 29016 Málaga. Open daily 10am–8pm (last entry 6pm), day pass €35 adults, €20 kids.

I stumbled off the promenade one blistering July afternoon, sweat-stung eyes spotting the Gran Hotel Miramar's wedding-cake facade gleaming like a mirage. Morocco's outline taunted across the strait—close enough to taste the tagine spice on the wind. Up the creaky elevator, and there it was: a sprawling 25m pool, rectangular as a Roman bath, water so glassy it mirrored the palm fronds swaying overhead. I slipped in, the cool shock ripping a gasp from my chest, then pure bliss as strokes carried me to the edge where sea and sky blurred.

Views? La Malagueta beach sprawls below, superyachts dotting the bay like toys. Lunch was grilled sardines with alioli that punched with garlic fire—€18, devoured poolside under striped umbrellas. But here's my gripe: the DJ starts at 4pm, thumping reggaeton that vibrates the water. Pro tip: arrive pre-noon for silence. As one of the top Malaga hotels with public rooftop pool access, it's a stunner for first-timers.

Hotel Molina Lario: Cathedral Kisses and Whispered Prayers

Pasaje del Pastor, 2, 29001 Málaga. 9am–7pm, €28 day pass.

From the rooftop of Molina Lario, the La Manquita cathedral's unfinished tower pokes the sky like a cheeky secret. I arrived post-siesta, the pool's oval curve—20m long, tiled in shimmering cobalt—beckoning after a tapas crawl. The water felt like silk laced with mint, cool against sun-fevered skin. Floating there, I watched swallows dart around the spires, the city unfolding in terracotta waves.

Dinner? Paella de marisco, saffron-scented and studded with plump prawns (€22). A family nearby shared sangria; their laughter bounced off the stone balustrades. Drawback: shade's scarce till dusk—slather SPF50. This spot nails rooftop infinity pools in Malaga for visitors 2026, especially if you're pairing pool time with cathedral hops.

AC Hotel Málaga Palacio: Modernist Marvel with Urban Pulse

Calle Cortina del Muelle, 1, 29015 Málaga. 10am–6pm, €25.

The memory hits first: that first bite of patatas bravas at AC Palacio's rooftop bar, smoky paprika exploding as I eyed the pool below. Irregularly shaped, like a splash of azure paint—18m across—it hugs the infinity ledge overlooking the port's crane skeletons and yacht masts bobbing. I plunged mid-afternoon, water effervescent from the bubblers, emerging to guzzle a tinto de verano that cut the heat like a knife.

Anecdote gold: an elderly couple slow-danced to faint flamenco from a nearby taberna. Food-wise, gazpacho chilled to perfection (€12). Gripe? Crowded post-2pm. Seamless for Malaga rooftop pools day pass non hotel guests.

Room Mate Valeria: Whimsical Waves Amid Soho Buzz

Pasaje Rodríguez Acosta, 7, 29016 Málaga. 11am–7pm, €30.

'¿Day pass, señor?' the receptionist beamed, her earrings jangling like wind chimes. That's how it started at Valeria, dialogue sparking my entry. The pool, a sinuous 22m lagoon amid pop-art murals, vibrated with Soho's street art pulse below. Water warm as bathmilk, scented faintly of chlorine and jasmine from planters.

Ceviche de atún—citrus-tangy, melt-in-mouth (€16)—paired with people-watching: tattooed artists sketching, influencers posing. Tip: book online; walk-ins queue. Among non-resident friendly rooftop pools Malaga, this one's got flair.

Only YOU Hotel Málaga: Zen Escape Over Muelle Uno

Domingo Selvo, 5, 29015 Málaga. 10am–8pm, €32.

My flip-flop betrayed me on the slick tiles—splat!—arms windmilling before a waiter caught my elbow, chuckling. '¡Cuidado, amigo!' Only YOU's rooftop redeemed the pratfall: a serene 20m rectangle, infinity spilling toward Muelle Uno's ferris wheel twirling lazy circles. Water crystalline, body-temperature perfect for lazy laps.

Sushi rolls arrived—fresh, wasabi-kick sharp (€20 set). Views mesmerized: Alcazaba's honey walls glowing at sunset. Minor irk: music mellow but persistent. Ideal for where to swim at Malaga rooftop pools without booking room.

Soho Boutique Baja: Beachy Vibes in the City Heart

Strachan, 7, 29015 Málaga. 9am–7pm, €27.

The view hooked me first at Soho Baja: palm-choked pool deck framing Malaga's bullring dome, sea haze beyond. Narrow but long—24m L-shape—water shimmered like liquid topaz under noon blaze. I waded in slow, savoring the brine-tinged air mingling with sunscreen haze.

Grilled octopus tentacles, charred crisp (€18), stole the show. Watched a busker's guitar wail rise from the street. Crowds thin mornings. Perfect Malaga beach rooftop pools open to public 2026.

The Lights Hotel Mediterráneo: Cliffside Drama Near Benalmádena

Avenida del Sol, 61, Benalmádena Pueblo, 29630 (20min drive from Malaga center). Daily 10am–9pm (seasonal), day pass €40 adults, €25 under-12s. Reserve ahead via site.

Little Sofia, the hotel cat, rubbed against my calves as her kid owners splashed cannonballs nearby—pure chaos turning to giggles when I joined, wiping foam from my shades. The Lights' rooftop transformed my solo day into family improv: a dramatic 30m infinity pool perched on cliffs, water plummeting visually into the void where turquoise met frothy whitecaps 100m below. I arrived via taxi at dawn's glow, towel damp from beach mist, and eased in—the water electric-cool, fizzing against jet-lagged skin after a red-eye from Madrid. Strokes felt endless, the horizon swallowing my worries.

Lunch sprawled epic: paella valenciana loaded with rabbit, snails, and green beans that crunched like summer secrets (€28/person, min 2). The bar slings killer mojitos—mint muddled fierce—with views of Benalmádena's cable car snaking skyward. My gripe? Wind whips fierce post-5pm; anchor your hat. But those kid interactions? Priceless therapy. For luxury rooftop pool day use Malaga non-guests, this edges urban spots with its wilder edge. Tip: Pair with pueblo tapas crawl; shuttle runs hourly.

Ideal Beach Hotel: Sandy Shores from Above

Urbanización Balcones del Mar, Carretera Cádiz-Málaga, KM 258, 29620 Torremolinos (15min from Malaga). 9am–8pm, €35, kids half.

Sunset painted the sky papaya as I climbed to Ideal Beach's rooftop, the day's heat yielding to a breeze carrying hibiscus and distant paella smoke. No plunge this time—just floated supine, watching the sun melt into Playamar beach below, surfers carving final waves. The pool's generous oval—28m, beach-ball blue—hugged the curve of white sand visible through infinity glass panels. Water velvet-smooth, warmed by solar panels, perfect for that languid end-of-day drift.

Ceviche tasting notes? Maguro tuna diced jewel-fine, lime zing balanced by sweet mango chunks and cilantro whisper (€16)—forked it straight from the bowl, toes dangling. A family nearby erupted in splashes; I eavesdropped their Castilian banter, chuckling at dad's failed backstroke. Drawback: elevators pack at peak; stairs for fit folk. Morocco's silhouette flickered east, evoking desert dreams. As a top pick in best Malaga rooftop bars pools accessible outsiders, snag sunset slots.