he Texas lazy river is on the 6th floor of the newly opened Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston. Houston is now officially home to the coolest pool in town, Texas, the world! I mean, have you seen it?! If that’s not love at first sight I don’t know what is. We had the chance to check out the Marriott Parkview Terrace over the weekend. We got some rays, took some notes and documented everything you need to know about the Marriott Marquis pool.

Here’s what we found out when we visited Houston’s Texas lazy river:

Getting in to the Pool

Usually in order to access the pool, you have to be a guest of the hotel. Or you make an appointment with Pure spa (like we did!). The spa is open to anyone! If you arrange for a spa services of 50 minutes you’re welcome to use the Parkview Terrace aka the rooftop lazy river. At this time, you don’t need a key card to get up the elevator. The pool/spa is located on the 6th floor. When you check in at the spa, you get a wristband that allows you to access the pool. Pool attendants man the entrance and will notice if you don’t have one.

Spa so hard at Pure Spa! Read our blog post about how to have the perfect spa day at Marriott Marquis Pure Spa.

You can also access the Marriott Marquis pool deck through Resort Pass. You can go all out and get a cabana — or regular passes start at $50.

Houston Views

If you just want to check out the pool, you can do so from pretty much any floor of the building. We made a detour on our way out on the 12th floor and got some aaaaahh-mazing birds eye views. Honestly, how could you not fall in love with Houston with a view like that? The pool itself is 110 feet above street level.

The Rooftop Wind

Like all good bloggers millennials, we couldn’t leave the pool without a good photoshoot. The wind proved to be quite an issue. Not sure if it was the particular day we went, the height of the building, or the wind tunnel caused with all the other buildings downtown, but there were some serious gusts. Something to note if you’re planning on wearing a hat or reading a magazine and don’t want it blowing off the balcony ledge–or a dress that might flash people.

Lazy River Floats

The Marriott Marquis provides clear inner tubes to float the lazy river. You are not allowed to bring your own floats. So leave those rainbow unicorns and giant pizza slices at home. They do provide towels, so no need to pack any.

Multiple Pools!

The lazy river is legit. It 530 feet of pure Texas joy including a current with little rapids, water features that spray you, as well as fountains and bridges to float under and around. In addition to the bomb ass Texas lazy river, there is a hot tub and an infinity pool! If you’re in Discovery Green, you can apparently see people swimming around as there is a glass wall that opens out onto the street. Trippy, no?

Texas Sunshine

If you’re a sun worshipper like me, know that the pool deck has some shadows you need to work around. We went at 10:30am and most of the terrace was still in the shade. When we returned around 3pm, the sun had crossed the building and the majority of the area was now in the sun. If you need a break from the heat, you can reserve a cabana or grab a free chair under the giant shaded rooftop in the corner.

Texas-Sized Crowds

We went on a Saturday and the pool was packed at 10:30am. We struggled to find two chairs that were both next to each other and in the sun. There was also a zillion kids running around. If you’re looking for some R&R and peace and quiet, know that the weekend probably isn’t the best time to go.

Marriott’s Pure Spa

If you want to check out the Pure Spa, you can get access to the pool when making appointments. You’ll also get a class of champagne on arrival.

Food & Drink

Marriott has a few water stations around the pool with plastic cups for water. The High Dive bar is situated on the pool deck that has some light bites. Walker Street Kitchen is also located on the first floor of the building. We went there for brunch and loved it!

Interested in more Houston adventures? Check out our Houston staycation section to treat yourself!

Check out our segment on the Texas lazy river on CW 39 Houston:

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