Growing up in Singapore’s tropical climate meant year-round access to pools, many of which are public and open-air. Now that I live in Beijing, I have learned to contend with indoor pools, however, I’m still figuring out so many of the rules – from mandatory swim caps to purchasing an annual membership. So if you just want to swim with your kids for a couple of hours in a heated pool, here are the places you can go without having to buy classes or commit to an annual membership!

Ritz Carlton Hotel Gym & Pool (SKP) 北京丽思卡尔顿酒店 REBALANCE 游泳健身中心（SKP店）

Located centrally in the Ritz Carlton Hotel near SKP mall, this 25m swimming pool is touted on Dianping for its cleanliness. It is also one of the few hotel swimming pools that offer on-site coaches for one-on-one adult and toddler swim classes (trial price RMB 258 for either, 60 minutes). But for noncommital swim fun, it costs RMB 258 for an unlimited swim pass for one adult or RMB 358 for one adult and one child. Some users have said the pool feels a little on the cooler side, though official reports claim that the water is heated to 28 degrees Celsius, which seems to be pretty standard for Beijing’s indoor pools.

通盛会议中心游泳馆

Located along the fifth ring road southeast of downtown Beijing, this is as close to a public pool as you’re gonna get in the capital. A dedicated swimming center with an Olympic-sized pool, it will cost you just RMB 28 to swim all day, which even includes three hours of free parking! For two people, it will cost RMB 55. The only setback – which sort of comes with the unfettered public pool territory – is that it’s not going to be nearly as clean as what you’d find at a hotel, though 40 out of 50 Dianping users do say it’s clean enough. It’s your call, but we certainly feel it’s worth a shot for that price! Note that children under 18 have to be accompanied by an adult.

Rosewood Hotel Pool 瑰丽酒店泳池

This may be the hidden gem among our findings! The 30m long pool is tucked away in the prestigious Rosewood Hotel and well-lit with plenty of natural sunlight streaming in through the glass ceiling. The pool area is also decorated with lush greenery so you almost feel like you’re out in nature, while being tucked within four walls of warmth. Users have said this pool tends to be pretty quiet, but you’ll pay a price for the privacy as it costs RMB 680 to use the pool!

China World Hotel Pool 中国大饭店 游泳健身中心

The spacious pool setting at China World certainly helps you forget that it’s in the basement by conjuring an “under the sea” vibe with its blue lighting fixtures. It’s also very reasonably priced at RMB 270 for all-day swimming per person, though you have to call ahead and pre-book your slot. You can also top up a bit more for a gym + pool pass at RMB 350. You can save a little if you get a 10-pass card for RMB 1,500 or a 20-pass for RMB 4,500. If all four lanes of the 25m long pool are occupied, you may have to wait before you get your turn as they limit the capacity to 12.

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Images: Unsplash, Dianping

If the great outdoors is too much for you to resist this summer then why not cool off at one of Beijing’s outdoor swimming pools. My swimming pool of choice is usually Liu Lang in Haidian District (near the South Gate of the Summer Palace). However, I recently decided to take my daughters over to Qingnianhu Water World. Located inside Qingnianhu Park, this swimming pool has long been a favorite for locals and expats alike.

At the time of our visit, we were able to take advantage of the discounted rate that was on offer during June. Thanks to the RMB 10 per ticket increase that was ushered in by July,  the current cost of taking my two toddlers for a swim at Qingnianhu is RMB 130 (RMB 50 for adults and RMB 40 for children). Over at Liu Lang, things are significantly cheaper. Children under 120cm are permitted to enter for free. Thus, an outing to that pool costs just RMB 40.

Admittedly, Qingnianhu is better equipped than its Haidian counterpart. There are several long slides for adults and older children to enjoy. There are also two separate swimming pools each containing elaborate child-friendly playthings. At Liu Lang, the apparatus is certainly not as extravagant. However, the two climbing frames with their accompanying slides are adequate and capable of keeping children occupied for several hours. Liu Lang also has a designated swimming pool with clearly marked lanes where serious swimmers can swim without obstruction. Being that I had two small children with me, doing laps in the pool was not at all my focus. However, I’m sure this is a feature that many appreciate.

Both establishments offer the facilities that one might expect a pool to provide—changing rooms, toilets, showers, food vendors, and a safe place to leave valuables. The swimming pools are also relatively clean and well maintained. At Qingnianhu there are picnic tables strategically located beside the pool thus making it possible to sit at the table and eat while keeping an eye on other children who may still be in the water. Liu Lang also has a designated eating area. However, this is located not very near the pool.

At both pools, mornings seem to be a lot quieter than afternoons. However, it may be that the mornings become busier as the summer progresses.

The lake-like pools that can be found at Liu Lang offer a peaceful setting to cool of this summer. The facility is walkable from the closest subway station (Bagou, Line 10). It is also cheaper and attracts fewer visitors than most of the other outdoor pools in Beijing. When it comes to outdoor swimming pools, Liu Lang is a smart choice.

Liu Lang Swimming Pool
RMB 40 for adults. Free for children under 120cm. Daily 9:00am-9:00pm. 50 Kunming Dong Lu, Haidian.  (6263 5992) 海淀区昆明湖东路

Photo: Courtesy of Pamela Djima

A near-drowning at a Beijing pool over the weekend has once again highlighted the need for safety awareness, and public CPR and first aid training.

Theresa Ahdieh, former brand manager for beijingkids, was visiting the public swimming pool at Qingnian Hu Park near Andingmen, with her husband, her son Ty, and other friends. Ahdieh requires her son to always swim with a buddy, to wear a bright-colored swim cap, and to always be able to see one or both of his parents while swimming.

"The kids were not doing buddies that well, and there were so many people there," Ahdieh said, estimating a crowd of about 200 that day. She walked to the pool’s edge to be able to see her son more easily. However, others in attendance told her not to worry, that it was safe and there were lifeguards on duty.

"Not five minutes after my friends told me to relax, the lifeguards are on duty, we see a girl on the side of the pool, lying on the deck, and an older woman pushing on her chest," Ahdieh said. As she approached the scene, she could see that the girl had an oxygen tube inserted in her nose, and that the woman attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was doing so improperly, said Ahdieh, who received CPR and first aid training in the United States.

"Then the lifeguards picked [the girl]up from the knees and shook her upside down to get the water out," Ahdieh said. At this point she intervened, rolling the child, who like many near-drowning victims had begun to regurgitate, on her side. Ahdieh performed a finger sweep to clear mucus and other foreign matter out of the airway, and then called to the child in English. "Her eyes fluttered," she said, at which point some of the Chinese bystanders began calling to the child in Chinese. She then opened her eyes and appeared to breathe on her own. Lifeguards then placed the girl on a stretcher and took her out of the pool area, Ahdieh said. She did not know the ultimate outcome of the emergency, she said.

A moderator from the popular automotive website XCar was also at the pool Saturday, and posted photos of the incident on the forum.

The moderator stated that the water in the pool is 1.3 meters deep. He described the girl as being 1.5 meters tall, "no lifeguards were immediately found, several foreigners were assisting," he writes. The moderator also wrote that the girl opened her eyes and began breathing on her own.

Unintentional drowning among children remains a serious problem. Almost 4,000 people per year died between 2005-2009 in the United States from drowning and boating-related incidents, and one in five of those were 14 or younger.

Ahdieh recommends that parents follow her protocol for swimming in pools: wear bright-colored swim caps, not black or dark blue; swim with a buddy, and move with that buddy, in or out of the water; tell a parent or guardian if they are going into the water or moving to another area; and children should keep their parent or guardian in sight at all times. If the child can see the parent, the parent can see them too, she said.

Both beijingkids and Beijing United Family Hospital looked at summer safety in May 2013. A fact sheet from the US Centers for Disease Control on reducing drowning risk can be found here. A complete list of CPR and first aid training programs in Beijing was published in the 2013-2014 beijingkids Health Guide.

Disclosure: Steven Schwankert, the executive editor of the Beijinger and beijingkids parent company True Run Media, is an instructor trainer for Emergency First Response, an international CPR and first aid training organization.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on July 22, 2014.

Photo: The Beijinger