Dubai vs London: the battle of the 360-degree rooftop infinity pools

Dubai is already home to the world's tallest building, the world's tallest hotel and the world's tallest Ferris wheel, and the emirate's altitude is set to rise even further as one of the world's tallest infinity pools prepares to open.

Located on the 50th floor of a 52-floor building, the Palm Tower's pool will go 360 degrees around the Palm Jumeirah building, boasting incredible views in every direction from 210 metres up.

The Palm Tower will be home to an 18-floor St Regis hotel and an infinity pool on the 50th floor. Courtesy Nakheel

As it stands, the world's highest infinity pool is 340 metres high at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. However, it's thought that the Palm Tower's infinity pool will be the highest of its kind in the world, thanks to its 360-degree element.

But new plans revealed in London this week show that the UK capital is hot on Dubai’s heels. Pool designers at Compass Pools have developed Infinity London, a 600,000-litre pool built 200 metres up on the roof of a 55-storey building, offering 360-degree views over the city skyline.

Swimmers will access the pool through a rotating spiral staircase based on the door of a submarine, rising from the pool floor when someone wants to get in or out. The floor of the pool is also transparent, allowing visitors to see the swimmers and sky above.

Of course, London’s weather is far more unpredictable than Dubai’s, and the pool will use technology to ensure the correct temperature levels, and prevent water from being blown into the streets below.

“Architects often come to us to design roof top infinity pools, but rarely do we get a say in the building design because the pool is usually an afterthought,” said Alex Kemsley, Compass Pool’s swimming pool designer and