Hotel & Motel Pool Safety Checklist

What families need before and during a swim at an unguarded hotel pool

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

Save it to your phone before the trip — run through it the moment you check in.

Family / group:

Hotel & room #:

Pool hours:

Front desk / emergency #:

When You Check In: Scan the Pool First

Assume there is NO lifeguard — the vast majority of hotel pools are unguarded. You are the Water Watcher.
Test the gate — it should swing shut and self-latch on its own, with the latch above a child's reach. Propped open or broken = keep kids away.
Read the depth markings — note where shallow becomes deep and where the bottom drops off.
Check the water clarity — you should clearly see the main drain at the deepest point. Cloudy water hides a child and signals poor upkeep.
Locate rescue gear & the emergency phone — find the ring buoy or reaching pole and the posted 911 instructions before you need them.

Know where your room sits relative to the pool — ground-floor rooms that open toward the water need extra vigilance.
Use the high door lock or a travel door alarm — so a young child cannot slip out while you sleep or shower.
No child goes to the pool without a designated adult — an older sibling is NOT a substitute for adult supervision.
Headcount at the door — count kids leaving and returning, every time.

Assign a Water Watcher — one adult whose only job is watching the kids, no phone, no distractions. Trade off every 15-20 minutes.
Touch supervision for little ones — keep non-swimmers and weak swimmers within arm's reach the whole time.
No running on wet decks — pool decks are slick and hard; a fall can knock a child into the water.
No diving in shallow or unmarked water — enter feet-first the first time, every time.
Life jackets for non-swimmers — a U.S. Coast Guard-approved jacket sized by weight, not water wings or inflatable toys.

Damaged or missing drain cover — a cracked or loose cover is an entrapment hazard. Report it and keep kids away from the drain.
Propped or broken gate — the barrier only works if it closes and latches by itself.
Hot tubs — keep young children out; heat and depth are dangerous for little bodies.
Crowds and distraction — a busy pool is harder to watch, not easier. Stay close.

Enroll in swim lessons — a child who can get to the wall, roll to a back float, and breathe has a real advantage in an unfamiliar pool.
Practice floating in a life jacket — let non-swimmers feel how the jacket holds them up before the trip.
Teach "reach or throw, don't go" — kids should call an adult and hand or toss something to a struggling swimmer, not jump in.
Know the layers — swim skills back up supervision and barriers; no single layer is enough on its own.

Layers, not guarantees — supervision, barriers, life jackets, and swimming ability work together. No single layer is enough.
Swim lessons do not make a child drown-proof — even strong young swimmers need an adult watching at an unguarded pool.
Learn CPR — on vacation, help may be minutes away. Every supervising adult should know child and adult CPR.
Report problems to the front desk — a broken gate, cloudy water, or damaged drain cover should be fixed before kids swim.