What Can We Learn From a Holiday Villa Pool? 7 Pool Design Lessons

Last updated: September 2026

Even on holiday, I can’t switch off. Every pool I swim in teaches me something about design, layout or plumbing that I can take away and use on the next build. A while back, we rented a villa in Spain with its own pool, so of course I ended up in the pump room. Here’s what I learned from it, the good and the bad, and what I’d do on your pool.

Lesson 1: Design for how people actually use a pool

The layout of this pool is almost identical to the plunge pool designs in my shop: steps at one end, a shallow end, then a deep end. Here, though, the shallow end drops away very quickly, and after about 3m it’s around 8ft (2.4m) deep. That’s too deep for little old 5ft 8.5in me.

That’s my main criticism of the design. Lounging with a drink, playing with the kids and messing about on inflatables pretty much always happens in the shallow end. If I’d designed this pool, I’d have made the shallow end at least 5m long so there was room to play.

For your own pool:

• Most of the pool should be standing depth. Around 1.2–1.4m (4ft to 4ft 6in) suits most adults. My plunge pool build guide goes into sizing.
• Add places to sit and lie. A bench seat, a sun shelf or a concrete lounger gets far more use than a deep end.
• Only go deep if you need to. A deep end costs more to dig, build and heat, and it’s a drowning risk for weak swimmers. The RLSS UK advises that weak swimmers should stay where they can touch the bottom and that guests should be told about the water depth. If there is a sudden drop, make it obvious with a contrasting tile line or depth markers.
• Want to swim, not just splash? A long, level pool with a counter current swim jet does more for you than a deep end.

If you’re still deciding what to build, have a look at Hot tub vs plunge pool: which should you build? and How to build a DIY cocktail pool or spool.

Lesson 2: Take your time on the finishing

I love Spain: the food, the weather, the beaches. But the build quality at this villa wasn’t great. The pool looks beautiful, yet when you get closer you can see bits that were rushed or not done quite right.

• The tiling. It looks lovely until you find the sharp, rough edges on the steps. They were sharp enough that my son cut his foot on one. When you tile, check every edge, especially on steps and seats, and make sure the grout fills the joints so there’s nothing to catch on. Use proper step-edge or round-edge tiles on the nosings. There’s more in Hot tub tiles: everything you need to know.
• The coping. The cast coping is a good shape and looks great, but it was never properly finished. One last pass with a trowel or a damp sponge would have made it smooth. Instead it’s rough. Again, a little more care would have fixed it.

Neither of these is difficult. They just need time, and on a DIY build time is something you do have. Take it.

Lesson 3: Keep the plumbing simple, but fit two drains

The plumbing is the same layout I use in my own designs: a pump, a filter, a skimmer, a main drain in the deep end on its own suction line, and two returns back into the pool. It’s a simple set-up, and there’s not a lot I’d change. There’s no heater, because in Spain it doesn’t need one. In the UK you’d want one, and a cover.

The one thing I would change is the single main drain. In the USA, the Virginia Graeme Baker Act says a public pool with a single drain that can be blocked needs a secondary anti-entrapment system. It doesn’t apply to a private pool, but the reason behind it does. A single drain with strong suction can trap a swimmer. On any pool I design, I fit two drains at least 1m (3ft) apart, teed into one suction line, with anti-entrapment covers. See Installing a main drain.

This is the skimmer from underneath, in the pump room. You can see the staining on the concrete around it, which suggests water has got out at some point. The joint between the skimmer body and the pool wall is a classic leak point, so seal it carefully and flood test before you finish. My guide on how to install a skimmer covers it.

Lesson 4: Don’t run the pump 24/7

The pool pump here seemed to run pretty much all the time. That isn’t necessary. As a rule of thumb, a domestic pool should “turn over” its water, meaning pass the whole volume through the filter, about every six hours. This pool must have been doing it many more times than that. I know a holiday pool gets a rough ride with sun cream and heavy use, but 24/7 on a single-speed pump is just burning electricity.

What I’d do instead is fit a variable speed pump and run it slowly for longer. ENERGY STAR says halving a pump’s speed cuts its energy use to one-eighth, so a slow pump running most of the day can use far less than a fast one running for a few hours, and it filters better too. Then use a timer so it runs harder when the pool is busy. There’s more in Pool pump upgrade: top tips for selecting a new pool pump.

Lesson 5: The pump room

The pool looks in-ground, but the villa is on a sloping plot, like a lot of Spanish villas, so the pool is actually built up about 10ft (3m) to the level of the patio. The pump room sits underneath the patio.

Inside, it’s pretty straightforward:

• A sand filter. On a heavily used holiday pool, I’d pick sand over a cartridge filter. It’s hard-wearing and easy to backwash. See Sand vs cartridge filters.
• A self-priming pump. Most pool pumps are self-priming, and that’s no bad thing, but here it isn’t really needed. The pump sits below the water level, so water flows to it and it stays primed. If your pump will be above the water level, read What are the self-priming hot tub pump options?
• Labelled valves. The suction valves are marked up with what they control, so you can balance the suction between the skimmer and the main drain. Label yours too.

For laying out your own, see Control room design considerations. The same rules apply to a pool: give yourself space to work, and a drain in the floor.

Lesson 6: Plan the overflow and top-up

This pool has an overflow piped into the skimmer. If the water gets too high, for example after a storm, it drains away onto the land next to the villa instead of flooding everything. That’s a good idea on any pool. Just make sure the water has somewhere sensible to go. Don’t send chlorinated water into a stream or a surface water drain.

There’s also a piped-in top-up valve that seemed to be redundant. I wouldn’t pipe one in myself on a pool like this. I find it easier to top up with a hosepipe, and it’s one more thing to go wrong. That’s my opinion, though, and plenty of my customers like them. I’ve explained how they work in What is a swimming pool or hot tub auto top-up system? If you’re topping up every week, check for a leak before you blame evaporation.

Lesson 7: Safety around a holiday pool

A holiday villa is exactly where accidents happen: unfamiliar pools, excited children, and often a drink or two. The RLSS UK’s guidance on residential pools is worth reading before you go. It says 86% of child drownings happen without adult supervision, recommends a barrier at least 4ft high, and warns against swimming after alcohol. When you arrive at a villa, find out where the deep end starts before anyone jumps in. If you’re building your own pool, plan a barrier or a lockable safety cover from the start.

Planning your own pool?

If you’ve come home from holiday wanting a pool of your own, my plunge pool plans come in sizes from 10ft x 7ft and 12ft x 8ft up to 16ft x 9ft and 20ft x 10ft, with architectural drawings, the plumbing layout and metric measurements.

If you want something that fits your plot exactly, design it in the free Tub & Pool Designer Pro software, and I can turn it into architectural CAD and a 3D plumbing design.

FAQs

How deep should a plunge pool be?

About 1.2–1.5m (4–5ft) for most people, which lets adults stand with their shoulders under the water. Keep most of it at standing depth.

How long should I run my pool pump each day?

Long enough to filter the whole volume several times a day. As a rule of thumb, aim to turn the water over about every six hours. A variable speed pump running slowly for longer is the most efficient way to do it.

Is a sand or cartridge filter better for a pool?

For a heavily used pool, sand is hard-wearing and easy to backwash. Cartridge filters are common on hot tubs and small pools. See my sand vs cartridge comparison.

How many main drains does a pool need?

I’d always fit two, at least 1m (3ft) apart and teed into one suction line, with anti-entrapment covers, so one person can’t block the suction.

Does a pool need an overflow?

It’s a good idea on an outdoor pool, especially where heavy rain is likely. It stops the water level rising over the coping and sends excess water somewhere safe.

Spotted something clever (or awful) on a holiday pool? Tell me about it in the comments below. I read them all.

Cheers,
Andi

You can also find me on my socials;

Can I Help You?

If I can help you in any way I would love to hear from you. You can get in touch using the form below.

Thanks - Andi

 

Hi, Andi here. I own Buildahottub.com and also write all of the articles and info pages on the site. Some years back now, I built my own hot tub but struggled to find the information I needed. So, once my tub was complete, I started this website to help others in their own pursuit of hot tub and plunge pools DIY building information.

Fast forward to 2025, I've helped over 1400+ DIY customers just like you all over the world build hot tubs and pools. Have a good look around the site, there are lots of resources here. Please do get in touch if I can help you. - Cheers, Andi