A swimming pool in Alamo available to rent.
A three-day weekend looms along with 70-degree afternoons across the Bay Area, and thanks to another startup in the rental economy, there’s an opportunity to borrow a stranger’s pool to cool off with a swim.
Swimply is a service that connects swimming pool owners with the swimming pool deprived. It’s an inherently odd service, but as SFGATE's Grant Marek discovered a couple of summers ago, the bizarre nature of it all washes away after a few cannonballs.
Pools and hot tubs are rented by the hour or half hour, and the Bay Area features dozens of listings.
The most expensive pool currently available is the “Larkspur Oasis” in Marin County, which features a solar-heated dip in a secluded home that abuts the Corte Madera Creek. An hour in this oasis runs you $120.
On the shallow end of the fiscal spectrum, you can rent a hot tub in Oakland for $15 an hour or a casual, suburban pool in San Leandro for $30.
Collected below are five of the best swimming pools that span the region and are available to rent this holiday weekend.
A swimming pool in Campbell available to rent.
Not every swimming pool comes with its own Instagram handle, but this one does, and even has more followers than the mayor of Campbell himself. The saltwater pool is 25 feet long (with a hot tub attached) and has internal lights that can change colors at night. A blue glass fire pit is off to the side, and there’s an accessory bathroom.
The first thing to know about this pool is that for an extra $50, you can rent a bounce house to go along with the pool time. Located in South Bay outpost Newark, this pool is children- and infant-friendly and has a small kiddie pool. The 36-foot pool can fit up to 25 guests and there should be enough pool floats and noodles to go around.
A swimming pool in Novato available to rent.
Elevated on a suburban hillside, this swimming pool is shaped like a 30-foot amoeba. There's a large, wooden gazebo for shade and a recently remodeled bathroom. The host offers some amenities for extra change — including a $7 birthday sign for the lawn or access to the barbecue grill — and the most peculiar is the offer to hire her 16-year-old daughter for babysitting or general aide.
Nicknamed the Sands Hotel, this appears to be the most relaxed and easygoing pool for hire in the Bay Area. The host asks for no parties to disrupt the tranquil setting, where there’s a gas grill or charcoal depending on preferences.
A swimming pool in Santa Rosa available to rent.
This might be the best option for an uproarious pool party. The backyard of this Santa Rosa home not only features a professionally maintained modern pool, but a large green grass lawn for further activities. Up to 15 guests are welcome, and they can relax in the poolside pavilion or inside where there’s access to a full kitchen.
Silas Valentino is SFGATE's Travel Editor. He was born in Bakersfield and raised in Marin County. He covered the New York City music scene for The Village Voice before returning west to report for the Point Reyes Light. Recently, he contributed to the launch of a monthly lifestyle magazine called PUNCH that focuses on the Peninsula. Outside of reading, writing and storytelling, Silas values his family (including eight nieces and nephews) and exploring the state. He lives with his girlfriend above a wine shop in Cole Valley. Email: silas.valentino@sfgate.com