Best of Boston

Preen under the sunlit umbrellas, lounge with an icy, rum-laced banana mama, and watch the Portofino-meets-Prudential scene unfold. The Colonnade’s rooftop pool itself may not be much bigger than your average backyard version, but its entertainment factor is larger than life. Besides, where else can city dwellers count Speedos, nosh on croque monsieur, and watch as a gigantic steel plank is hoisted to the top of an abutting building site—all while floating on their backs? Be warned: Sybaritic city escapes don’t come cheap. Nonmembers pay a $22 entrance fee ($27 on Fridays).