Relaxing at a resort pool doesn't have to be a covert operation involving fake names and room numbers or unfriendly interrogations by hotel staff. Some of the more laidback establishments turn a blind eye to locals chilling out poolside, as long as they start a tab or order an appetizer.

South Florida's pools paint a picturesque scene of a summer crowd enjoying what a genuine tropical weekend is all about: sun and sex appeal. Sure, there are miles of beaches all over, but pools mean no sand in your car, a quick trek to the bar or poolside service, and when it's time for a swim, no irrational paranoia derived from watching too much Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

While a few establishments welcome all, others only open their doors on specific days or after you've purchased a pass or rented a cabana. To avoid the embarrassment of getting kicked out, we've provided the scoop on some the friendliest pool decks in the area.

CABANA ONE @ MAYFAIR HOTEL AND SPA

3000 Florida Ave., Miami; 305-448-5088

In true Coconut Grove fashion, this pool is welcoming and laidback without sacrificing style. Just walk over to the Backyard resort poolfront desk of the Mayfair and ask for a key to Cabana One like you own the place; no financial damage done and you didn't even have to make up a room number.

The rooftop deck, built in October, provides a handsome view of Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. The 50-foot pool is opposite eight private cabanas with flat screen TVs and quick, attentive staff to handle all your poolside needs. The bar is simple and appreciates its regulars: ''Our main business is our locals,'' bartender Chris Bruce says. At its Sunday pool parties, a DJ starts spinning around 9:30 p.m., and the bar offers $25 mojito pitchers ($40 the rest of the week). On Thursday nights, a Rooftop Royalty party brings out a lot of students in search of deals ($20 for all you can drink from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.) Pool parties run until 3 a.m. Meals from Angelo and Maxie's Steakhouse downstairs are available. A full plate of fried calamari ($11), chicken fingers and Cobb salads make for good poolside eats until 11 p.m.

Nantucket resident Janine Franceschi was hanging out with her 2-year-old Irish setter, Beau, in one of the comfy cabanas while updating her blog on her laptop. Franceschi runs a website that features luxury pet-friendly resorts. The Mayfair allows her to take Beau just about anywhere, she says. General Manager Ian Chester is all about the open door policy, fur or no: ``We really want everybody up here all of the time.''

THE RALEIGH

1775 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-534-4300

Enjoy this Art Deco marvel designed by Lawrence Murray Dixon in 1940, but be sure to order a poolside snack, otherwise you pay a $25 pool entry fee. The Raleigh has the old glamorous Miami Beach feel and stays loyal to its locals by allowing non-hotel guests to hang out (unlike many spots on the beach).

A curvy, three-foot-deep moat outlines the pool that was originally constructed for the swimmer/actress Esther Williams. Thick with foliage, the deck area almost hides the neighboring hotels on either side of the courtyard. A diving board fountain gives off the calm hum of a waterfall trickle, and a beach volleyball court rests beyond the cabanas lit seductively with red lights. Hammocks are lined up between the trees near an army of beds, and separate, slightly private showers.

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