Need Advice On Buying A New Hot Tub

[floridaliving555]

Hi!

We are getting ready to purchase our first hot tub.

Our budget is about $14,000 for all parts/pieces/etc... for the hot tub.

We have had an inground pool before and aware of chemicals and maintenance.

Priorities:

1. Seating for 6 (minimum) - we have a lot of houseguests

2. Good jets - we would prefer one that has good foot/back options

3. No loungers - I feel like the water just makes you float-- I've never had a good experience with them- can anyone confirm or deny my feelings on that? I know people must like them, because they make them, but I haven't had good experiences.

4. Good quality that will last.

5. A good cover lifter and stairs to get in more easily.

This will be placed inside an enclosed lanai with a 10 foot ceiling (solid ceiling, screened walls) that is approximately 550 sq feet.

We have been discussing the Hot Springs Grandee.

Can you recommend 2 equivalently good products so we can compare them? If you have the Grandee, do you recommend it? Is there anything else we should consider as we purchase?

Thanks so much for your time.

[Hot Spring Ace]

I've had a Grandee for 14 years (the same one) and highly recommend it as a large open seated spa that has excellent hydrotherapy and is very energy efficient. With your budget you should factor in the electrical costs as well as they can add up depending on the length of your run. The Grandee will come with the electrical subpanel included BTW. For 2 other options I'd say look at the Caldera Niagara and Sundance Optima since both are open seated as well though they're both a bit smaller in one direction if that matters to you.

[floridaliving555]

Thank you- I will look at those 2 options as well. I want to make sure I make a good purchase. I can't see anyone being unhappy with the Grandee as long as they avoid the ACE salt thing that seems to break quite quickly.

[floridaliving555]

The closest Sundance dealer is 2 1/2 hours from me, so I think that rules that out. I will check out the Caldera this weekend.

[Dan The Spa Man]

There are a few brands out there that most in the industry agree are of better quality. Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, Sundance, D1, Catalina, and Calderra are a few in my area that I look highly upon (And I am sure there are more that I missed and will be clearly pointed out by others on this thread). My advice is to stick with a better quality tub, but to also check into the quality of the dealers in your area.

Make sure that the dealers have had their products/brands for at least 5 years, are reputable, and have fairly decent ratings with the BBB, reviews online, etc. The dealer is important b/c they will be supplying you with parts, service, and warranty work, etc. To follow a theme that was denoted above, Hot Springs is a better quality tub. However, if their dealer is sketchy I would avoid them and go with another similar brand/product if their dealer is more established/reputable.

Wet test the tubs that make the final cut. I tell all of my customers that no matter what I say, if you are not comfortable in the tub/do not like the feel, then my presentation is moot.

Good luck moving forward.

[floridaliving555]

Thanks- our local Hot Springs dealer only sells Hot Springs and has sold them for 30 years, so I do feel comfortable with them.

I hope we won't regret it! It is a huge purchase!

[Markee]

You're looking at a quality tub. You might take a look at the Marquis Euphoria if you have a dealer nearby. This spa can sometimes be less expensive depending on what the HotSpring and Marquis are sold for in your area.

[floridaliving555]

Ok. Tried 4 HS tubs today. Didn't like the Grandee- floated out of every seat. I am short.

Also tried the Envoy, didn't love it. Didn't love the Vanguard.

She had us try the Limelight Flair. I was highly skeptical because I wanted something larger. It was the only one that kept me in my seat. I had to grip every other seat. In the Flair it was no problem. And I absolutely loved the inverted lounger.

Ok. So back to scratch. Would love something with that style of inverted lounger. Flair is up on our list now and that's it for HS. I hated MotoMassage.

What else should I look at?

[floridaliving555]

Ok. Tried a few D1s today. Really liked the Nautilus a lot. Sales guy was a total douche and spent the entire time trying to tell me how bad HS tubs are and how he wouldn't take one for free. He had other models on the floor we were interested in (Jacuzzi ones) and kept steering me back to the D1. Even when I asked for more info, he got me a D1 brochure.

I asked if we can wet test a Jacuzzi and he is going to let us next weekend.

I loved the Nautilus and would have bought but I just can't shake the feeling that he was lying. He repeatedly told me HS will charge me for service calls even if they say they won't. He also said that if we buy HS the tub case will rot and will get holes in it from their inferior cover lifting system.

Yuck.

So ok. I apparently love foot domes and volcano jets. I apparently need that to stay in my seat.

What else can I look at?

Now I will go look for a different D1 vendor. That was awful.

[Hot Spring Ace]

Ok. Tried a few D1s today. Really liked the Nautilus a lot. Sales guy was a total douche and spent the entire time trying to tell me how bad HS tubs are and how he wouldn't take one for free. He had other models on the floor we were interested in (Jacuzzi ones) and kept steering me back to the D1. Even when I asked for more info, he got me a D1 brochure.

I asked if we can wet test a Jacuzzi and he is going to let us next weekend.

I loved the Nautilus and would have bought but I just can't shake the feeling that he was lying. He repeatedly told me HS will charge me for service calls even if they say they won't. He also said that if we buy HS the tub case will rot and will get holes in it from their inferior cover lifting system.

Yuck.

So ok. I apparently love foot domes and volcano jets. I apparently need that to stay in my seat.

What else can I look at?

Now I will go look for a different D1 vendor. That was awful.

Its sad when any salesman doesn't sell on the merits of his/her own product like that. Hot spring wouldn't be where it is today if he was accurate but obviously he is way off base. Glad to see you are wet testing because not everyone will have the same experience with every model, I love my Grandee and motomassage but everyone will have their own results as you have discovered. The Flair is a big seller for god reason. If you have any questions about it give a shout.

[floridaliving555]

Thanks.

I think the Grandee was perfect for my husband. Conceptually I loved it. I just couldn't stay in my seat.

The Flair was really nice. My only hesitation is the number of seats.

The only reason HS came up was that he asked what else we have looked at. I said we liked a HS model but we knew D1 and Jacuzzi also had great models and we wanted to see our preference.

I did tell him at the end that I almost walked out when he started bashing another company and that as a customer I am much more interested in what his product does well than in what another product does poorly. I said I wouldn't go to a Toyota dealership and expect to hear how awful Honda is. They are both great cars that can stand on their own merits. And there are happy owners of both cars because they are both nice, functional car manufacturers. The decision is personal preference.

Hopefully he "heard" what I was saying.

[Dr. Spa]

"If you're not abe to sell your spa on it's own merits and must continually bash the copition, it's apparant to me that you must be scared and intimidated of them and their quality comared to the brand you represent"

[Roger]

Ok. Tried a few D1s today. Really liked the Nautilus a lot. Sales guy was a total douche and spent the entire time trying to tell me how bad HS tubs are and how he wouldn't take one for free. He had other models on the floor we were interested in (Jacuzzi ones) and kept steering me back to the D1. Even when I asked for more info, he got me a D1 brochure.

I asked if we can wet test a Jacuzzi and he is going to let us next weekend.

I loved the Nautilus and would have bought but I just can't shake the feeling that he was lying. He repeatedly told me HS will charge me for service calls even if they say they won't. He also said that if we buy HS the tub case will rot and will get holes in it from their inferior cover lifting system.

Yuck.

So ok. I apparently love foot domes and volcano jets. I apparently need that to stay in my seat.

What else can I look at?

Now I will go look for a different D1 vendor. That was awful.

But the Nautilis is a great tub. My all time favorite still.

[floridaliving555]

The Nautilus -is- a great tub. That dealer has some BBB complaints too. My only other option for D1 is a Pinch A Penny chain location about 60 miles away compared to 15 miles to the first place. Is 60 miles too far? Any input on Pinch A Penny?