Sundance Maxxus, Optima, Cameo or ?

[Koshka]

We are in the market for our first hot tub and seem hopelessly undecided at this point.  We have looked at a variety of tubs.  We have a found a dealer that we like and who gets good reviews for service.  Other dealers in the area for other brands don't have nearly as good of reviews.

DH is 6'.  I'm 5'4".  I am open to getting one of the booster seats if necessary but haven't tried them. We started out with me not enthused about a lounger and DH kinda thinking he might want one.  It will mostly be the 2 of us using it but sometimes our two older kids (who will be out of the house in a few years).   Rarely will it be more than 3 or 4.

We have wet tested the following (all at the same dealer).  Prices I give are his asking prices for spa, delivery, installation, cover (but not a lifter), starter set of chemicals:

Sundance Cameo - Price was about $9800 as I recall and was a floor model. - We both liked it.  I tended to float "up" in the lounger but not "out" of the lounger.  In the seats, I was OK but couldn't lean fully back.  DH fit fine everywhere and liked the lounger.  Even though I floated up a bit on the lounger, it was usable for me and I did like it. We liked the hand holds where you get in.  However, negative is no hand jets.

Caldera Palatino - $6995.  We didn't like it.  Both of us floated out of the lounger entirely.  We didn't like that there weren't any hand bars where you get in and decided that was a deal breaker for us.

The day we tested those, dealer was just about to get an Optima in and suggested we might want to try it for the foot dome.  So once it came in we went and tested it.

Sundance Optima - (haven't asked price on it but assume it would be close to Cameo) - We liked it a lot.  We especially liked the foot dome.  I fit in the seats similar to the Cameo but liked putting my feet against the dome.  I still can't really lean back in any seat (perhaps I could if I turned the jets down or had a booster seat - not a deal breaker in any event as I don't usually lean back).  DH particularly like the hand jets that were on one of the seats.  It was very nice....but no lounger.

Afterwards, we were walking around and saw that a Sundance Maxxus had come in with the Optima.  It didn't have water in it so we didn't wet test it.  We are quite interested in it.  Having done 2 wet tests at the dealer I hate to ask to do a third unless we are really very seriously considering the hot tub.  So the question is whether to seriously consider it.

Price without stereo with cover lift is $12,900.  Stereo adds $900.  He just has the one in stock and it happens to have the stereo.  In general I usually wouldn't want a floor model but this was has been there for less than a week so it doesn't bother me.  We can order one of course but like the idea of not having to have the delay.  So if we got this one we would need to buy the stereo (I'm aware of the short warranty on it.  I like the idea of the remote and would probably use the stereo sometimes).

Trying to decide whether to seriously consider the Maxxus.  What we really like about it a lot is that you can have both the foot dome (which we loved in the Optima) and the lounger and there are 2 really nice seats that you can use when you don't use the lounger (there is another seat and a cool down seat as well).  We realize it is large.  The dealer says that some people like to turn off the heat and just get a float and float in it during the summer.  I could see finding that relaxing.  We also realize that it is basically an overgrown 4 person spa and that doesn't bother us.  The big plus to us is foot dome plus lounger.  We also liked that 3 of the seats had the hand jets. Of course, the negative is the additional cost.

Dealer has been to our house for a site visit and has looked at our patio and says we have plenty of room for the Maxxus (I would agree).  Basically all we have to do is run the electrical.

I've read a lot of the threads on the Maxxus and have a few specific questions:

1.  I read one post that seemed to indicate that the jets in the foot dome weren't usable.  I don't know if that is due to the placement of the dome (maybe it is too far away from the seats?).  We will probably use the two seats with the most jets that are on the foot end of the lounger.  Can we reach the foot dome from those seats?  With me at 5'4", will I be able to get any benefit from the foot dome?

2.  I read one post which said that the Maxxus is too deep for most women.  I do know the Maxxus is deeper than the Optima or the Cameo.  Dealer says that the seats are higher up though.  I don't expect to be able to fit in all the seats but would want to be able to sit in one of the two seats with the most jets.

3. How is the lounger?  Is it similar to the Cameo?  That one was good for DH and acceptable to me. 

[Spatech_tuo]

If in doubt, go without the lounge. I wouldn't recomend getting ANY lounge unless you specifically wet test the model in question.

With your heights I'd also stick to something 36" to 38" range which should be deep enough for him without drowning you but again, a wet test will tell you that. I'm not so sure I totally buy into that "seats are higher up" comment on the Maxxus. That may be somewhat true but why make it that deep overall if you're going to raise the seats also as that would just make the footwell deeper and footwells on 36" and 38" spas are plenty deep. Sounds like a half truth.

Spa stereos are not the greatest values and usually only come with a 1 year warranty but if you want one knowing that go for it.

[Koshka]

If we don't rule out the Maxxus, we would definitely wet test it.  But I don't want to ask him to fill it and have us wet test it unless we are seriously interested in it.  We really did like it a lot.  The only issues were what I read here in another thread about the foot dome being useless and another thread about it being too deep for most women so wondered about experiences of others.

I don't think we would really order the stereo if we were ordering one but we might take it if we could get the floor model.  My general sense on the prices is that they are a little high but we haven't really tried to negotiate anything yet.

[wmccall]

If we don't rule out the Maxxus, we would definitely wet test it.  But I don't want to ask him to fill it and have us wet test it unless we are seriously interested in it.  We really did like it a lot.

I've read your post here with interest.  On the subject of asking about filling the Maxxus, ask your dealer for his opinion on that.   We tested 5 tubs at our Sundance Jacuzzi dealer  Anyone one them could have been the one, but I remembered the Majesta and looked at a dry one.  We both saw things we liked about it and inquired if it could be filled.  The reaction I received was positive.  My dealer, who happens to be in this forum reacted favorably and asked for a few days to do so.  I think he wanted to try that one himself.   That decision paid off, we both decided it was the right one for us at this time.  I'm betting Mike think filling that tub for us was a good decision on his part.

[goose973]

Don't let what somebody else says about a tub turn you off on it. You guys really loved the Optima because of the foot dome. My wife and I absolutely hated it for the exact same thing when we wet tested. I mean, we were in and out in like 2 minutes. What works for you may not work for somebody else. If you like the Maxxus, ask if you can try it. If they want to sell you a $12000+ spa, they will let you try it.

[Koshka]

I feel sure he would let us wet test particularly if we made it clear we were likely to buy it as long as it "fit" us properly.

Just wondered if others had found that the foot dome couldn't be reached or that it was too deep for "most" women since I found those comments in some other posts.  If I got a chorus of people agreeing with both of those then we might just skip the wet test and eliminate the Maxxus.

[Koshka]

Just to follow up.  We wet tested the Maxxus and ended up buying it.

For those interested, I'm 5'4" and found that I could reach the foot dome fine.  We liked it and felt we had more clear space around it in the Maxxus than the Optima.  We liked all the seats in the Maxxus, and liked the fact that more seats had hand jets. 

The seats felt similar to those in the Optima.  You do have a sense in the Maxxus of sitting higher up because it is deeper.  I liked it.

As far as the lounger, it fit my husband well.  For me I tended to float a bit if I leaned back all the way.  However, it was that way on all the loungers.  I probably won't use the lounger a lot but DH will enjoy it.
 
It was - not surprisingly - very much like the Optima except for the lounger which was very much like the Cameo.  We just thought the Maxxus gave us the best of both worlds.

We ended up buying the one on the floor.  Ordinarily we wouldn't have done that but this particular one only came in last week so we didn't feel there was any downside to taking it and that way we didn't have to order one and wait for it to come in. 

We need to get our electrical put in and once that is done we will have it delivered.