Advice on first hot tub: Looking at Aria and Altamar

[Norcalspa]

HI all!  Great site.  Been lurking for a bit as I get into looking for my first self contained hot tub.  After looking at local dealers and trying out a few, I think I am zeroing in a bit on the Aria/Envoy model from Hot Springs and teh Altamar/Majesta model from Sundance.

Questions for people in the know:

1) significant differences between the "Highlife" line and the "880" line in terms of quality, build, mainataince and importantly long term reliability (this will be going on a roof and I don't want lots of repairs and am hoping this will be a 10-15 year hot tub).

2) are the loungers really worth it? compared I guess to extra seating. Do they do anything "different"?

3) are these tubs "too big" if it will be mostly 2 people at a time but occasionally there will be teenagers, parties etc? I don't want and can't use anything bigger but one size smaller is potentially an option.

Any other input welcome. I am convinced that Hot Springs is "the best" and that Sundance is "the best" and equally that the other brand is terrible and POS (to hear the competitor salesmen talking) so actual useful distinctions between the brands would be great...

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

HI all!  Great site.  Been lurking for a bit as I get into looking for my first self contained hot tub.  After looking at local dealers and trying out a few, I think I am zeroing in a bit on the Aria/Envoy model from Hot Springs and teh Altamar/Majesta model from Sundance.

Questions for people in the know:

1) significant differences between the "Highlife" line and the "880" line in terms of quality, build, mainataince and importantly long term reliability (this will be going on a roof and I don't want lots of repairs and am hoping this will be a 10-15 year hot tub).   of course you will varying opinions on this, the main thing is that these are two very well respected manufacturers, Hot Spring being around for 35 years and Sundance being owned by Jacuzzi who also have been around for multiple decades, assuming you pick a competent dealer there should be no worries re: warranty coverage, replacement parts down the road, etc.

2) are the loungers really worth it? compared I guess to extra seating. Do they do anything "different"? ...some people hate em, some people love em and that will never change, its like asking if you prefer vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream...one thing I ALWAYS recommend if your interested in a lounge spa you MUST wet test it imo

3) are these tubs "too big" if it will be mostly 2 people at a time but occasionally there will be teenagers, parties etc? I don't want and can't use anything bigger but one size smaller is potentially an option. in my opinion, no...its nice to have a larger spa to "stretch" out in even with just 2 bodies...of course you will spend a little more up front for a bigger spa but the overall cost of ownership between lets say a 3/4 person vs. a 5/6 person is not going to be much

Any other input welcome. I am convinced that Hot Springs is "the best" and that Sundance is "the best" and equally that the other brand is terrible and POS (to hear the competitor salesmen talking) so actual useful distinctions between the brands would be great...nobody is the "best" a lot of this is subjective, even something simple like a 5 minute wet test could easily eliminate either option

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Both are good choices, but I am a bit partial to Jacuzzi          Anyway have you wet tested yet, if not you should as you have hopefully read here it's important..      As far as the lounge the wet test would help with that, most second time buyers I run across do not want a lounge again for various reasons.       Also the dealer is important from a customer service stand point!       

[Hot Spring Ace]

HI all!  Great site.  Been lurking for a bit as I get into looking for my first self contained hot tub.  After looking at local dealers and trying out a few, I think I am zeroing in a bit on the Aria/Envoy model from Hot Springs and teh Altamar/Majesta model from Sundance.

Questions for people in the know:

1) significant differences between the "Highlife" line and the "880" line in terms of quality, build, mainataince and importantly long term reliability (this will be going on a roof and I don't want lots of repairs and am hoping this will be a 10-15 year hot tub).

2) are the loungers really worth it? compared I guess to extra seating. Do they do anything "different"?

3) are these tubs "too big" if it will be mostly 2 people at a time but occasionally there will be teenagers, parties etc? I don't want and can't use anything bigger but one size smaller is potentially an option.

Any other input welcome. I am convinced that Hot Springs is "the best" and that Sundance is "the best" and equally that the other brand is terrible and POS (to hear the competitor salesmen talking) so actual useful distinctions between the brands would be great...

1) While I may be partial as well, both are high quality.
2) Wet test and see if you like the lounge.
3) Going a bit bigger than you think you might need is better than getting too small of a tub.

[bimmerdog]

This is my story and my OPINION.  I was looking at the Hot Springs Aria and the Sundance Cameo.  I felt both of these companies make a very good hot tub.   I thought I had to have a lounge so these were my two choices. 

Aria.  Fantastic tub. Very strong jets.  I would have bought this tub if I had not had my wife wet test it with me.  She did not like it because she could not stay in the seat when the jets were on.  It was not enjoyable for her.  The other thing she didn't like and I didn't notice was how small the foot well is.  If you have four people in the tub you would be playing footsies.  I really liked the lounge in the Aria but after thinking about how much room it took up I decided I didn't need a lounge.

Cameo.  Same as the Altamar just a few extras and bigger.  I really liked it and felt the lounger was a little more comfortable then the Aria lounge.  My wife had the same problem in the Cameo as the Aria. Could not stay in the seat when the jets were on.  This is when the owner of the store asked me if I could live without a lounger.  He recommended my wife and I try the Optima.  He had one to wet test.  Two minutes in the tub my wife said buy it.  She could put her feet against the raised foot well and stay in the seat with the jets on high.

So bottom line.  The company and tubs you are looking at in my OPINION are both top notch. You will be happy with either.  Just make sure you get the wet test in with whomever will be in the tub most of the time.  Don't get caught up in "who's the best" It will drive you crazy.  You will be very happy with either company.

[TdiDave]

I had very similar results as bimdog. When I first started looking was all set on a lounger. After first round of wet testing the hotsprings line up lounger was out, and wife could not stay in the seats. Over next few weeks wet tested some others but when we tested out the jacuzzi 480 we booth loved the feel. tested some others and then again back to the 480.
I think as most will say you will know when its the right tub after trying them on just like a pair a jeans.

[Norcalspa]

HI all, thanks for great input. I actually have wet tested both and liked both.  it was interesting to me how, while there is clearly a difference in how the two companies do the jets (air vs no air, etc) in the end, the experience was very good for me in both--just a bit different.  Very interesting feedback on the lounge vs no lounge. I may revisit and think hard about extra seating and a cool down seat vs the lounge.  Agree that both seem fine.  I actually looked at Dimension One also and loved the quality but for me, totally subjectively, I liked the other two a tad better.  This is a longish term project as I am building the house over the next year (so this will be the piece de resistance in several months, rather than a delivery this spring).

Here is a new question to throw out there: chlorine vs other sanitizer options?