Marquis Promise versus Caldera Vanto for Vacation Rental

[aroy11462]

I am gong to be purchasing a hot tub for a vacation rental in the Lake Tahoe area.  The two models I am considering are the Caldera Vanto ($6,463) and the Marquis 2 Pump Promise ($8,677).  I was also considering a 1 month old  Marquis E750 ($6,171), but eliminated it since it does not have full foam insulation.  Prices include cover, delivery and taxes. I am a first time hot tub buyer, so please excuse any questions that don't make sense.  The main things that are important to me are the total cost of ownership including  repairs, dependability, and the quality in terms of how long I can expect it to last.  I know the Marquis Promise  has a 5 year component warranty versus 2 on the Caldera Vanto and has 46 jets versus 36 jets on the Vanto.  Beyond that what are the features and reasons that would justify spending the extra money on the Marquis Promise.  Any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated on which is a better option would be greatly appreciated.  I don’t mind spending the extra money of it makes sense.  My family will be using the hot tub sparingly, so we don’t care to much about the number of jets and marginally increased therapeutic value.   A couple of things I would like to verify.

- I have been told that 2 lb FiberCor insulation on the Caldrea Vanto is 4 times the insulation of the .5 full foam of Marquis Promise and thus better.  Is this correct?

- I was told that the Vanto is equal or better on terms of flow rate, energy efficiency, shell quality, and both having a thermostatic pump versus a 24 hour dedicated pump.  The Caldera salesman did say that the Vanto does not have an Ozone system, while I know the Promise does.    He said he could include the ozone system option, but ozone systems aren’t near as effective, if you don’t have a  24 hour dedicated pump.  Is this all correct? 

[hottubdan]

All of the above are correct.  Other points to consider, especially on vacation home are the dealer and service of the tub.  How long have they been around?  How long carrying the same brand.  Things like that.

[Hottubguy]

I wouldn't say the Caldera is anymore energy efficient and certainly not 4x as efficient. The construction and she'll on the marquis are going to be better. You are looking at a high end tub and a entry level tub so you aren't really comparing apples to apples. The 2 pump promise has a ton of power and actually has 48 jets on the 2 pump version. Caldera makes a nice tub but the marquis is a much better tub in the signature line them the vacanza series caldera

[meriflower]

I wouldn't say the Caldera is anymore energy efficient and certainly not 4x as efficient. The construction and she'll on the marquis are going to be better. You are looking at a high end tub and a entry level tub so you aren't really comparing apples to apples. The 2 pump promise has a ton of power and actually has 48 jets on the 2 pump version. Caldera makes a nice tub but the marquis is a much better tub in the signature line them the vacanza series caldera

And the warranty on the Marquis is better.

[Hot Spring Ace]

I wouldn't say the Caldera is anymore energy efficient and certainly not 4x as efficient. The construction and she'll on the marquis are going to be better. You are looking at a high end tub and a entry level tub so you aren't really comparing apples to apples. The 2 pump promise has a ton of power and actually has 48 jets on the 2 pump version. Caldera makes a nice tub but the marquis is a much better tub in the signature line them the vacanza series caldera

How exactly is the construction and shell better on the Marquis? That's a very general statement and I think they're comparable even though they are different. As far as insulation, the Vacanza switched to the Fibercor material which has tested as being a serious improvement in energy efficiency over simply filling the cavity with 1/2 pound foam as Caldera used to have and most other brands use but I'm not sure where the 4x comes from. The Vacanza series has been a winner from day one but of course he could upgrade to the Paradise or Utopia models which are similarly priced to the Promise if he chose to but I assume he was looking at the Vacanza due in part to the cost savings which is noticeable.

Both Caldera and Marguis are good choices really.

[Tman122]

Now that's how you diffuse a potentially volatile situation.

[Hottubguy]

I wouldn't say the Caldera is anymore energy efficient and certainly not 4x as efficient. The construction and she'll on the marquis are going to be better. You are looking at a high end tub and a entry level tub so you aren't really comparing apples to apples. The 2 pump promise has a ton of power and actually has 48 jets on the 2 pump version. Caldera makes a nice tub but the marquis is a much better tub in the signature line them the vacanza series caldera

How exactly is the construction and shell better on the Marquis? That's a very general statement and I think they're comparable even though they are different. As far as insulation, the Vacanza switched to the Fibercor material which has tested as being a serious improvement in energy efficiency over simply filling the cavity with 1/2 pound foam as Caldera used to have and most other brands use but I'm not sure where the 4x comes from. The Vacanza series has been a winner from day one but of course he could upgrade to the Paradise or Utopia models which are similarly priced to the Promise if he chose to but I assume he was looking at the Vacanza due in part to the cost savings which is noticeable.

Both Caldera and Marguis are good choices really.

Isn't the vacanza series the same shell as what a hot spot uses?  That would be like a Hot Springs dealer saying there is no difference in construction between the Hot Spots and the High lifes.  Of course there is.  But to answer the question, The cabinet on the Marquis is thicker and of higher quality materials, the bottom is completely sealed with an ABS pan (don't think that's true on the Vacanza series pretty sure it's just a sheet stapled to the bottom), The warranty on the structure is double, warranty on components is 5 versus 2.  Like I said before Caldera makes a fine tub but he isn't comparing apples to apples.  The proper comparison would be to the Utopia series or the E-series or celebrity series Caldera to the vacanza

[aroy11462]

If I were to upgrade to the Caldera Paradise series with the Martinique what would be the benefits beyond the warranty?  The sales person said the shells are the same?  I was told that the Martinique has a 24 hour circulation pump and freeze protection, while the Promise does not have these features.  Is that correct?

[Hottubguy]

The marquis doesn't have a circ pump.  It uses one of the main pumps to filter the water.  Marquis got away from using those about 10 years ago.  What does he mean by freeze protection?  All tubs have this if the water temp goes below what you have it set for the pumps come on.  If your heater goes bad the tub will continuously circulate the water.  Unless Caldera does things differently then Hot springs then the shells used in those 2 series are absolutely different.  I think the paradise and Utopia series Caldera's are both very good tubs.  They compete well against the marquis signature series tubs.  I happen to sell Marquis and find that the construction on them as far as workmanship is second to none.  Plus they are made in the USA. 

[hottubdan]

If I were to upgrade to the Caldera Paradise series with the Martinique what would be the benefits beyond the warranty?  The sales person said the shells are the same?  I was told that the Martinique has a 24 hour circulation pump and freeze protection, while the Promise does not have these features.  Is that correct?

The Paradise series does, in fact, have a more sophisticated freeze protection than most spas on the market.  It is related to the wiring.  With 2 circuits going to the hot tub, 1 is associated with the circulation pump and one with the heater.  If the GFCI trips because of the heater going bad, the circulation pump keeps the water moving.  On other tubs, if the GFCI trips, the tub shuts down.

As has been stated, both are good brands.  With the upgrade you are asking about, you are closer to comparable tubs.

Once again, what about the dealers?

[Hot Spring Ace]

I wouldn't say the Caldera is anymore energy efficient and certainly not 4x as efficient. The construction and she'll on the marquis are going to be better. You are looking at a high end tub and a entry level tub so you aren't really comparing apples to apples. The 2 pump promise has a ton of power and actually has 48 jets on the 2 pump version. Caldera makes a nice tub but the marquis is a much better tub in the signature line them the vacanza series caldera

How exactly is the construction and shell better on the Marquis? That's a very general statement and I think they're comparable even though they are different. As far as insulation, the Vacanza switched to the Fibercor material which has tested as being a serious improvement in energy efficiency over simply filling the cavity with 1/2 pound foam as Caldera used to have and most other brands use but I'm not sure where the 4x comes from. The Vacanza series has been a winner from day one but of course he could upgrade to the Paradise or Utopia models which are similarly priced to the Promise if he chose to but I assume he was looking at the Vacanza due in part to the cost savings which is noticeable.

Both Caldera and Marguis are good choices really.

Isn't the vacanza series the same shell as what a hot spot uses?  That would be like a Hot Springs dealer saying there is no difference in construction between the Hot Spots and the High lifes.  Of course there is.  But to answer the question, The cabinet on the Marquis is thicker and of higher quality materials, the bottom is completely sealed with an ABS pan (don't think that's true on the Vacanza series pretty sure it's just a sheet stapled to the bottom), The warranty on the structure is double, warranty on components is 5 versus 2.  Like I said before Caldera makes a fine tub but he isn't comparing apples to apples.  The proper comparison would be to the Utopia series or the E-series or celebrity series Caldera to the vacanza

Spa price and/or warranty length has nothing to do with shell thickness. The Vacanza shells are made the same way as the Paradise and Utopia and are just as good as the Marquis. In this case the longer warranty is just that way because that's what the customer pays for when they upgrade, its not indicative of the quality of the material or process. a longer warranty is always nice but its really paid for within the price of the spa.

I agree that the two spas aren't directly equal but the customer knows that and obviously wanted a less expensive option and could easily upgrade to a Paradise model or even a Utopia model for a more direct comparison.

[Hot Spring Ace]

If I were to upgrade to the Caldera Paradise series with the Martinique what would be the benefits beyond the warranty?  The sales person said the shells are the same?  I was told that the Martinique has a 24 hour circulation pump and freeze protection, while the Promise does not have these features.  Is that correct?

The step up to the Paradise would be nice and you'll like having the circ pump which is quieter, a little more energy efficient and the setup is great for freeze protection if your heater ever went out. Also the Paradise has a nicer controls, some bigger jets, larger filter, different lighting... and of course the warranty length but again, warranty length is not indicative of quality, you're just getting a longer one. Both are really good options, it really depends on what you're looking for and of course your budget; the Vacanza is really a great choice when you're trying to keep it under a certain price point but the Paradise is always nicer if the cost difference isn't an issue for you.

[Hottubguy]

Well I guess I was wrong then. I thought the shell material in the vacanza series was like the hot spot version of hot springs. Last time I saw a vacanza the shell didn't look as heavy duty as the there other series tubs.

[Hot Spring Ace]

Well I guess I was wrong then. I thought the shell material in the vacanza series was like the hot spot version of hot springs. Last time I saw a vacanza the shell didn't look as heavy duty as the there other series tubs.

the vacanza shell is the same as the Hot Spot shell and also the same as the Caldera Utopia which is all good. Hot Spring is a different shell material and process all together though and good as well. They are different but that doesn't mean one is inferior. They're different the same way the Marquis shells are different than Jacuzzi shells but both are fine on their own.

[aroy11462]

Both dealers have good reviews on Yelp  and have been in business for a long time.  One is a about 20 minutes closer to me. 
Can anyone explain the the difference/benefits between having a circulation pump with Utopia series and not with the Vacanza series. Also does the Marquis not having a circulation pump make it more like the Vacanza series or is that like trying to compare apples and oranges.