Hi... i'm a rookie as well and just bought my first tub... as in yesterday...
like what the guys here told me... go and WET TEST the tub... it might look nice and all but then it might not fit right when you sit in it (with water)... and test the jets too... for example... i wet tested the hotspring, jacuzzi, sundance, caldera... initially from just looking at it... my wife and i said that the hotsprings is our tub... nope... preferred the jacuzzi over HS... until i wet tested the sundance... the caldera i wet tested... nice tub... but the lounger was for tall people... the water was at my lips... little things like that... so i wouldn't buy just by looks and price... oh btw... i also preferred the waterfall instead of the fountain... because when i sat there... i didn't like the fountain shooting over me... more a nuisance to me... where as the waterfall you can still sit where its at and it doesn't bother me... things like that... anyway... i think you get my point.
hope this helps... good luck