I'm so lost. Please help, and opinions about Royal Spa?

[Stray]

We have just recently started shopping for hot tubs and all of the information is overwhelming. Frankly, we have no idea what we are doing. We are in Indiana, about 45 minutes from where Royal Spa is manufactured. Everyone here buys them and raves about them, but I don't know if that's just because they are local or if they are really as awesome as they claim to be. They seem to be very expensive but I don't know enough to know if they are worth it or not. The sales guy that helped us was very salesy and that was a big turn off for me, however, I didn't know the right questions to ask.

I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone has to offer to first time shoppers in general, and specifically about Royal Spa. I've been reading on the forums for a couple days but I still feel like I don't even know where to start.

[castletonia]

I haven't heard the Royal Spa name in probably 12-13 years.  Just went on their website to get a refresher.  They look very dated in my opinion.  It still looks like the use mechanical controls instead of digital electronic controls (no one else has in the last 20 years) and I don't quite understand their "hybrid" pumps.

I don't want to pass judgement on something I can't see in person, but if they are going to use old technology and have dated layouts, I'm looking elsewhere.  There are quite a few quality manufacturers.  Arctic, Artesian, Bullfrog, Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi, Marquis, and Sundance to name a few.  Go to each of those manufacturers websites and put your zip code in the dealer locator and see what your options are. 

[Spatech_tuo]

I think a lot of us have known about them but they're like the family on down the street that never comes outside. They seem content to a medium size fish in a small pond rather than be nationwide and that's fine but then I watched the video.

I know every brand uses sales/marketing jargon in videos to a degree and you have to filter some things out but stating "low wattage, just $59 a year to operate" has to be the biggest fib I've ever heard. I had to back it up and watch twice to be sure I heard it right! Maybe they mean that's what it costs just to filter the spa per year without factoring in heating the water. What else could it mean, that's just insane! As far as their mechanical controls, should we stick with old style tube TVs over flat screens as well? They may be solidly built spas in general terms but with their dated shell molds, dated controls ... I'd get one of these the same time I decided to start driving a tried and true 1985 Ford Taurus.

[Stray]

I'd get one of these the same time I decided to start driving a tried and true 1985 Ford Taurus.

Aaaaaaaannnnnd now I know why they are so popular here in Indiana 

[swilly1000]

In Fort Wayne:

https://www.masterspas.com

[Stray]

In Fort Wayne:

https://www.masterspas.com

Thanks. Unfortunately, that's the wrong part of the state for us. We're south.

[Spatech_tuo]

In Fort Wayne:

https://www.masterspas.com

Thanks. Unfortunately, that's the wrong part of the state for us. We're south.

Master is far South on my list of favorite spa brands. 

[Stray]

Master is far South on my list of favorite spa brands.

Can you elaborate? What don't you like about them? What should I be looking for?

[swilly1000]

Do a search on Master Spas in this forum and you will find plenty of hate-on for Master.

I love my Twilight Series 8.25. Had it for seven months now.

[Spatech_tuo]

Master is far South on my list of favorite spa brands.

Can you elaborate? What don't you like about them? What should I be looking for?

They'll be designed to catch your eye with bling and less than honest spec sheets assuming they are the same as they've always been (for years they've listed pump BHP, brake horsepower, in their brochures which BY DEFINITION is an attempt to fool the customer). The company is known for shady sales tactics in road shows that screw their dealers which makes me wonder what kind of dealer would take them on let alone what kind of company would do that to their dealer network and you need to have faith in your dealer. Has their insulation/cost to operate changed? II'd have to see a recent one. They earned their reputation over many years so unless someone who has known them over time says they have somehow changed I'd pass. If you were to say that in your area there are few options then maybe they'd be fine if you ended up with a reputable dealer (?) but otherwise there are generally multiple good options out there for most people (Artesian, Bullfrog, Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi, Marquis and Sundance to name a few).

[bud16415]

You didn’t mention what model or price they were asking.

To be honest I had never looked at their web site until now and like others got a kick out of the video. The cost of operation was a head turner and they even embellished it more by stating the cost of operation of the competition as 10x. They showed some minerals in a bag being placed in the tub and then showed using some gunk on each other to scrape away dead skin. That may be well and good in your shower or bathtub but who the heck wants to do that in a closed water system that only gets drained 3 or 4 times a year. Anything you leave in the tub has to be filtered out and destroyed with sanitizer. It is bad enough what normally accumulates let alone suggesting that. We shower right before we use our tub each and every time and that goes a long ways to having a healthy tub. You don’t want makeup, body lotions and soap products in the tub if you can help it.

I don’t have a problem as some may with low-tech controls on equipment. If it means you can fix things yourself etc. But for the most part new-tech is better and no longer a strong advertising approach to say/brag you don’t have computers in your product.

Just the look of the tubs in their web site look like they haven’t changed much in the last 20 years. Little dated.

The bottom line is a hot tub is a big box of hot water with a couple pumps and jets. it is not rocket science. If they are local and no one else is and they have amazing service and low enough prices and a good warranty then it could be a way to go.

Hot tubs are 100% a luxury item. No one needs one. We looked at it that way and bought what we felt met our likes the best. If there really isn’t any other game in town then you might have to give them a try.