Lounge chair or no lounge chair???

[davidg]

Looking for some feedback on anyone that may have a Sundance Palermo (or any spa with a lounge chair).  I've wet tested the Sundance Bahia and liked it.  However, years ago my dad had a spa with a lounge chair and that feature was very nice.

Since Sundance was having a "no sales tax" sale, my wife and I agreed to purchase either a Bahia or Palermo (to be determined later, but we paid 1/2 of the agreed amount) at a pretty good price.  The dealer won't be able to have a wet Palermo for another few weeks at any of their 3 area stores.  I'm 5'6" and my wife is 5'4" and I'm thinking that the lounge chair in the Palermo might not be the best for our height.

Here's my question:  How does everyone (around our height) like their lounge seats?  And would you recommend waiting another 3 weeks to wet test the Palermo and then another 3 weeks of lag time once we order the spa until delivery?  Especially since I've tested the Bahia and like it.
Thanks.

[Vinny]

Here's my advice.

Talk to the dealer and see if he/she will honor the sale at a later date. Explain how you want to wet test the lounger and maybe even give him a deposit to "hold the price". (I am assuming that the prices are similar). If you are truthful about it and the dealer is a good dealer - there shouldn't be a problem.

If the dealer is agreeable to this then I would wait and test the lounger one and go from there.

My dealer was the only one who suggested that I put a deposit down in 2004 to hold the price on a 2005 model year tub. I was just looking in Oct with a spring time delivery time. All of the other dealers wanted me to take delivery and put the tub in my backyard all winter until spring came.

[ctkathy]

Do you know any more about the 'no sales  tax' sale?  Is it all Sundance or a statewide sale?

[Garyjr]

davidg,

We have a lounger in our SunDance Maxxus and although it is quite comfortable, at 5'8", it is nearly impossible to fully utilize the back and feet jets at the same time.  We don't float in it like we did in many of the other loungers we tested, however, I really wish they made the loungers for us shorter folks.   A lounger was very important to my wife and I as well, and to be perfectly honest, nearly every tub we soaked in seemed as though the lounger was designed with someone 6'2" or taller in mind.

Best of luck,
Jr

[RayF-1]

Wife unit and I really like lounge seat.  Kick back and enjoy the stars while the jets get the full length, neck to toes.  However, the seat does take space.  Not a bother for us, as we have infrequent tub visitors; however, if you've got a bunch of "tubbers," seating space may be a consideration.

Enjoy ..

RAY

[davidg]

Thanks for all the advice.

Vinny - yes, the dealer will most certainly honor the sale.  We've already paid 1/2 of the purchase price, so in a way, that's the deposit.  I'm just anxious, that's all.  I'm going to wait and wet test the Palermo late next week.  They said they could have it in to be wet tested in a little over a week.  Then choose and order one of the two.  

ctkathy - I don't know if it was nationwide or not.  I'm in California and they ran some ads in the newspaper the weekend of August 5-6.  We had already negotiated a price, and I called them to inquire about when I could wet test.  THEY actually brought up the no sales tax issue and said they would honor our previously negotiated price.  So I ended up saving several hundred $$.  I've been happy with the dealer...I'm just unsure of the lounge seat considering our height.

[anne]

I'd definitely try to not make a purchase until you can try both. I thought I wanted a lounger, but after wet testing about 6-8 different tubs with loungers, the only one comfortable to me was the Envoy, and that was my boyfriend's least favorite. So we have a non-lounger tub.

[lskarp]

I would have to say that the small investment in time will pay you dividends in knowing that you have the best spa for you!!  A spa is a $10,000 investment that is a very personal decision.  My wife thought that she woudl want a lounger, we wet tested, and guess what...  She floated up and then down to the bottom of the spa.  That test alone was worth the wait.  We then drove 40 miles to another dealer to test the model I liked and from the minute we got in, we know it was right FOR US.

My opinion is that there are so many choices out there, because there are so many different people.  I would be apprehensive to pay $50 for a pair of pants without first trying them on, and I an return them for a full refund without too much hassle.  I would urge you to test before you invest.  

Good luck!!!  Once it is in, you will love it!!

[vlady]

Just be aware that each model may have a different size lounger in it, even from the same manufacturer.  A different model doesn't necessarily mean that just the size of the tub or the seating arrangement is different.

My fiance is 6'1".  When we were looking, we tried several different Sundance models.  When he sat in the lounger of the Cayman, the headrest hit him in the middle of the back.  The Altamar wasn't as bad but still wasn't the right size.  We checked the Cameo and the lounger fit him perfectly.

Good luck in your search.

[patty]

Re your initial queston of lounge vs no lounge... FWIW Initially I  was absolutely sure I wanted a lounge seat.   Wet tested several spas w/ loungers and found it was difficult to stay put in the lounge  (not relaxing!).  Then we wet tested several spas with foot domes (Bahia, Optima, Jacuzzi 470/80) and came to the conclusion that the position you're in while sitting in the corner seats, with feet on dome, it's pretty close to the reclining position of the lounge seat.  But it's much easier to stay put because of the foot dome.  So we opted to go the "no lounge" route.   Besides the foot jets, the other benefit is the extra seating.      

We still haven't purchased yet, but are planning to buy an OPtima in the next week or so.   Spent the last couple  weeks expanding our current deck   Can't wait for it to be installed.    

[fatman]

Watch out when it comes to lounge seating.......   My wife and I wet tested a D-1 Chairman and she floated out of the lounge on the highest pump setting. We were disappointed because D-1 has very well defined lounges, that is to say, they generally don't try to blend seating together and call it a lounge. If you buy a tub with a lounge and either of you float out of it, you wasted your money because there won't be anything relaxing about it.

[ORANGEPEEL]

Tried both styles before getting one without a Lounger. After 2 months now of useage I'm very glad that we did not choose a Lounger. Each seat has a different set of jets and find it's nice to move around and try each one, rather than stay in one spot for the entire soak.
My opinion only I'm sure others will be different.
Orangepeel

[hot tub Frank]

Even with a lounger i still move around through all seats.
but i do enjoy the seats more than the lounger.

[Spiderman]

Wet test to find out how a lounger feels to you.  To me, it's the best seat in the tub.  I start and end my soak in the lounger.  But, a big part of that is the fact that the lounger has the Moto Massage DX     I do enjoy the other seats as well, but I can't seem to sit in one spot for very long; to hyper I guess.