Need help, have it narrowed down to three models

[Bella1978]

Hi there!  I found this forum and thought you guys might be able to help me!  My husband and I are first time spa buyers and we have been researching, looking and visiting dealers for about a month now.  We have four kids between the ages of 4-12 and we are looking for a larger spa that would fit everyone.

We have pretty much narrowed it down to 3 spas:  Hot Springs Grandee, Sundance Aspen and D1 Amore Bay.  The prices we have been quoted are as follows:

Hot Springs Grandee 2013 model that we would have to order: $11,900
Sundance Aspen 2012 floor model: $14,000
D1 Amore Bay 2012 floor model: $13,800

Part of the problem we are having in deciding is that the Hot Spring is significantly less money and we can choose the colors we want and aren't stuck with the floor model.  It's a pretty big spa, but it still seems smaller, so we aren't opposed to spending more for a bigger one if that turns out to be the best 'fit' for us.  However, the Grandee does seem more 'basic'.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing in the spa world?  It's definitely not full of 'bells and whistles' like the D1 or the Sundance, but we can't decide if that's actually a good thing or a bad thing in terms of maintenance.

The Sundance is HUGE, I mean it really looks like a HUGE spa.  If we are thinking about this in terms of a bigger spa that would really be fun for the kids when they have friends over in the future, I think the Aspen would be it.  But it's also VERY deep...41 inches.  I'm only 5'3'' so I can tell when sitting in it Dry that I'm probably going to need a booster seat when sitting in some of the deeper seats.

The Amore Bay is really pretty...I like the actual design of that one the best, especially the horseshoe shaped bench at the end. It's nice and open and I really like the his and hers loungers, because they sit upright instead of leaning all the way back, which is good for me, since I'm a shorty.  My husband is 6'3" so it's really hard to find a spa that fits us both well.  We have dry tested all three and they all have similar 'feels'.  We can't wet test the Aspen or the Amore bay.  We are going to wet test the Grandee.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Anyone own one of these spas?  What are your likes/dislikes?  Also do the prices quoted sound reasonable or not? How do you make the final decision?  It's very hard!  Oh all those quoted prices include upgraded steps, the cover with the lift assist and delivery and setup, also like 3 months worth of chemicals.  The dealers were all nice, didn't get any bad vibes from any of them.  They are all rated highly in BBB.

Thanks for any advice! 

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

well your looking at 3 top end models from 3 very solid manufacturers.  Obviously you are on the right track and should definitely test the Grandee, as far as the others all I can say is that its a real shame you can't test at least one of them for comparison, I won't be dramatic and say you could potentially hate a model because that is unlikely but it would sure be a shame to drop 13-15k on a spa that maybe you and/or spouse are not completely comfortable in (dry test and wet test is a night and day difference btw) is there any chance they could fill a model for a test at all?

re: "bells & whistles"....they are nice, the kids will go crazy for all the lights and have plenty of fun squirting each other with the waterfalls, etc...but I would never recommend purchasing based strictly on that because after 6 months all the "bells & whistles" will lose most of their luster.  Also it should come as no surprise to anyone, but when you pack 30 LED lights, exterior cabinet lighting, 3 waterfalls, remote controls, stereo's/tv's etc. into a spa you WILL run into more service issues down the road and that is a fact.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy a spa with all these extra features, it just means keep an open mind and be prepared for a few potential service calls down the road...the upside is that all 3 companies above have good strong reputable warranties.

Now I know your looking for advice on what direction to sway, but honestly its tough because again your looking at the proverbial "cream of the crop" as far as large spas are concerned...they will all have the best jets, biggest pumps, most lights, circ. pumps, full foam insulation, ozonators, etc. etc. so again testing them out could give you the insight you may need to make a purchase. (for example maybe you absolutely cannot get comfortable in one model, maybe you dislike the jets on another, vice versa, etc. etc.)

Now as a Hot Spring sales guy I guess I could say test the Grandee and if you like it, just buy it, but as this is a public forum I'll be subjective in my advice and tell you honestly what I would do in your shoes: 1. test the Grandee, if you and your family like it, I would tell the other 2 dealers that you were able to wet test and are more comfortable buying something you can test and are 100% sure you like, if they don't accommodate a wet test for a potential 14k+ sale during our "slow season" (dec. jan. feb.) I would move on and buy the Grandee and pocket the extra 2k for a family vacation

[Spatech_tuo]

All 3 are very reputable companies so you can’t go wrong really. My wife is 5'2" and needs a booster seat in a couple seats in our spa so in a 41" spa I suspect you'll definitely need one. You only mention yourself and your husband, is that all thats going in because you're looking at some really big spas but then again if price isn't that big of an issue then the bigger the better in many respects. With your husband’s height you'd need 36" minimum depth from my experience but its about finding what works for both of you so indeed you need to wet test to know how well they work. For spas that expensive I say you let the dealer know that a wet test will be needed or no sale, I suspect they may change their tune if they know your stance because you're not talking about $5k spas here.

[stuart]

You're in a price category that opens up lots of options to you. On top of that you're looking at very large spas that can be difficult for you at your height if they don't have seats that fit you well. A booster seat is a good short term option but becomes a hassle and if you're spending that much you can buy a spa that fits you both. I don't think I would consider buying one at your height if you haven't wet tested it and felt firm in the seats. If you feel like you're holding on for dear life then is not going to get better. My wife and I have tried the grande and he amoure bay but not the Aspen. We both fit the seats of the D1 better and she felt like she was being pushed out of the seats in he corners of the grande. I haven't tried any of the other new molds on HS but you might also look at those while there

[Hot Spring Ace]

I have owned a Grandee for many years that we still use often. The two corner moto massage seats are the deepest seats but my wife is just tall enough for them and we tend to each take a corner most often so it must work best for her or she'd be using one of the side seats so I think it'll work fine for you since shes about your height but you be the judge. In reality a 36" spa might be best for you but that might be a bit shallow for your husband but I also think 41" would be a real challenge for you but as has been said the smart thing to do is to wet test.

[bblackbu]

Hi.  I'm wondering which hot tub you ended up choosing?  I'm in the same boat, evaluating the Amore Bay vs Aspen.  (I ruled out the Grandee due to the lower power of the jets).

Would love to hear more about which spa you went with.

Thanks.