Would appreciate advice on a new Hot tub

[Bridges123]

Have recently begun the search for our 1st Hot Tub and am overwhelmed by the choices. I have 5 total people in the family (2 small children 9 & 6 as well as a 20-year old) I am leaning toward Hot Springs due to the local dealer, reputation of brand, etc. I have looked at both the Vanguard and Grandee as potential choices, but like I said, have not purchased anything as of yet. I am cetainly open to feedback on these or other models

While it is expensive, I think its a wise investment for spending time with the family. For those of you with smaller children..Do the kids love them as much as I think they will. Do you find you entertain much with them? Are the "loungers" that big of a deal? It seems like they take up a lot of real estate in the Hot Tub

There are so many options i,e, ACE system, Stereo, TV, type of cover, type of cover lifter etc. I am not sure what is really needed, and what is overkill. It does not appear that there is much negotiation of price with these models, but add-on's provided by the dealer (steps, cover lifter etc.) It appears the 2014 prices have gone up quite a bit from when I had looked previously at these models. Is there more negotiation off price? We live in the Midwest and this will be installed on a dedicated "deck area" built for this purpose.

I know my wife and I will love it, but I also dont want to feel like I bought too much tub, or was uneducated about the price negotiations. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks     

[dunecritter]

First I'll let you know I'm a HS dealer...And take what you will from my efforts to help.
The Vanguard is a Mini Me to the Grandee basically...It's a luxurious model that is in the High Life collection and will accept any and all HS options available. I own the Grandee currently without the lounger where as the Vista I have owned for 7 years prior had the Lounger. The Grandee I prefer as though I enjoyed the lounger my wife did not and it took up a lot of real estate inside the tub which didn't work out for both of us. It's just myself and my wife and my 3 year old son that use the Grandee and I really enjoy all the space and options. I get to bounce from seat to seat enjoying different therapy jets without disturbing her to move every time I want a new seat while she sits in her favorite chair the whole time and enjoys her wines. My three year old son stands at the filter return and plays with his matchbox cars the whole time unless he wants to wander the outer ring of the tub trying to fight the blasting jets...he enjoys it a lot and I enjoy watching him even more! I do not feel that the large tub is too much as I wouldn't want a smaller tub after owning this Grandee. Again....I love the space and its really no different to care for this 500 gallon Grandee vs any other 360-400 gallon tub. So why not go bigger if you can swing the coin and have ample space? I personally don't see a negative.

ACE= Love it and would kick and scream if I couldn't have it on a future tub after owning it.
Stereo= Love it and use it every soak and really sounds great. I'm very shocked at how good the integrated stereo works and I'm a very techy audio guy.
TV= Don't have it so I cannot comment
Cover= is supplied and is one of the best you will find and its also UL listed!
Lifter= I recommend the Cover Cradle and really nothing else...works great and is extremely easy to use
Steps= The Everwood steps are great but don't match the 2014 models just yet in color but soon they will have the matching "HD" matching steps that do match and are even nicer than the Everwood's. I would stick with the basic dura step for now and spring for the new HD's once they release.
Price= There was a large price increase for the 2014 High Life models but it came with many improvements and are justified in my opinion.
Negotiation on price is relative to what price they are asking...We list our tubs aggressively on the floor and don't have much room to move but if we started higher to a MSRP price one would feel they did very well with discounts if the haggled. Every dealer is independent and have their own pricing strategy so one cannot compare from dealer to dealer as even each dealer has different overheads and relative investment costs such as flooring costs and or higher shipping costs to lengthy travels. I might be $200 bucks higher and actually have a slimmer profit. You never know as this will vary.

If you like the Dealer...Run with it, You are looking at one of the finest tubs you can buy and though there are options from other manufactures...Your doing very good with what your looking at.
But remember...I'm biased and am a HS dealer and I happen to own the 2014 Grandee and all the options commented on...Good luck and enjoy!

[rosewoodsteel]

Hi Bridges,
Hot Springs makes a good tub, by all accounts!

Here is my two cents worth:
1) Stay away from the salt systems. (Imo, they are high maintenance options over time.)
2) Save your money and get the basic lighting system (I rarely use my lights; mostly just to get into and out of the tub).
3) Imo, forget the stereo.   With the jets running, you won't benefit from it anyway.  (They are also high maintenance items).

I picked up an Artic Klondiker and absolutely love it (I am just regular 9 to 5 guy, not a dealer or tech).
Here are a few shots of my tub:


Good luck with your search.   There are a lot of great tubs / manufacturers to choose from.

[rosewoodsteel]

Sorry about that.   (I screwed up posting multiple pics. : I hope this works.)





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v51/rosewoodsteel/ArticKlondikerwGreenCoverRear.jpg[/img]

[rosewoodsteel]

And another..

[rosewoodsteel]

And a new pic.

[Vinny]

Go with the biggest tub you can get. Smaller tubs = squished people. I have a 92 x 92 tub and you start playing footsy when there are 4 adults in the tub, it could be the layout but it is what it is.

You have to be careful with children and hot tubs - they can easily get overheated. As far as children loving hot tubs - it depends on the children ... my guys were mediocre about it with us but as they got older all their friends wanted to visit which means more water maintenance.

I can't speak of salt water as it wasn't an option but using chlorine/bromine isn't that big a deal and I probably wouldn't go for the extra money for it.

Lights - I have a single LED light and I never really use.

Stereo - my tub is 9 YO and back then there really wasn't a lot of technology as there is today - personally I would get a blue tooth speaker system and stream music from a tablet, phone or whatever via Bluetooth. Cheaper and if a component breaks - easy to replace. I have a Bluetooth speaker and it is amazing on how it sounds for such a little speaker.

Cover lifter - I have the covermate 3 - and it has held up pretty well. Hotsprings has their own version of it I believe. The gas shocks make take off and put on easy, it acts as a visual barrier if need be (works for us) and after 9 years it is showing signs of it's age but I plan on using it for my new cover that's coming.

Depending on where you live and the cost of the cover - you may want to skip getting a "better" cover. My stock cover is 9 YO, probably should have been replaced 3 years ago but it also held up. I'm in NJ and I just ordered a new cover which is a 6 to 4 taper just to have a little more insulation.

Dealer and brand are the most important. I believe a crappy brand is just that even if the dealer is stellar.

If you're not 100% sold on Hotsprings then read tub reviews and stay away from tubs that seem to have a lot of problems - all tubs may have problems but it is how the dealer takes care of them that is important but if a tub is constantly having problems then I wouldn't consider buying that particular brand. There were a few brands back when I was looking that were just deemed not worth it.

[dunecritter]

Hi Bridges,
Hot Springs makes a good tub, by all accounts!

Here is my two cents worth:
1) Stay away from the salt systems. (Imo, they are high maintenance options over time.)
2) Save your money and get the basic lighting system (I rarely use my lights; mostly just to get into and out of the tub).
3) Imo, forget the stereo.   With the jets running, you won't benefit from it anyway.  (They are also high maintenance items).

Rosewood has certainly found a tub he likes very much but regarding his $.02 in lines numbered 1-3  I'll comment. Take it for what it's worth...I'm not selling you a tub nor could I sell you a tub outside of my territory and we do not sell online either. Hot springs protects its dealers this way and I have no idea where you are nor what dealer your dealing with...

1) You will read of many people having "Issues" with the salt system cells but let me clarify this from my very own experience. I own the salt system and had it for 7 months with stellar service and not a problem one...This also goes for my partners tub, Service tech's tub and 5 floor models running the ACE for over a year or 2 on a few with 100% no issues. We understand the salt levels (PPM) and keep the water properly balanced and also clean our cells like instructed per Hot Spring manuals. I have had a few customers have issues with their salt systems but when I go to the home It has been a simple adjustment to the water balance...Mostly the owners have either added too much salt and it has put the PPM of salt value too high and the system recognizes this and disables the system and does not produce sanitizer. Or the owners have filled up the tub with a hose spicket that was "not on the soft water system" but actually was and when they add the salt they measure the proper amount of salt in a measuring cup per instructions and don't realize they are way too high PPM on the salt level due to the salt level in the fill water and again...does not work because the smart system recognizes that it's out of range and does not produce salt showing an error sign and flashing the green "Needing attention" light. I have only had one customer so far with an actual bad cell. It actually came apart and was visually a bad cell. One out of all the ACE systems that our three locations have sold over the years and that's not so bad. I cannot speak for others or their experiences but only mine. So out of all the what was thought to be broken ACE salt system issues that we have had....only one was legit this far. Please....this is my experience and not hearsay nor a "my buddy said" situation and I'm aware there are many cases that were legit across the nation. Very unfair for people to judge the ACE if they have never had their own experience...If you don't own it ...then you don't know...Like I said 99% of ACE issues for my customers was user error and not at all the ACE system its self. But yet the slander it and bash it and in the end really feel silly to find out it was their own fault it wasn't working and by then it's too late....they already bashed it all over the internet and on reviews...think they took the time to admit it was fixed and never broken in the first place?? Nope. Also keep in mind...the HS ACE is like no other salt system on the market today...Its not just a simple "Chlorine generator" Its much more than that and uses diamonds in the cell to do so. I will continue to represent the ACE system as it works like a dream for us and until it fails to be as awesome as it is...I will continue to use and sell them.

2) The lighting package is standard on not optional on HS products. Can't speak for other brands

3) I absolutely disagree with Rosewood here (He doesn't own the Bluetooth HS Stereo System)  as I have the integrated stereo with wireless and Bluetooth with the subwoofer inside the cabinet...Sounds great and you will never use all the volume it has...It gets very loud if wanted and personally too loud but and the High Life models are extremely quiet even with all pumps on high unlike many other tubs on the market so the stereo is a great option. Unlike other Tubs HS does not install a marine stereo in a simple marine protective cover poking through the cabinet that's exposed to the elements 100% of the time.  There is no electronics exposed to the elements and is all protected inside the cabinet other than the POP UP Speakers that the High Life models use but even those are protected when not in use as you simply push them down to a "docked" position within the spas shell. The system not only is loud enough but it has very crisp and sharp sound...not a muffled flat budget boom box lacking quality sound.

And I'll also add that the Cabinet is 100% maintenance free and never needs sealing or staining like the Arctic shell. The Arctic shell is absolutely stunning looking and I do love the way it looks but in no way will you find me wanting to maintain that look. Talk about high maintenance! But everyone has their opinion and that's why all tubs sell. Please don't take offense Rosewood...I love the way your spa looks...just not for me and my décor.

[rosewoodsteel]

You rub on stain with a rag once a year.  Don't think of that as high maintence. Give me a break.

[dunecritter]

I hope it is that easy for you Rosewood...I really do because it's beautiful looking new. I have a cabin that was gorgeous when we built it but gets a base of snow around it in the winters and even though I seal the entire place twice a year it looks shabby now and very dark around the base where the snow sits for any length of time. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or using the wrong product but wood care is not my expertise. I just prefer less maintenance...Sealing my tub is not going to be my new hobby.

[rosewoodsteel]

I suggest you put plastic siding on your house and buy a  close grained  cedar hot tub.   You, of course, are talking apples and oranges.  Cedar siding is a soft, rough wood, that is very prone to weathering. The tight grained wood that Artic uses is very different.  That said, a 92" x 92" tub, takes a little less time than a house to stain. Also, the "forever" base that Artic uses keeps the wood well away from grade. We were initially talkng about salt systems before you started knocking Artic.  But Artic offers them as well.  I decided against salt systems, in general.  I was not referring to what Hot Springs offers.  I'm sorry if I misspoke.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Nothing beats the look of a really nice cedar sided spa.   Before synthetic siding it's all there was.  But it does take a bit of work to keep it looking like that.  Not many people want wood anymore, Arctic is one of the few that I believe still offers it.   

  As far as the salt system and who has the best spa, stereo siding what ever with dunecritter it's falling on deaf ears.   It's what happens with a HS sales person.   Even though he has owned several different spas and still does by his eloquent post that we read so often yadda, yadda, yadda..   HS does build a very nice spa, what I have seen in the last few years is them following on the footsteps of many different manufacturers trying to cover all the bases of what others have come up with.  I am not going to get into that.   

   I do wish that other company's like Jacuzzi, Sundance and the ever more exploding onto the market Bullfrog need to come up with some kind of a salt system.   It's just a simple fact people like or the think they will and do.   Pretty sure Sundance or Jacuzzi will not because they are stupid that way, they build a fantastic spa but are blind to certain changes which need to be done in order to compete, which I have voiced my opinion on over the last few years.   Again I will give props to HS for adapting to the economy the last few years and bringing what the people want or think they want..      Any who slam it for what it is DC or accept it.  Doesn't bother me anymore you just have to up another notch in your hat size  :wink: 

[dunecritter]

I think Synthetic Everwood cabinets look better than a wood cabinet personally and I just like the décor and the look it provides me. I have installed natural looking wood interiors on homes for years and in this day and age I just don't get the request for the natural look in my market area ...most in my territory don't want it...It's all painted or super dark Alder cabinets and doors in the custom homes I build. I'll say it again...Sealing a wood cabinet is not going to be my new hobby wether it takes one to 4 hours once or three times a year. I'm glad that technology has evolved to almost all manufactures using synthetic siding these days. Less maintenance for a guy like me. I agree Rosewood that the two cedar woods are different but guess what...it's still wood and does what wood does. That's why I don't ever want to own a wood cabinet again. This is my opinion.
But if you like and want the wood cabinets...HS, Jacuzzi, Sundance , MAAX,  etc, etc, is beat...They don't offer it.
HS is far from perfect in every angle but is very hard to beat in general. There's a reason HS, Jacuzzi, Sundance and Arctic are where they are in hot tub market share. They are all great tubs and would all be great tubs to own. Not sure how you have deciphered that I was "Knocking" Arctic....just comparing what my opinion is on owning the wood cabinet for myself as they are apples and oranges.
Unlike what Jacuzzi Jim is trying to imply...I'm not discrediting any one manufacture.. simply keeping things straight with my personal real life experiences with HS only..and yes Jim...you are right,  I have owned many tubs so I'm entitled to elaborate yada yada yada:Wink: Please excuse me while I adjust my hat...Wait a minute...I don't wear a hat...I'm not balding!   Us HS sales guys don't stress and lose our hair!?! 

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Um yeah,   balding has nothing really to do with it.  It's better known as large head syndrome in other words, well I hope you get it from there....   

[dunecritter]

Haha jim...yes I got your joke....did mine hit too close to home for you to consider it a joke?!?