Best Hot tub for STR?

Question

Hey guys,

I'm looking to add some new features to my STR and considering a hot tub. Is there one you'd recommend for the frequent use of an STR? Costco hot tubs are affordable, but I heard that the service on them stinks and there seem to be a lot of reviews against the texture of the seating.

Thank you!

Pat L. · Answer

2nd recommendation for Hot Springs, many of our friends went with cheaper alternatives & they have since had them removed. Ours is close to 13+ years old, BUT I have replaced the main board ($400), the in-line heater ($350) myself as qualified experienced techs are tough to find. I also retrofitted the bottom drainage as the original was just cheap plastic & began to leak. Ours is in a hot tub room addition we had built, but it survived 2 winters outside because it is well insulated. We designed the hot tub room to be well ventilated & have never had any sign of mold or staining on the walls/ceilings, but I did use a commercial exterior paint on all walls & the ceiling. I ran all the 240v electric to the hot tub & it's always set to 96degF with it being adjusted higher during use, yet the electrical consumption is not noticeable.

We do not use anything other than Eco-one to treat the water, but I throw in a cup of chlorine after heavy use. Another issue is residual laundry soap in swim suits (if they wear anything) as it can generate a lot of foam, so we use a little dash of an anti-foam product to eliminate it. I cover the 5 cylindrical filters with the same Drain Sleeve filter sock used on drainage pipe. It effectively collects hair etc debris & absorbs staining from oils etc. These sleeves are washable & I have only had to replace the filters 2x since day one.

We have seen black residue in the pipes, pulsating heads in some of our friends hot tubs & also Jacuzzi type bath tubs, but our Hot Tub has never shown any such issue.

Alecia Loveless · Answer

@Alecia Loveless but ours was a Hot Springs and it lasted through thousands of guests for about 15 years.

Michael Baum · Answer

Hey @Angeline Rebottaro. So like @Collin H. said, they aren't that complex, but what you really want to do is be able to have it repaired easily with good parts availability.

So check around the area you are going to be doing a STR and see what the dealers have to say.

Collin Hays · Answer

hot tubs are rather simple things.  There are only a few components, and a capable repair person should be able to fix whatever you buy.

Andrew Carlson · Answer

@Angeline Rebottaro

Consider one of those round wooden saunas! My friend put one in his air bnb and the slow winter months are now booked solid. Plus, less maintenance than a hot tub.

John Underwood · Answer

I'm not sure what brand ours is but the guy is able to to fix it so far.

Last year he put in a new pump. This year he had to fix some leaks.

I would definitely consult our repair guy as to brands that can be easily maintained and that parts are readily available.

I see where Sam's club has plenty to pick from at a good price, but not sure if these would be a recommended brand.

I'm sure when it goes it will be an emergency to get a new one quick during the peak season.

Seems like as long as the fiberglass doesn't crack that parts could, in theory, be replaced just like a car.

Yes at some point it will make sense to replace it when it starts breaking more often.

Joel Oh · Answer

I think it all goes down to the price of your rental and how many guests will use it. If you are aiming for a luxury STR, hot tub is a great deal as people tend to take a better care of your property. The repair difficulty really depends on your / handyman's skill set. Some may say it is easy but they may say fixing a fridge or furnace is also easy for them. (They are honestly not too hard but of course it is difficult for many many regular people)

I say just don't buy the used one as it always carry potential mold/breaking down issue. This is one of those items that goes on the sale frequently! Good luck and have fun!

Alecia Loveless · Answer

@Angeline Rebottaro Just make sure whatever hot tub you buy has enough insulation for the area of your rental.

I went to an auction 1 hour south of where I am located and the auction company just happened to have 20 beautiful hot tubs and the hot tub at my B&B was older so I was thinking why not, there weren’t too many people at the auction and we had a big enough truck so they started auctioning them and the first guy that bought one opened the side panel on his and lo and behold NO INSULATION. Needless to say I did not buy one as our temperature regularly gets down to -20.

The one I had had spray foam insulation encapsulating the entire inside.

Best Hot tub for STR?

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