{"id":5206,"date":"2019-05-15T12:43:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T12:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/?p=5206"},"modified":"2022-10-14T11:20:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T11:20:11","slug":"hot-tubs-pros-and-cons-of-having-a-hot-tub-in-your-holiday-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/hot-tubs-pros-and-cons-of-having-a-hot-tub-in-your-holiday-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot tubs: Pros and cons of having a hot tub in your holiday home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The question of whether to invest in a hot tub or not is one that is regularly asked by holiday home owners. More and more holiday makers are choosing to trade in the cost of an airline ticket in exchange for some \u2018nice touches\u2019 to add a bit of luxury to their UK holiday. As a result, having a hot tub is increasingly becoming a \u2018must have\u2019 for many guests when booking a holiday house. Adding this extra bit of luxury is certainly likely to increase your bookings and give your holiday home year round appeal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, hot tubs are a big investment. Not just\nfinancially, but also in terms of your time and responsibility. For some\nowners, hot tubs more than pay for themselves. Others decide that they are more\nhassle than they are worth. Only you can decide if you think that having a hot\ntub will work for you and your property. This article aims to help you consider\nsome of the pros and cons of installing a hot tub before you take the plunge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increased\nbookings and income<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Probably the number one reason to install a hot tub is to\nincrease your profit. Having a hot tub will probably mean that you can increase\nyour rates. Even if you decide to keep your prices more or less the same, it\nwill almost inevitably increase your bookings. In particular, if you have a lot\nof gaps during those hard to fill winter months, you are likely to find that\nhaving a hot tub is a real draw. Whilst we can\u2019t always guarantee the British\nweather you can<\/em> guarantee that the\nhot tub will be warm! There is nothing quite like sitting in warm bubbles\nlooking up into a bright and starry night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all love happy\nguests<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Having a hot tub will differentiate your holiday home from your competitors. The thought of sitting in a hot tub, drink in hand, surrounded by stunning views, is the icing on the cake for a lot of holiday makers. Good memories and special holidays will result in happy guests. We all love happy guests! They leave good reviews, tell their friends how brilliant their holiday has been and are likely to rebook themselves. If hot tubs equal happy guests then adding one to your holiday home has to be a serious consideration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How\nmuch will a hot tub cost?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, the increased rates and occupancy that often come\nwith hot tubs does not come without a cost. Hot tubs tend to cost somewhere\nbetween \u00a33,000 and \u00a320,000 depending on what you want. They come in all sorts\nof shapes and sizes, with various additional features. As well as standard\nacrylic ones you can get traditional cedar hot tubs, and for those who want\nsomething a bit different, or who offer \u2018off grid\u2019 holidays, you can opt for a wood\nfired one.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a relatively good quality but fairly straight forward hot tub you should expect to pay somewhere between \u00a35,000 and \u00a37,500. Whilst you can buy a domestic hot tub, according to the hot tub supplier Better Living Outdoors, the most popular hot tub for holiday home owners is currently the 6 person Holiday Let Tub<\/a>. It is designed specifically for the holiday rental market. Not only does it comply with recent safety guidance<\/a> written by the Health and Safety Executive, but it is also relatively hassle free. There are no air diverters or regulators for guests to break, no temperature controls for guests to fiddle with and no pillows for them to ruin. Guests can turn on the jets and lights, but all other controls are limited so they can\u2019t fiddle with things that they should be leaving alone! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\nabout ongoing costs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most hot tubs run on electricity so your energy bills will\ngo up. A well-insulated, well-built hot tub with a good quality cover should\ncost about \u00a340 a month in electricity. This will be higher if guests use it a\nlot. Like a lot of electrical appliances, if you invest in a more energy\nefficient model from the outset, your monthly costs will be reduced. It is also\nworth checking that you are on the best electricity tariff.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also need to factor in costs for chemicals, maintenance and breakdowns. To avoid disappointed guests and expensive refunds you might decide that it is sensible to have a hot tub maintenance company on hand to carry out any urgent repairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ongoing\ncare and maintenance <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The water in a hot tub is normally heated between 35\u00b0C and 40\u00b0C. This is the perfect temperature for the growth of bacteria such as legionella that causes Legionnaires\u2019 disease. In response to the recent increase in the use of hot tubs, the Health and Safety Executive has published guidance for anyone responsible for managing hot tubs as part of a business activity. Whilst following the Health and Safety Guidance 282<\/a> (HSE282) is not compulsory, every holiday house owner has a \u2018general duty of care\u2019 to assess hot tub risks and implement appropriate measures to ensure guests\u2019 safety. By following a few simple steps you will be able to ensure that you are compliant with the guidelines. You can find out more about Legionnaires\u2019 disease and what your responsibilities are as a holiday home owner here<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to ensure that any bacteria is killed and water\nquality is strictly maintained it is essential that hot tubs are disinfected and pH and sanitiser levels are tested and recorded on a regular basis. The hot tub will\nneed to be drained at each change over, or each week if guests are\nstaying longer. As most hot tubs take between four to eight hours to get back\nup to the right temperature it is probably a good idea to warn guests that the\nhot tub might not be up to temperature when they first arrive. Filters need to\nbe cleaned once a month and replaced once a year and the hot tub will need to\nbe serviced annually, costing approximately \u00a3250.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will need to make sure\nyour insurance includes the guests\u2019 use of a hot tub, including the cost of any\ndamage or accidents that might occur. If a guest slips and bangs their head you\ncould be held liable. It is a good idea to include a list of hot tub rules in\nthe welcome pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you\nneed to get a hot tub to stay ahead of the game?  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou are looking for ideas to increase your bookings, and you don\u2019t mind the\nextra work, then installing a hot tub could be a great idea. If you can\u2019t offer\nother sought after features such as sea views, countryside walks or local historical\nattractions, then having a hot tub will give you something a little bit extra to\noffer your guests.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, having a hot tub is not an essential feature of every successful holiday let. It is also not the only way of making extra income or making your property stand out from others. If you are looking for ways of increasing your bookings, especially during the winter months, you should also consider what other \u2018extras\u2019 you could offer. For example, installing a wood burning stove or accepting dogs might increase your bookings more than a hot tub. You can find more ideas on how to get more winter bookings here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different holidays and different holiday houses suit different people. Only you can decide what will work best for you in your property. If you do decide to take the plunge, do plenty of research and seek some advice from other owners who already have hot tubs. Below are a few top tips from owners that we have spoken to who have a hot tub. Please feel free to add any useful tips about hot tubs below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tips from holiday home owners with hot tubs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We asked some\nof our owners who have hot tubs to provide some feedback and top tips for\nanyone considering installing one. Here are some key points from their responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increased bookings and earnings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  • There was a unanimous agreement that installing a hot tub had resulted\nin more bookings.<\/li>
  • Having a hot tub also has the potential to vastly increase your\nearnings.    <\/li>
  • Perhaps one of\nthe most frequently asked questions by guests before making a booking is \u2018do\nyou have a hot tub?\u2019 <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Things to consider<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    • You will need to factor in extra time for each change over. Even if guests leave your hot tub in a relatively good condition (which many don\u2019t!), you will still need to drain, clean and refill it after each set of guests leave. <\/li>
    • Anyone on a water meter should factor in the extra water that is needed to refill the hot tub on a regular basis. <\/li>
    • To help conserve water you can provide large trugs, rather than hosepipes, for topping up the hot tub.   <\/li>
    • Hot tubs can take a long time to reheat to the required temperature. Consider installing external hot water taps to help ensure it is ready for the next set of guests.   <\/li>
    • If possible, do a thorough handover in person so you can explain how the hot tub works and how you expect the hot tub to be left at the end of their stay. <\/li>
    • If you do not live locally you will need to employ someone to check the pH and sanitiser levels on a daily basis. <\/li>
    • It is a good idea to ensure guests read and agree to a strict set of rules and health and safety policies before they book. Include these details in your information folder and\/or welcome letter in the property. It is also a good idea to have a sign warning guests that any surrounding steps might be slippery when wet. <\/li>
    • Consider opting for a basic bench design rather than individual loungers as some guests will fit as many people in the hot tub as possible. <\/li>
    • Avoid hot tubs with music, WiFi or overly complicated controls.<\/li>
    • Consider what time to set your hot tub curfew. Some owners say that providing a late curfew hugely improves the stay of their guests, while others note that the additional noise can upset the neighbours. <\/li>
    • Even in fairly remote cottages, some guests like a bit of privacy. Even though the view was beautiful, one owner put a trellis screen up around their hot tub by request, which they have decorated with solar lights and tubs of flowers.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The question of whether to invest in a hot tub or not is one that is regularly asked by holiday home owners. More and more holiday makers are choosing to trade in the cost of an airline ticket in exchange for some \u2018nice touches\u2019 to add a bit of luxury to their UK holiday. As […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[63,4],"tags":[96],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5206"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5206"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5396,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5206\/revisions\/5396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.independentcottages.co.uk\/holiday-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}