Hilton Head Island - Beware of the Hot Tub!

[KaraKW]

I just returned from Disney's HHI resort. While pleased with just about everything there on my trip, there was one thing that I found totally repulsive -- the one-bedroom villa's hot tub.

Sunday
The first night I was there, I filled the hot tub up with water, but didn't turn the jets on. Before getting into it, I noticed there were some unidentifiable black pieces floating around in the water along with hair tangled in several jets. Ewwww! After draining the tub and cleaning it out, I filled it up with water and relaxed in it for a few minutes. But finally, I gave up, as I found that I was continually picking out black pieces (dirt? mold?) that would appear seemingly out of nowhere. Gross!

Monday
The next day I filled the tub up with water. I kept a close eye on it. All appeared clear. So I got in and turned on the jets. To my horror, several big black "chunks" shot out of the jets into the water!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, I jumped out of the tub quite quickly. (My DH and I are assuming that it's mold build-up.)

Tuesday
My DH and I ran the tub the next day several times with just a little bit of detergent to clean it out. I was a bit disgusted as I felt that it was not our job to do this, and I was wondering exactly when was the last time that the staff had cleaned the tub out.

Wednesday
The day after that, we tried the hot tub, but still found the occasional black gunk floating around, so we went to the hot tub by the pool.

Thursday
Finally, on our last day there, I was able to take a bath in the hot tub without encountering any gross stuff floating around. Too bad it was my last day there!

So, whoever is in our room now is enjoying a clean hot tub, anyway! I'd love to know the hot tub cleaning schedule. I would think that it would be hygenic to run detergent through a hot tub at the end of each guest's stay, but I suspect that that's not the case. I've been to BWV and OKW several times and have NEVER encountered this with their hot tubs. Anyone else have any hot tub troubles?

Kara

 

[Krissalee]

I want to start of by saying that I have never used a hot tub/whirlpool bath/bath tub at Disney, or any other hotel I have ever been in, because:

My sister is the Executive Housekeeper at a very exclusive hotel (which shall remain nameless) and she has warned me aganst the evils of the germs lurking in tubs. The tubs are cleaned, but the jets themselves are usually not thoroughly cleaned. Dirt, mold, and you name it, build up in those jets.

She also warned me against the blankets and bedspreads - they are not cleaned as often as the sheets, they and harbor lots and lots of germs. If we are travelling together, she will not let us lay on a bed, on top of the spread!

Another haven for germs and other yuckies (to name one among many) - telephone extensions in hotel bathrooms. How often are they really cleaned well? Think about it.


Sorry to be the germie police, but there are lots of things lurking out there (Disney and otherwise) that we should be aware of!

Krissy

 

[PKK/MJK]

YUCK!!!YUCK!!! That is truly disgusting!!!! We have one of those small bathtubs with the jets in them. According to the instructions, we are supposed to run water with clorox through it every couple of months. I'm sure something like should be done--and much more frequently at the DVC resorts. I'm sure that horrible moldy gunk builds up--especially if the jets aren't operated and cleaned often. KaraKW, we will have to remember a small bottle of clorox on our next trip to a DVC resort.

 

[CHIEF TONGA]

If you sprayed 10 rooms at 10 diferant disney resorts with Luminol , turned out the lights and turned on the black lights, 9 of them would glow brighter than fantasy in the sky.
Thats just the way it is.

 

[DBorges]

In August we stayed in a 2 bedroom at Boardwalk Villas and exactly the same thing happened!

It was quite disgusting.

Ready to relax and revive my feet but the floating black yuckies spoiled it.

 

[Cora]

KaraKW,
Out of curiousity...did you call housekeeping? I have had a couple issues at HH during our last trip. I contacted housekeeping and it was fixed immediately. I agree it's gross, but I would not have taken it upon myself I would have called housekeeping and the front desk to let them know what happened.
Cora

 

[rbuzzotta]

All I can say is GROSSSSSSSSSSSSS..............I usually bring some clorox bleach and put it in the hot tub and then run the jets before I let my DD's get in it!! I haven't taken a jacuzzi at OKW yet but my DD's love it!!! I clean mine at home out with clorox once a week!!!

Sorry to hear about that, hope you enjoyed HH otherwise. I can't wait to go there!!

 

[Gail918]

I am a Labor and Delivery nurse and we have those jacuzzis in our birth center for laboring moms. We clean them out with the jets running with bleach for one hour in between patients and we have never had a black chunky floatie problem. I would recommend doing the same when you first check in, just pour it in, let it run while you un pack and it will be all ready for your tired feet at the end of the day.

 

[KaraKW]

Thanks, Gail! I've added Bleach to my list of items to pack!

 

[Tense]

Well.. I admit it... I'm a germaphobic! Yes it's true... the bedspreads in motels are NOT cleaned more tha 6 times a year..... GROSS hence.. I peel the bed spread off immediately and fold it AWAY from the bed before I sleep (never sit or lay on the thing...eck!) I make a trip to the grocery store and buy bleach, and Lysol spray, and rubber gloves. I reclean the bath rooms and bleach the tub. Wipe the phones and the toilet handles, doorknob and light swithes. Also because I stay at a place with a kitchen, Florida law allows the pots pans and dishes etc to be clean.... HOWEVER not sanitized. SO.. I soak the utencils in bleachy water and wash the dishes tonce I do all this, I can relax.I've had bad experiences, like the others...(not black chunky stuff though!ughhhh!) I realized after watching housekeeping go from room to room, they use the same rags to clean all rooms everyware! Bathroom toilets are cleaned with sinks, and kitchens and floors.... GROSS! HUH!Ohhh the stories I could tell!!! BUY BLEACH!