Home Rental - Pool/Spa heat question

[Candleshoe]

Many of the rental homes have pools with a built in 'spa'. Some call it a hot tub, but I've always thought of a hot tub as a stand alone object.

Anywhichahoo, of the many things that are important to me in a rental vacation home is a hot tub experience. Jets and hot water for my achy bones and arthritis at the end of a Disney day.

I've spent the last few months enjoyably putting together a list of homes with their many amenities that are also important to me, but one thing has been confusing me so I thought I'd ask you folks here.

There is usually a listed price for 'Pool Heat' and it's usually recommended for the winter months. We'll be there in the summer so no need of the pool water to be heated!

But is 'Pool Heat' required to heat the Spa? (Speaking specifically of those which are built-in. Here is a random one from my master list of possibilities: http://www.vrbo.com/150613ha so you can see the kind of spa I'm talking about).

My confusion is because every single one I've read calls it Pool Heat. None of them speak of needing to rent pool heat in order to have the Spa work. But all of them say they have a Spa. If it's cold water it's totally not a spa!

I'll of course ask the rental directly when I get down to making a decision on which home(s). But I'm trying to do a price comparison at this point so I was hoping to know if I needed to include the "Pool Heat" in order to make the spa function. If so, those with real hot tubs are the stand outs because they work independently. They're just rare.

Thanks in advance for your experience and knowledge. I obviously have no experience with pool+spas.

 

[DPickering]

Generally no. I would not agree to pay that just for using the hot tub. If they demanded it I'd negotiate it down or move on.

 

[connorlevismom]

I found this out that hard way, some people do not have heated hot tubs. Ask specifically if the unit is separately heated and what the heat gets up to. I thought hot tub and spa were the same thing and we rented a couple of times. One "spa" was a hot tub and amazing, the other one was a "spa" and was not heated more than the pool water - which was not hot. So you need to make sure that they have exactly what you are wanting, because I found there are more unheated "spas" than heated ones.

 

[Candleshoe]

I found this out that hard way, some people do not have heated hot tubs. Ask specifically if the unit is separately heated and what the heat gets up to. I thought hot tub and spa were the same thing and we rented a couple of times. One "spa" was a hot tub and amazing, the other one was a "spa" and was not heated more than the pool water - which was not hot. So you need to make sure that they have exactly what you are wanting, because I found there are more unheated "spas" than heated ones.

Thanks! And on the one that was amazing, was it attached to the pool (like the picture above) or a stand-alone unit?

I've started sending out questions to owners and 2 have said that yes pool heat is required to heat the spa (attached), now I now I need to ask if it's hot-tub-like, if I can figure out how to word it. Should I ask if it has jets?

In the amazing one you had, did it have jets?

I'm still confused how people can call non-heated-bodies of water 'spas'!

 

[connorlevismom]

Thanks! And on the one that was amazing, was it attached to the pool (like the picture above) or a stand-alone unit?

I've started sending out questions to owners and 2 have said that yes pool heat is required to heat the spa (attached), now I now I need to ask if it's hot-tub-like, if I can figure out how to word it. Should I ask if it has jets?

In the amazing one you had, did it have jets?

I'm still confused how people can call non-heated-bodies of water 'spas'!

The amazing one was an attachd one, just like all the others. And I believe they all have jets. This one got SUPER hot and felt amazing. The other one I had, it was just recirculated pool water with jets. NOT the same thing as a hot tub.

What I would ask the owners is if the "spa" has it's own heating (not meaning different price) and what temperature it gets up to.

I think that as long as it has jets, it is considered a spa. That does not mean that it gets hot like a hot-tub.

It was all very confusing to me as well.

 

[Candleshoe]

Thank you thank you for the help! It's nice to be able to bounch ideas around. I hate wondering if the answers I'm getting are not right because I messed up the question! KWIM?

Would you mind sharing a URL for the one you rented? I'm wanting the Formosa Gardens area -- Windsor Hills, Emerald Island, Oak*, Indian Creek. Not picky about which one, just has to be one story (I cannot climb stairways).

 

[thenewgirl]

I recently bought a vacation villa down here (and will start renting it out after next week ). My pool and hot tub are connected. I'm not sure how all the others work, but I am able to turn on the heat just for the hot tub and (separately) the heat just for the pool. I'd be willing to guess my configuration is fairly common. However, I'd also be willing to bet that some owners find it easier to tell people they are combined and/or that one doesn't work at all to avoid having to explain how to use the pool/hot tub heat without making the electric bill go through the roof.

 

[connorlevismom]

Sure! it was www.laughingplacevilla.com

Beth is the owner and she is really great.

 

[Candleshoe]

Again, thank you ever so much

Getting closer and closer!

 

[ParkHopperFan]

Your best bet is to ask the owner directly if they can heat just the spa.

Communicating directly with the owner can also give you some insight into how involved they are with the operation of their property and how quick they are to respond. That can be an important factor when choosing a rental property, especially if you need something during your stay. I would would rank that above price.

 

[connorlevismom]

Your best bet is to ask the owner directly if they can heat just the spa.

Communicating directly with the owner can also give you some insight into how involved they are with the operation of their property and how quick they are to respond. That can be an important factor when choosing a rental property, especially if you need something during your stay. I would would rank that above price.

I totally agree with this.

I would gladly pay more knowing that the owner will be there for anything I might need. Most of the time you get what you pay for. You want a bargain? Well, then you better be prepared for an absent owner and sup-par management company and most likely not well taken care of home.

 

[Candleshoe]

Of course I'm asking the owners, but like I'd said, I was having a problem even phrasing the question and needed help with that part.

Thanks again.

 

[iheartdisney]

The home we rented had the spa attached to the pool, and wasn't heated unless you paid for pool heat. I wasn't too upset about it since the Master had a full Jacuzzi tub, so i could soak in there.