Buyers choosing a lodge with a private hot tub spend a long time comparing tubs and almost no time thinking about position. It should be the other way round. A lodge with a private hot tub in the right spot gets used all year.
The questions worth asking are about the pitch, not the model. Which way does the decking face? How much evening sun does it get? How exposed is it to the prevailing wind? Can anyone see in from the road or a neighbouring lodge?
A tub in the wrong corner gets used twice and then becomes an expensive planter. If you are choosing a pitch with a tub in mind, go and stand on the decking at the time of day you would actually use it.
Siting, decking and the electrical supply
A lodge with a private hot tub needs decking built for the load. A filled tub with people in it is heavy, and the structure has to be specified for it. On a park this is normally handled for you, but it is still worth confirming the decking was designed for a tub rather than adapted afterwards.
Check too that there is sensible access around at least two sides for servicing, and that the electrical supply is properly rated and installed by a qualified electrician. If you are retrofitting a tub to an existing lodge, ask the park what approval is needed first. Most require it, and for good reason.
What it costs to run
Running a lodge with a private hot tub costs less than people fear. A modern, well-insulated tub with a good cover is far cheaper to run than the ones people remember from twenty years ago. The electricity used keeping it warm is modest, and the biggest variable is simply how often you lift the cover in cold weather.
Beyond electricity, a lodge with a private hot tub needs chemicals, filters and an occasional service. None of these are large individually, but they belong on your annual list alongside site fees, insurance and utilities. Our guide to holiday lodge running costs sets out the full picture, and the figures for this park are on the ownership costs page.
Water care is a routine, not a chore
This is the part of owning a lodge with a private hot tub that puts some buyers off unnecessarily. Looking after the water takes a few minutes a week when you are here: test, dose, rinse the filter now and then, and drain and refill periodically.
If you let the lodge out, the standard is higher, because a tub used by changing guests needs managing properly. The Health and Safety Executive guidance on legionella is the authority on this, and most owners who let simply include tub servicing in their changeover arrangements. Ask the park what is available locally before you commit.
What it does for letting, and the rest of the lodge
If you intend to let it out when you are not using it, a lodge with a private hot tub has the single feature most likely to lift both occupancy and nightly rate, particularly outside the school holidays. Guests who would not otherwise book a coastal break in February will book one with a tub on the decking. That said, letting income is never guaranteed. It varies with the season, the weather and the wider economy, a lodge cannot be used as a main residence, and nothing here is financial advice.
A lodge with a private hot tub is more than the tub. It is one feature among several. Look at the insulation specification and heating, because a lodge built to residential standards is comfortable in the months when a tub is most appealing. Check the bedroom layout against how many people realistically come with you, and look at the lease term and what is included in the sale. Lodge 45 is a good example of the combination people are usually after.
Before you commit to a tub
- Which way the decking faces, and how much evening sun it gets
- Shelter from the prevailing wind, and privacy from neighbours
- Decking engineered for the filled weight of a tub
- A properly rated supply, installed by a qualified electrician
- Park approval for any retrofit, in writing
- Local servicing arrangements if you plan to let the lodge
Find us
Whitsand Bay Fort, Donkey Lane, Whitsand Bay, Torpoint, Cornwall PL10 1JZ
Common questions
Is a hot tub expensive to run?
Less than most people expect. A modern, well-insulated tub with a good cover uses a modest amount of electricity. Chemicals, filters and an occasional service are the other costs, and none of them are large.
How much maintenance does the water need?
A few minutes a week when you are using it: test, dose, rinse the filter occasionally, and drain and refill periodically. If you let the lodge out, most owners build servicing into the changeover instead.
Can I add a hot tub to a lodge later?
Usually, but the decking has to be specified for the load and the electrical supply properly rated. Ask the park what approval is needed before you order anything.
Does a hot tub really improve letting?
It is the feature most likely to lift occupancy and nightly rate outside the school holidays. Income is never guaranteed, though, and should be treated as an offset against annual costs rather than the thing the purchase depends on.
The only real way to judge it is to stand on the decking. Browse the current lodges for sale, read more about lodge ownership, or request a brochure and take it away with you.