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Hot Tub = More Renters, More Rental Revenue

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Kristen Pelto16 Mar 2016Homeowner KnowledgePost a Comment

After a long day in the mountains — whether on the slopes, a long hike or mountain bike ride, or just about any activity — nothing beats a soak in a hot tub. Add a glass of wine (in a non-breakable cup of course) and beautiful mountain views, and you’re got the perfect end to a perfect day.

This is the picture in many peoples’ minds when they visit Summit County. As Summit Mountain Rentals’ front desk manager, I spend my days answering questions from guests looking for the perfect property for their stay in the mountains. And believe me, the question I hear the most is:

“Does it have a hot tub?” And if the answer is yes, the next question it inevitably:

“Is it a private hot tub?”

If you own — or are thinking of buying — a vacation rental property, a private hot tub is the number one amenity you should consider offering to your guests. Here are the top three reasons:

1. Guests almost always prefer a home with a hot tub than one without.
Given a choice of comparable properties with or without a hot tub, guests will inevitably pick the property with a hot tub. Even when guests are checking into a condo that has access to a shared hot tub and I ask them, “Would you like a key to the hot tub,” I have yet to hear someone say “no.”

2. Guests are willing to pay more for an equivalent home if it has a hot tub. 
Again, putting two properties side by side that are exactly the same — the only difference being one has a private hot tub and the other does not — I can guarantee that the home with the private hot tub will rent for more nights and at a higher price point per night than the other home. 

3. Guests expect certain properties to have a hot tub. 
These days, guest expect certain properties — in particular private mountain homes and high-end condos — to have a hot tub. At a certain price point, a hot tub is almost a necessity to compete in today’s vacation rental market — and at any price point, it’s a definite competitive advantage.

If your property has a hot tub, great. If not, it’s an investment that we recommend you consider. In all, a typical hot tub installation runs about $10,000 for the tub, delivery, electrician and plumber costs, etc. It’s a significant investment, but given that you’ll see an increase of at least $5,000 a year in gross rental revenue, it will pay for itself (and more) quickly. Plus, it’s there for you and your family to enjoy when you vacation at your property.

If you’ve decided to invest in a hot tub for your rental property — a wise choice, in our opinion — here are some other things to consider:

  • Size matters — Hot tubbing is a social event. In general, buy the largest tub that your space (deck, patio, etc.) and budget will allow.
  • Keep it simple — Avoid tubs with lots of extras like fancy lighting, multiple jet settings, etc. Your tub will require maintenance, and the fewer things to go wrong, the better.
  • Invest in a good cover — In the mountains, a hot tub cover is a necessity to keep your tub clean and reduce heating costs. Buy a good one and keep in mind that due to harsh weather conditions, it will need to be replaced every few years.
  • Keeping it clean — For rental use, there’s really no alternative to using chemicals — either chlorine or bromine — to keep your tub clean and bacteria free. Most owners prefer bromine because it doesn’t produce odors like chlorine does; however, chlorine is a little less expensive. Here’s a good article that explains the differences
  • Regular service — At Summit Mountain Rentals, we have a hot tub company check and service our owners’ hot tubs before every guest arrival at the property. That’s a big difference between us and other property management companies in our area. But it makes a big difference in guests enjoying the hot tub during their stay, and ultimately results in lower maintenance costs for owners because their hot tubs are serviced and maintained regularly.

If you’re interested in more information on the advantages of having a hot tub at your rental property, please comment below or email: owners@summitrentals.com. We’re always happy to answer any questions about your property and vacation rental management — whether we manage your property or not!