DESTINATION HOT TUBS

DESTINATION HOT TUBS

Holiday locations now have a wealth of compliant spas to choose from...

HOLIDAY BOOKERS continue to look for hot tubs as part of their vacation wish list.

The holiday market continues to recognise hot tubs as essential for attracting the best level of bookings. Key words and phrases such as ‘staycation UK with hot tub’, ‘hot tub staycations UK’, and ‘UK staycations with hot tubs’ all appear on a list of the most common staycation Internet searches. So, there is great appeal for the appropriately named Vacation Range, from Superior Wellness, that is ideal for holiday homes, cottages, B&Bs and Airbnb.

Ready to order now, you can choose from the Vacation Lounge or the Vacation Social depending on your customers’ needs. Great for guests who want to relax on holiday, the Vacation Lounge hot tub is suitable for five to six people and offers the perfect combination of one lounger and five seats. This 13 amp hot tub has R10 insulation and 25 jets.

 

SOCIAL TIMES
Superior’s Vacation Social is an all-seater hot tub for up to seven people, ideal for larger holiday rentals that need a hot tub big enough to fit all guests in. This 13-amp hot tub has R10 insulation and 26 jets. Not to be out-shone, Sunbeach Spas remain the exclusive supplier of hot tubs and related products to a number of holiday parks around the UK, including multiple sites with both Coastfields Leisure and Country & Coastal Holidays along the east coast, and also Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in the south.

“We continue to bring new holiday park companies on board, and most recently have been awarded a new contract to supply over 100 of our 344S spas and 100 saunas to a brand new park over the next six months,” reveals Sunbeach’s Wayne Green. Sunbeach’s 344S plug-and-play spa is now in its third regeneration and remains by far the spa of choice for most of our holiday park clientele.

Wayne confirms: “They appreciate its simplicity of design, combined with a good feature set for its price point - enough features to make it great for customers to have fun and relax in, but also be easy to maintain by site staff. The 344S features award-winning R10 insulation system, making it cost-effective to run, too. “For the next level in lower-cost, eco-friendlier running, it is also heat source pump compatible and pairs wonderfully with the iNHEAT range of heat pumps exclusively available from Sunbeach Spas,” Wayne shares.

“Our iNHEAT heat pumps are available with outputs from 3kW to 21kW, with either on/off switching or inverter controls, and can be retrofitted onto a wide range of spas and swim spas.” Matthew Lowe, Sales Manager with Coastfields Leisure Ltd, endorses the Sunbeach offering: “We have been in partnership with Sunbeach Spas now for over five years, we chose to use them initially due to the energy efficiency and ease of installation of the 344 tub. We are currently using almost exclusively the 344 spa,” says Matthew.

“We picked this model due to it looking the part, excellent build quality, great energy efficiency, ease of installation and we have not been disappointed,” adds Matthew. Coastfields currently have around 100 tubs on our fleet units and Sunbeach look after all the warranty and aftercare needs including the care chemicals and filters. There is also a stock of chemicals and filters in Coastfields’ shops so retail customers, who also have the same tubs, can keep them in perfect condition.

 

Matthew enthuses: “We are also currently near completion of another lodge development at Grange Leisure Mablethorpe utilising the 344 tub. It’s been a pleasure to work with Sunbeach Spas and look forward to many more years of excellent service.“ Relative newcomers to the holiday hot tub sector, Certikin offers a range of four true-hydrotherapy hot tubs, specifically designed for the holiday-let market for both guests and operators.

The commercial spas don’t just comply but some exceed the all-important health and safety requirements enforced by HSE and Local Authorities. The premium, energy-efficient smart spas feature an ozone generator, 24- hour filtration duration; a spa frog in-line chemical dosing system and have no perishable items such as headrests, diverter, or air valves fitted.

In addition, and going above and beyond the HSE and BISHTA guidelines, the hot tubs also feature a fast drain valve, reducing drainage time to 9-10 minutes; a reduced heating time of 3-5 hours with an additional energy source; tamper proof 2-3 button control panel and a silent, energy-saving circulation pump to protect the high-speed pumps.

They can be operated via a Smartphone App and Wi-Fi control that allows the operation of up to 100 spas. The Sevilla Plug and Play model features one lounger and five seats and has 46 hydrotherapy jets and relaxing LED colour-therapy lighting. Due to its low power consumption, it is ideal for parks with limited electricity supply.

The Cordoba comes with 40 hydrotherapy jets, StarLightTM corners, Central LED colour therapy lighting and accommodates six people. The smallest hot tub in the range is the four-seater Porto whilst the largest is the very spacious seven-seater Valencia.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY
The main aim of the introduction of Health and Safety Guideline 282 (HSG282), that came into effect in early 2017, was to reduce the risk of Legionella outbreaks associated with spas and hot tubs. The guideline covers all spas and hot tubs in a commercial setting i.e. all those hired out and used by more than one party such as holiday destinations and lets.

The guidance aims to:
• Reduce the risk of Legionella and microbiological contamination
• Emphasise the operator’s responsibility
• Ensure testing is frequent and planned (at least three times a day)
• Highlights that results should be recorded
• Stresses there should be a written action plan if required

The Lovibond® Professional Pool and Spa Photometer Kit enables the operator to measure all the tests mentioned in HSG282 from one case. Contained within the kit is an MD 100 Professional Photometer for the measurement of chlorine, bromine and pH and an SD 80 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Pen. All kits are supplied complete and ready to use. They use premeasured reagents which when added to the hot tub or pool water sample form a colour the intensity of which is proportional to the amount of substance being tested.

A typical test procedure would be
• Take a sample of the water to be tested in a sample cell, place it in a photometer and zero the unit
• Add tablet reagents and allow the colour to develop
• Return cell to photometer and read
• Record results and take appropriate action

Each HSG282 test kit purchased receives access to a FREE online Training Course. The training course covers:
• What is HSG282
• What to test for and why
• Correct Sampling
• Overview of pH, TDS, Chlorine & Bromine
• How to use photometers, comparators & TDS Pens
Importantly, the kit measures both chlorine and bromine so, if different disinfectants are used across your site, the same kit will cover both. Contact support@lovibond.uk for more information.

Knowledge Is Hot Tub Power

Knowledge Is Hot Tub Power

Knowledge Is Hot Tub Power

Knowledge is power when it comes to reducing the risk of Legionella outbreaks associated with spas and hot tubs in holiday park locations. So a newly launched modular training course, available on-line, from industryleading experts Tintometer, offers vital support for operators who want to be safe rather than sorry and show due diligence when it comes to holiday hot tub compliance. Crucially, the course covers the practical aspects of complying with the Health and Safety Guideline 282 (HSG282) which came into effect in early 2017.

The guideline covers all spas and hot tubs in a commercial setting i.e. all those hired out and used by more than one party – for example, holiday lettings. Section five of the guideline concentrates on water testing with the following emphasis:

• Reducing the risk of Legionella and microbiological contamination
• Emphasizing that this is the operator’s responsibility
• Ensuring testing is frequent and planned (at least two or three times a day)
• Highlighting that results should be recorded
• Stressing that there should be a written action plan if required

The guidelines focus on three main parameters; Disinfectant, pH and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Don’t be baffled by the science, say leading experts, Tintometer, who offer professional photometer test kits that are the only way for the operator to accurately measure all the tests mentioned in HSG282 and evidence your findings. Contained within the kit is a professional photometer for the measurement of chlorine, bromine and pH and a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Pen. Importantly these kits measure both chlorine and bromine so, if different disinfectants are used across your site, the same kit will cover both.

For more information and to sign up for the course, which can be undertaken in stages at your own pace, simply email: training@tintometer.com

 

At Your Own Risk

At Your Own Risk

at own risk main picThe marmite of the holiday industry, holiday letters either love hot tubs or they loathe them. A necessary evil, the plus side of hot tubs is that they will increase ‘letability’ offering the opportunity to put premium prices on accommodation offered with a spa. In fact, seven out of ten bookers are looking for a hot tub with their holiday let, while accommodation promoted as being supplied with a hot tub ,will generally sustain increased rates of around 25% -30%. On the down side, hot tubs are high maintenance on changeover days; a pain to heat up, with inevitable customer complaints. The in-coming visitors are chomping at the bit to take the plunge and social media the ‘in the tub’ photographs to show all their friends how they are living the dream. As hard as you try, damage and tampering by clients, especially on covers and controls, however well meaning, can be costly in terms of ongoing maintenance. There are also huge health and safety responsibilities on regular water changes, safe water balance and generally demonstrating your duty of care. A relatively new set of guidance, namely HSG282, has split opinion with many specialist suppliers hot-footing it to play the compliance card. “It is recognised that hot tubs and spa pools can be a source of diseases caused by infectious agents including the organism that causes Legionnaires’ disease, primarily Legionella pneumpohila,” advises industry expert and PPG national sales manager, Jimmy Lamb. “There have been a number of outbreaks linked to hot tubs and spa pools in leisure centres, hotels, holiday homes, on cruise ships and on display,” he warns. There was limited information applicable to hot tubs/spas located in holiday lets before the HSG282 was produced. HSG stands for Health and Safety Guidance. One of the opening paragraphs in HSG282 reads: This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and you are free to take other action. But, if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. In the event of an incident, Health and Safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance. Jimmy again: “I have noticed a number of hot tub supplier and manufacturers marketing their hot tubs to the holiday park/let market as ‘HSG282 Compliant’. “The use of the word compliant in my opinion could suggest that HSG282 is law but it is not legislation – it is guidance.” Suppliers, like Darlly Europe, the inventors of the Slipstream in-linefiltration system, believe the guidance is helpful to the holiday let sector. “Though we can understand why some owners and operators would view it as being a sales tool, given that, before its introduction, there was no specific regulatory framework covering the use of domestic type hot tubs in holiday let environments,” says Darlly 's Gil Gingell. “So, to at own risk pic 3go from a situation where there was perceived to be no restrictions to where there has to be a level of compliance will be seen by some to be bureaucratic and imposing unnecessary costs by those of that mind-set. “In the absence of any specific guidance, it was only a matter of time before a serious public health incident occurred which could have potentially devastating repercussions on the industry and public perception of it, as well as, of course, the unfortunate people affected, Gil Gingell." “It therefore benefits owners and operators, who will have the peace of mind, that if they follow the guidance - and are seen to be following it - they won't have any issues which could potentially harm their customers. Leading hot tub supplier Rotospa agrees: “The new guidance allows holiday parks to make an informed decision when choosing the right spa for their park, in order to ensure the product is compliant and fi t for purpose, whilst also meeting their own needs,” says Rotospa’s Charlotte Hotchin. “The document also puts emphasis on the supplier of the product to ensure a compliant and fi t for purpose product is supplied, to ultimately ensure the safety of its users. “When the spas are in this particular context, there is also an obligation for the supplier of the spas to provide training and instructions to its customers to ensure the customer is knowledgeable on the correct use of spas,” says Charlotte who adds: “Both of our holiday park specific spas are fi t for purpose and fully HSG282 compliant.” One of the country’s leading hot tub retailers, Gareth Jones of UK Leisure Living believes HSG282 is a positive move. “It is good we have some standards to work to and something to ensure a reasonable quality tub with a reasonable spec is being fitted in the holiday sector,” says Gareth.

CONFUSING MESSAGES
“However I feel some of the requests are not feasible for owners and puts lots of parks and cottage owners off ownership. “Also, I think there are some situations that are in between the guidelines at own risk pic 5and again provides confusion for owners.” Gareth says he and his UK Leisure Living team try to help their holiday let clients navigate through the maze of options and ensure, as much as reasonable practicable, safe hot tub ownership. “We have a variety of spas that we sell into the holiday market. All spas will come with an ozone, inline chemical feeder as well as some form of way of locking the control panel off. “We tick as many as we can, some clients want more depending on their site regulations. We fully communicate with the client the specifi cation and ensure they are compliant in spec and in running the spa afterwards.”Gareth warns: “Extra bookings don’t always equal extra profi t, as the operator needs to consider the management of the tub and factor this into the pay back. “However we feel a £5-6k hot tub, should pay for its self within one to three years with a good quality booking agent. “Some people charge an extra £50-£100 a booking for having the hot tub and then factor in a 25% up lift in bookings, and that gives you a great payback,” he estimates. If you speak to any online booking agent they will usually place a hot-tub in the top three options search or ticked. But rushing into a purchase, to tick the hot tub box, could be a mistake if operators do not follow the latest advice. Dan Johnson of the American brand, Marquis Spas, markets a fully compliant range of hot tubs for the holiday let market. Dan reveals: “Many of the smaller holiday park operators, I have spoken to, left me feeling they had no idea of the HSG282 guidance but felt that filling out a risk assessment exempted them somehow? “I think the big operators are paying attention, as they understand the power of the HSE and thus the importance of following guidelines – it is built into their management infrastructure,” Dan continues. “While some dealers have been specifying or retro-fi tting continuous feeders to outdated models, the bather capacity and water turn-over rates, will still make many hot tubs fall foul of HSG282,” explains Dan who calls on personal experiences. “I recently booked an October break for my family online. I was offered an inflatable hot tub more than once – how does that get anywhere near being compliant – the operator didn’t know, nor care.”

FIRST EXPERIENCE
Dan says: “Many clients report their first experience as coming from a weekend away with a hot tub – It really helps people overcome the lack of understanding of just how great you feel after bathing in hot tub and how it helps the modern ‘disconnected’ family reconnect,” Dan observes. “I am now encountering people who go away to a stunning location, only to find a woefully poor performing hot tub, compared to their own at home. “Trip Advisor, and the likes of, will, in my opinion, start to see a rise in moans about this,” he adds. “My point to holiday operators and letters, would be not to forget why you are buying a hot tub in the first place – for guests to enjoy!”

Hot News For Changeovers
at own risk pic 4As an industry standard, using conventional methods, a holiday hot tub, with a normal 3kw heater, will heat water on changeover at one degree an hour, that is up to 24 hours to get up to optimum temperatures. So take note of a ground-breaking new state-of-the-art product, called the Climacube that will heat a hot tub at seven to eight degrees per hour. The Climacube will heat hot tubs in around 4-5 hours from cold with a consumption of only 1KW per/hour with a COP of over 3.5 in minus temperatures. If I then told you the Climacube guarantees to cut energy costs by 70 to 80 percent and can be used to provide hot water and power to your holiday lodges themselves….yes, keep calm and form an orderly queue. RETRO-FITS Available as a stand-alone unit, the ClimaCube can be retro-fitted to all makes of hot tubs. It is also available as a pre-installed feature in a bespoke range of hot tubs by ClimaCube’s creator, Park Leisure Solutions. Launched at the start of the 2018 season; good news travels fast. Big names like Parkdean, Shorefield and Hoburne Holidays have been the first to snap up the new technology that already features on over 70 hot tubs at holiday parks in Poole, Norwich and Skegness.

Park Leisure Solutions
Tel. 01202 69 1166
www.parkleisuresolutions.co.uk

 

The Smart Cover Option

Smartop Upright with Brown Tweed DecoThe spa cover you have always wanted and the last you will ever need, the Smartop, by Leisure Concepts, combines strength and good looks as the first choice for the holiday let sector. An array of colours and finishes to choose from, the Smartop will not develop mildew, mould or odour over time. Its durable and rugged materials handle outdoor elements with ease yet is feather-light to manoeuvre. Custom-designs are available on large orders – so you can have your hot tub cover, company
Park Leisure Solutions
Tel. 01202 69 1166
www.parkleisuresolutions.co.uk

 

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Ensure Your Hot Tubs Are Compliant

Ensure Your Hot Tubs Are Compliant

Ensure Your Hot Tubs Are CompliantUnfortunately, few hot tubs sold on the UK market feature inline disinfectant feeders. Worse still, HSG282 made no legacy-exemption provision, meaning many thousands of hot tubs already in the field became non-compliant overnight. SaniStreamTM heralds the solution to this issue. The award-winning SaniStreamTM Direct Line Filtration system is a high quality Darlly hot tub filter, combined with an adjustable and refillable chlorine or bromine tablet erosion feeder, called SpaPodTM; to make a highly effective combined, integrated hot tub water treatment system. The SaniStreamTM system offers a solution to Section 76 of health and safety guidelines, HSG282, which states that hot tubs installed in a setting where used ‘... as part of a business activity (eg in a holiday park rental unit or hotel bedroom(s) with their own dedicated spa, or as part of a rental agreement for a single family or group use)’ must be ‘disinfected using bromine or chlorine through the use of an inline disinfectant feeder’. Heather Gilmore of Paith Holiday Cottages near Aberystwyth thinks the SaniStreamTM system is “fantastic”. Heather says: “I hardly have to intervene, and the dosing works very well. It gives me great peace of mind knowing my customers are in safe hygienic water conditions, and inspection and maintenance for us is easy and painless. “Not only that, but switching to the SaniStreamTM system was incredibly easy, very cost-effective, and required no modification to the hot tubs’ plumbing or equipment.”

Darlly Europe
Tel. 01952 580500
www.darllyeurope.com

 

 

Look Before You Leap

Look Before You Leap

Look Before You LeapWatch out! Watch out! There is a plethora of non-compliant holiday hot tubs about. And with the onus on park operators and holiday let landlords to show duty of care, the holiday sector is being urged to look before you leap and check those hot tub credentials.

Currently acknowledged as the must-have search criteria for holiday bookers, there are potentially hazardous pitfalls that many holiday park operators are falling into when offering the hot tub experience to guests. In recent years, a significant number of holiday park operators and holiday let owners have purchased and operate portable spas which are in fact, domestic hot tubs, only designed for home use, and not intended for commercial markets. Often these hot tubs are not suitable for rental lodges and do not comply with the guidance within the Health & Safety Executive’s control of Legionella and other infectious agents in spa-pool system (HSG282), which was released in January 2017.

BEST PRACTICE

Although the HSG282 is not statutory law, it is considered best practice and is viewed as an approved code of practice. The standard would be used in a court of law as a measure of whether or not a risk holder has complied ‘as far a reasonably practical’ to meet the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. “A lot of holiday parks are not aware, or worse still, ignore the health and safety guidance that is published relating to hot tub use and control of Legionella in spa pools in business and commercial settings,” comments Chris Brady of 1 Stop Spas, Lincolnshire, whose sister company, SpaTech also runs training for holiday park operators and holiday let landlords.

Look Before You Leap 2“This poses the greatest risk to the use of hot tubs, particularly in a business setting like a holiday park.” In accordance with regulations made by the Health & Safety Executive, regular testing of both pH and disinfection should be made at least three times a day and the results logged and kept for at least five years. A monthly microbiological test is also required, testing for Legionella every quarter. The Management of Spa Pools booklet insists that the tub ‘needs to have a continuous chemical feeder built into the spa to continuously treat it with disinfectant’. These devices are not always installed into a hot tub at the point of manufacture and would therefore have to be retro-fitted at a later stage.

TICKING BOXES

Says Chris: “The release of HSG282 is very particular for all the right reasons, however, there were little or no hot tubs available on the market that ticked all of the criteria that HSG282 recommends. “Now that the industry has taken time to digest the detail released in HSG282, we are starting to see manufacturers designing and producing hot tubs which will be fit for purpose and comply with HSG282 in the very near future.”

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COMPANY CONTACTS

1 STOP SPAS/SPATECH TRAINING Tel. 01522 300737 www.1stopspas.com

SPA SOLUTIONS Tel. 01536 540122 www.spasolution.co.uk

URBAN CEDAR HOT TUBS Tel. 01934 833 844 www.urbancedarhottubs.co.uk