. . . a hot tub resides either in the garden, a garden building or a conservatory. It is always full of hot water and is only normally emptied twice a year. Using exactly the same principles of hydrotherapy as in a whirlpool, however, because the water is heated constantly you can stay in the tub longer, temperatures tend to be higher also. And, of course, you can get more people in a hot tub beacuse they are so much bigger.

They are used not only for therapeutic purposes but also as social and family 'centres'. Hot tub, or Spa, parties are becoming quite popluar.

Chemicalisation and sanitisation of hot tubs are an absolute MUST, germs taken into a hot tub multiply at rapid rates and the use of chlorine or bromine is a neccessity. There is no such thing as a 'chemical-free' hot tub and you should beware of anyone who says differently.

We have a sister company at www.spa-care.co.uk who can supply all of your hot tub requirements and these chemicals from LeisureTime Spa are als available on this site also.

. . . now this is possibly where we get some confusion - and for good reason, because a whirlpool bath and a hot tub are both referred to as spas. It was an American Italian (Roy Jaccuzi) that first developed the water pump re-circulating hot water in a vessel ( at that time it was an old wine VAT) and it is from America that these terms have originated, however, in America a spa is definately a hot tub and a whirlpool bath is often referred to as a jetted bath.

Just to makes things a little more confusing in Germany a hot tub is known as a whirlpool!!

And a Jacuzzi? Well - as already mentioned, it was Roy Jacuzzi that first introduced hydrotherapy in the home (although it was the ancient Greeks that first discovered the therapeutic benefits of hot water), however, Jacuzzi is the company that was formed by Roy Jacuzzi and is still to this day a company with the brand name of Jacuzzi - and they manufacture both whirlpool baths and hot tubs.