Luxury of the Spa
While a swimming pool can be lots of fun & a great way to keep the family together & to exercise in, a pool never is able to produce the relaxing luxury of a heated spa.

The temperature set just above body temperature so that you have a warm feeling & the moving water massaging as it passes you in a way that only water can.
The water giving you buoyancy which takes the tension off most parts of the body.

That's what a spa is all about.

Even in hot tropical areas, people enjoy the use of a hot spa as it is normally slightly hotter than the outside temperature so you feel cool when you get out.

Making the Spa Decision
Recessed into the ground or set flush with the top of a deck, an in-ground spa has the look of a permanent installation.

The support equipment necessary for an in-ground spa always stands a short distance away, in its own housing. Although this requires more planning and construction, it allows you more choice in types and sizes of equipment.

Shopping for an in-ground spa usually means choosing between a factory-molded shell of fiberglass-reinforced acrylic and the more expensive, longer-lasting concrete shell constructed on site. But you can even get an in-ground spa made of stainless steel. Each type offers a myriad of shapes and sizes from which to choose.

If you're having a concrete swimming pool constructed at the same time, the easiest and often least expensive choice for the spa is to have it built from the same materials as the pool. It can run on the same circulation system as the pool.

Although it's a less common and more expensive option, you can choose concrete for a stand-alone in-ground spa that's not part of a swimming pool. The spa will be formed on site by a pool contractor.

If you want to add only a spa, a manufactured shell is probably a better choice. You can buy the entire package including equipment and installation from a full-service dealer, who is licensed to both sell and install the spa. An alternative is to buy a ready-made spa and the necessary support equipment from a reputable dealer, then hire a contractor recommended by the dealer to install it.

Whatever type shell you choose, buy the best quality equipment you can afford, and make sure it's sized appropriately for the spa.

Whether the shell is made of fiberglass-reinforced acrylic or concrete, an in-ground spa installation requires tearing up the garden or deck to some extent. Plumbing and wiring lines need to be buried or hidden, and support equipment has to be sheltered.

Installing an in-ground spa involves more planning, disruption, cost and time than purchasing and setting up an off-the-shelf portable. From the time construction starts, it may be weeks before you can enjoy your first soak. On the other hand, in-ground spas look well-integrated in their setting. They're often set in a deck or patio built expressly to surround them, their lower profile is less conspicuous, and they're likely to be professionally landscaped.

Swimming Against the Current
If you want to work out but don't have the room for a lap pool, consider a swim spa instead. Typically between 13-1/2 and 15 feet long, it looks like an elongated version of any other in-ground spa. The difference is in the jets. In a swim spa, the water is propelled by strong countercurrent jets rather than by the hydrojets or paddle wheels that move the water in a spa. Without moving forward an inch, a swimmer can cover miles, simply by swimming against a constant current.