Swimming Pools vs. Hot Tubs - Which is Better?

Which is better - a swimming pool or a hot tub - which would you rather have? If you had this deluxe swim spa pictured here, you'd be able to swim in the upper area and soak in the lower hot tub. It's the best of both worlds!

There are some strong opinions on the swimming pools vs. spas and hot tub question. I took a straw poll around the office and posed the question to my facebook friends.

What would you rather have a pool or a spa?

The most common response was "Can't I have both?" or "I have both!", which forced me to revise my question, or add the caveat...

If you could only have one, a pool or a spa?

After tallying the responses (many of them hilarious), I can now present to you the findings of my study.

"I would rather have a pool because..."

  • I like to swim laps (or water exercises).
  • Nothing like the cool of the pool on a hot summer day.
  • Fun for the kids (or grandkids).
  • Entertainment - pool parties.
  • Sun Tan!

"I would rather have a spa because.."

children in hot tub

  • Hot tubs soaks are so relaxing
  • Spas are very romantic
  • Can use a hot tub all year long
  • Much cheaper to buy
  • Easier to manage
  • Safer

I suppose that I'm partial to spas and hot tubs, but to be fair, I honestly do prefer my hot tub to having an inground swimming pool. I don't think I'd even want one. We belonged to a community pool when my children were young, (they're  now grown and moved on) so I made sure they had learned how to swim. One of my babies was on the swim team for many years. Living in southern California, swimming pools are quite common, and many of our friends have swimming pools.

And now that some of us are getting older, hot tubs seem to fit our lifestyle better. A pool would not get as much use at our house, but there it would be - demanding my daily attention. Or the attention of my husband!

My spa is so easy to take care of, it literally takes me 5 minutes per week - and that suits me fine. A swimming pool, from what my friends tell me, takes them about an hour per week in cleaning and maintenance.

And the cost of operation is much higher with pools. My friends with pools also report that they spend at least $1000 per year, running the pumps and keeping the chemicals correct, and making small repairs to the equipment. Then we went on to tell me stories of the BIG repairs, which I won't bore you with, but some can be expensive.

Recommended Products

Leslie's Spa Maintenance Kit

Spa Chemicals

inflatable hot tub

Inflatable Spas

hot tub cover

Custom Covers



JUMP IN WITH US ON SOCIAL!
Facebook  Twitter X  YouTube  Instagram
Leslie’s makes every effort to provide accurate recommendations based upon current ANSI/APSP/ICC-5 2011 (R2022) standards, but codes and regulations change, and Leslie’s assumes no liability for any omissions or errors in this article or the outcome of any project. You must always exercise reasonable caution, carefully read the label on all products, follow all product directions, follow any current codes and regulations that may apply, and consult with a licensed professional if in doubt about any procedures. Leslie’s assumes no legal responsibility for your reliance or interpretation of the data contained herein, and makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the quality, safety, or suitability of the information, whether express or implied, including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.