Is adding a pool & spa worth it?

[Tracy754]

Hi everyone!  I'm a superhost in Columbia, TN, about an hour south of Nashville.  I've had 2 properties on the platform since 2018 - one being my own home.  I'm considering adding a pool w/hot tub.  It will be about a $175k expense all-in.  I'm wondering if it's worth it.  I'm sure I'll be able to charge more for my home per night, but will it also increase bookings?  Anyone have experience with before and after a pool addition?

[Helen3]

You'd have to do some market research around supply and demand for properties with these features and look at their charge out rates to see if you feel the investment would be worth while @Tracy754 

that's a huge investment so only do it if it's an amenity your family would use. 

[Andrea6232]

I can tell you about my experience in Venice (Italy): when I added my hot tub, I increased the price but, above all, I got many more bookings 😀 So, for me, it was definitely worth it.

Andrea

P.S. Keep in mind that 90% of my guests come from the US.

[Greystone0]

HI @Tracy754 ,

really good question and this is something we think about a lot - adding a spa/hot tub. Here's  our thoughts:

- we just have one property and it is also our home (2nd home) that we are using usually once a month. We plan to 'retire' to this home and then continue to rent while we go elsewhere (like visit our adult children, travel).

- we think about upgrades like this: is it something we want? is it something guests want? will it improve resale value? We have no intentions of selling but it is a point to note.

- we think about adding a hot tub but haven't yet pulled the trigger as it involves a larger idea for some landscaping work that we haven't come to terms with yet. 

- our calendar is full with out one and so we don't think adding one would net us an improvement. It would however be something that we would enjoy. It might allow us to charge more in the lower seasons but we are at the upper end of what we can charge  for our market and so we don't think it would improve our price point either, in general.

- the other issue we have is thinking about maintaining it.  You can see that when a hot tub is not operating well guests will reflect that in their review (AC is in this bucket). It just needs to work properly if you have it.

- and finally, I think about the type of guest that wants to use a hot tub and it isn't necessarily the executive,  family that we are seeking, seems like a younger demographic and for us this means a house of 10 individuals (versus a family of 6 or 😎 renting our home. So it might sway our core demographic in a way we don't like.

Good luck!

[Ben6886]

I would recommend against it. The time spent cleaning it is by far our biggest time usage after every guest, and the water usage from emptying it, but guest health is extremely important, you don’t want to be responsible for any kind of water quality health problems. I did it but I would not do it again.

[Ayiana1]

Hey Tracy,

Just wanted to share adding a hot tub to our listing has made a big difference. It really helps the place stand out and we’ve seen a noticeable increase in bookings since adding it. Honestly, the maintenance has been pretty simple too, way easier than I expected. Definitely worth the investment!

[Alex]

Hey @Ayiana1! 

I’m so happy to hear that adding a hot tub worked out for you! The great thing is that it’s an amenity guests can enjoy year-round. Which season do you think will attract the most guests to use it? 🛁

[Alex]

Hey @Tracy754! 

This is such a wonderful topic to discuss, and it’s amazing to see all the different opinions from hosts in the comments! Have you had a chance to read through any of their answers yet? 👀 Let us know what do you think about them