What Is a Hot Tub Pool Combo (and Are They a Good Idea)?

When you're looking to get both a pool and a hot tub installed, you might naturally gravitate towards a hot tub and pool combo. Although these spillover pool spa combos look great, they aren't always the best choice (for many homeowners at least), so it's important to consider many factors before committing to one.

Keep reading for a breakdown of what a hot tub pool combo actually is and what we think about them. This will help you determine whether this is the right solution for your backyard.

What is a hot tub pool combination?

A hot tub pool combo is sometimes called a spillover pool or spillover spa/hot tub. These terms are used interchangeably to describe pools that have a hot tub designed into the footprint.

These types of combinations are only available in in-ground pool options and usually feature the hot tub in one of the corners of the pool. The water from the pool and the hot tub mix together due to the "spillover" nature of the design where the hot tub typically overflows (by design) into the pool creating a waterfall effect.

What are the pros and cons of a hot tub pool combo?

As with any decision you make as a homeowner, there are pros and cons to adding something like a hot tub pool combo to your yard. To help you consider all sides of the decision, we are going to explore some of the most important pros and cons.

Reasons to consider a hot tub pool combo

Here are just some of the reasons why you might love the idea of a hot tub pool combo:

Designed to blend seamlessly into your backyard

Hot tub pool combos always look great in any backyard. They are very well designed to look minimalist and luxurious at the same time. Usually, the hot tub is set up a bit higher in the corner of the pool and has a waterfall feature that spills over into the large, luxurious pool.

These combinations look wonderful in most backyards because they are a natural focal point that draws you in and makes you want to spend the afternoon enjoying everything that the hot tub and pool have to offer. Also, because they are in-ground pools they become a beautiful extension of your yard.

Great for social gatherings

If you are a big entertainer, it's natural that most of your parties will end up in your pool or hot tub at some point.

There's nothing worse than having half your party that wants to warm up in the hot tub and the other half want to float around in the pool. This can create a disjointed feeling at the party and interrupt the flow of conversation.

With a hot tub pool combo, your guests can choose whether they want to enjoy the pool or the hot tub without having to be separated from one another. You can easily converse with someone in the hot tub from the pool and vice versa. This is a major pro if you often have large groups over.

Easy maintenance

When you have a hot tub pool combo, you are only responsible for maintaining one water source for the whole thing. All of the components come from one source because the hot tub and the pool share the same water.

This makes maintenance a cinch because you only usually have to maintain one filter, pump, and water system. You treat the water for the pool and the hot tub is automatically taken care of as well. No more worrying about a pool system and a hot tub system and the intricacies of both.

Pool spa combo problems

While there are some reasons to love the hot tub pool combo, there are also some reasons why this might not be a good solution for you.

Not ideal for cold climates

If you live somewhere that has pronounced seasons (and especially a very cold winter season), you may want to think before you install a hot tub pool combo. Usually, these work best in warmer or more temperate climates.

The biggest reason why these don't work well for cold climates is that you can't really use one without the other. Most people in cold climates will winterize and close their pool in the winter months, but if you do this with a pool hot tub combo you will lose the ability to use the hot tub as well.

In these cases, a separate pool and hot tub is usually a better option so that you can still enjoy your hot tub during the cold months.

Expensive installation

Pool hot tub combos tend to have a larger footprint than most standard in-ground pools, so there is usually quite a bit more upfront installation cost involved. They may need to dig quite a large hole with custom specifications to fit your new pool hot tub combo.

Fixed space requirements

When you install a hot tub pool combo, you need to make sure you have room for the entire thing to fit reasonably in your yard. If you have a small or odd-shaped yard, this can sometimes be tricky to figure out.

When you are installing a separate hot tub and pool, you have a lot more flexibility to move the two components around independently of each other to find the best location for both. When the two are combined, you lose this ability which can be frustrating or limiting to your backyard design choices.

Will a hot tub pool combo work for you?

Hot tub pool combos definitely look beautiful in your backyard. They create the look of a high-end, resort-style backyard oasis that is perfect for entertaining and can be easy to maintain once it's installed.

Some reasons why we don't always love a hot tub pool combo is that it really only works in warm climates where both the pool and hot tub can stay open year-round, they can be expensive to install, and don't provide as much flexibility if you are working with a uniquely shaped space.