Lock-In: Introducing Rotospa
Series 4, Episode 2
Hosted: 02/06/2021 06:00:00 pm
On the second webinar of the series, we welcomed upcoming partner Rotospa, and their Sales Director, Jason Smith, on to the Lock-In series.
We haven’t kicked off this partnership formally just yet, but as always, we like to give them a bit of a pre-launch to whet your appetite. It’s also a unique partnership for the membership that we just couldn’t keep quiet for too long – a hot tub company handpicked for the Serviced Accommodation landlords (oh, and you can use them for your own home too)!
To get up to speed with this exciting new partner, you can watch the webinar in full above or simply skim the key talking points below.
Globetrotting
Five years ago, we would’ve laughed off the idea of bringing hot tubs onboard. Initially, we had doubts on their suitability for private landlords – but as the membership’s needs change, it’s our duty to adapt to the market.
And finding a suitable hot tub company has been no easy task, particularly due to the lack of UK manufacturers and the complications of importing – made even more difficult in Europe by the B word (we won’t say it). We found ourselves on a bit of a wild goose chase across the pond before turning to East to Japan – when the answer was just down the road in Birmingham!
We were very fortunate that a member of ours put us in touch with Rotospa, the UK’s only manufacturer, which takes the headache away from spares and aftersales straight away.
Something in the Water
With the amount of water treatments in a hot tub’s system, you’d think it’d be safe enough, but as it turns out, the water should be changed every time that a new group of guests checks into your property.
The fact that bacteria doubles in size every 20 minutes should be enough to make you drain the system in-between check ins anyway. And of course, not maintaining your tub results in unhappy guests and some negative reviews on TripAdvisor, which you could probably do without!
Rest assured though, it’s not a long activity and the system can be drained within 8 minutes and heated up again within 4 hours – which leaves you with plenty of time to prepare the rest of your property or even put your feet up!
The Cost
As with any business expense, you have to ask– what’s the ROI? It can be hard to distinguish mythology from reality when it comes to hot tubs, and it leaves many of us thinking – is it worth the hassle?
Some hot tubs run at a reported £10 a day, which deters many of us from investing – so what sets Rotospa apart? Their construction means that their insulation significantly reduces heat and energy loss. With regards to generating heat, the heat pumps use refrigeration technology to extract heat from the air and consume a very small amount of energy – 75% less than an electric spa heater.
Depending on usage, Rotospa’s tubs can run from as little as £1 a day. However, that’s based on a series of assumption – such as the hot tub only running for an hour a day, the lid being on at all times when it’s unoccupied, and the average running temperature.
All manufacturers will produce similar estimates, but it’s good to know what factors contributes towards these numbers.
The Benefit
Hot tubs are the number one online search for holidaymakers when booking, moving on from being a luxury to a booking necessity.
On average, they can bring in an estimated 50% rise in booking revenue and can increase occupancy rates by 25%.
In the summer, you should be full to the brim with bookings. However, during the winter months, when you really need a bit of a sales push – this is when hot tubs really pay dividends. When booking a winter staycation, holiday lets can’t rely on weather, or proximity to beaches and outdoor pools. However, a Rotospa can really add that wow factor to your Serviced Accommodation.
After all, what’s better than stepping into a hot tub from Baltic-like winter conditions?
Flick of a Switch
Have you tried turning it off and on again? That usually does the trick for most issues that are associated with Rotospa’s hot tubs – in fact, Jason reckons 84% of the issues are solved this way (some more numbers for you).
For when it’s not as simple as that, Rotospa have 5 specialist engineers who can help you with any issues that you encounter with your tub, and failing that, there’s a bank of industry engineers to support you as well.
Typically, your issues should be sorted within 48 hours. And don’t forget, you still have three separate warranties for the hot tub – 1-year full warranty, 2 years on parts and 5 years on the shells.
And that’s your lot! Keep your eyes peeled for the official launch with Rotospa in the next few months.