Hot tubs for Mallorcan terraces

Essential models have one pump and a digital panel and are the simplest to run. Premium adds a second pump, a separate circulation pump, a colour touchscreen and app control, and better insulation that shows in the winter bill. Signature has three pumps plus circulation, UV and ozone water treatment and full-foam insulation, which makes it the quietest and the cheapest to keep hot.

Count the people who will use it on an ordinary evening, not at a party, and add one. Two adults and occasional guests are well served by a 3-seater such as the Cala 3 or Serra 3; a family goes to five or six. A lounger is a full-length reclined seat that one person loves and takes the space of two upright seats, so the Rodona 6 with six upright seats suits people who want to talk, and the Serra 5 with two loungers suits people who want to lie back.

It is a problem if ignored and routine if managed. High calcium leaves scale on the heater and makes the water cloudy, so every spa we install leaves with a calcium-control routine and we test your fill water on the day. Premium and Signature models with a circulation pump and, on Signature, UV and ozone treatment, keep the water clear with less chemical work, but any model in the range runs well here with the right first fill.

The Essential and Premium ranges, from the Cala 3 to the Serra 6, are in stock in our warehouse in Mallorca and can usually be installed within a couple of weeks of ordering. The Signature Mar 5 and Mar 7 are made to order and take 6 to 8 weeks. If you need a spa for a specific date, say so early and we will tell you honestly what is possible.

Five years on the shell, two years on the equipment (pumps, heater, control system) and one year on covers and accessories. The warranty is handled by us on the island with our own technicians, not by posting parts to a call centre abroad. Covers are the shortest because Mallorca's sun and salt air are hard on them, which is why we recommend a cover lifter and a shaded position.

Running at temperature with the cover on, a modern spa is quieter than a fridge; the noise comes when the jets are on. In an urbanisation we position the equipment bay away from the nearest neighbour, and on Premium and Signature models you can set quiet hours in the app so filtration cycles run at midday. Full-foam Signature models are the quietest if your plot is small and the neighbours close.