So your new hot tub is up and running, and you’re ready to invite friends over to check it out. Now that the weather is cooling off, you’ll have plenty of opportunities ahead to throw a hot tub party and make the most of your new spa!

Plan your Guest List

Think about how many people your hot tub seats. The roomy AR-600 seats six comfortably, making it a great option for those who love entertaining. When planning your guest list, keep in mind that all guests may not want to be in the spa at the same time, so you don’t necessarily need to limit your number to six. However, you may find that some guests just won’t want to get out of the spa!

Have other activities

For health reasons, it’s smart to limit your soaks to 20-minute intervals, and then take a break to let your body cool before getting back in. Your guests won’t be spending all evening in the hot tub, so providing other hangout areas in the house and outside will keep everyone comfortable. Set up chairs around a fire pit to keep guests entertained and comfortable if they’d like to stay outside. Outdoor heaters will also keep your patio area warm and inviting. Turn the football game on, put out snacks, and leave board games and cards out.

Decorate around your Spa

A party theme can excite guests — “Tropical Party,” “Luau,” “Pirate Party,” or even a hot tub Halloween party as the end of October approaches. Decorate around your spa and backyard with colorful lights and themed decorations. Hot tub football parties are fun this time of year, too. Decorate in your team’s colors and bring the TV to the patio so everyone can watch the game during the party.

Provide plenty of towels and water

Your towels can match the party theme, or they can be whatever you have available. Just make sure to have plenty of extras! Guests will be going in and out of the hot tub, and nothing’s more uncomfortable than a soaked towel. During cooler fall months, wet towels will get cold much quicker, so guests won’t want to reuse them. Have a rack nearby where everyone can hang their damp towels, and keep dry ones easily accessible. A great option if you’ll be using your spa a lot during cold weather is an outdoor towel warmer. Many pool stores offer these. You can set up an outdoor towel warmer near your hot tub so that you’ll always have a toasty towel when you get out.
Keep bottled water in coolers near your hot tub so guests will rehydrate during and between soaks. You can even make tasty flavored water by adding sliced fruits to a pitcher of ice water.

Have a place where everyone can change

Show guests at the beginning of the party where they can change (an easily accessible bathroom will do just fine), and at that time you can show them where they can put their wet swimsuits when they’re done soaking. You can put a clothes rack in the shower, or use hooks for hanging wet swimsuits. Have plenty of extra towels in the changing room too, along with lotion since hot tubs can sometimes dry out skin.

Save the drinks for after the soak

If you’ll be serving alcohol at your party, save it until everyone is done in the hot tub. Your body sweats in the hot tub and can become dehydrated if you are not replacing the water lost. Alcohol speeds up dehydration, especially if you are drinking alcohol in place of water. The hot water of the hot tub can also lower blood pressure if you’ve been drinking, leading to dizziness and heat exhaustion. For everyone’s safety, don’t mix alcohol with hot tubbing. Save that for afterwards when everyone has dried off!

You’ll have plenty of ways to make your first hot tub party unique, but following the tips above will help you to be sure that all guests are happy, comfortable and safe. Enjoy entertaining in your new hot tub from AquaRest Spas!