To not be the appeal of hot tubs!

[BegoniaBampot]

They seem to be everywhere, are expensive and popular. Why do people have them, how often do they use them. AIBU to just not get it, especially living in the UK - not exactly Beverly Hills or the Gold Coast. Most gardens are surrounded by neighbours who can see your every move. Really what is the appeal and which Mnetters have them?

I'm disappointed. I was expecting a thread about someone that was unhappy that other women were getting loads of attention in the hot tub and the op was jealous.

Because I couldn't figure out how else someone would be the appeal of hot tubs.

I'd love a hot tub. I'd want it somewhere totally private, and I'd want to be in it myself with a glass of wine and a book. I can sit in the bath for an hour, a hot tub would be even better!

LayMizzRarb yes, yes and everyone who thinks hot tubs are naff secretly want one and we are all envious. Whatever.

I do think that one of the issues with hot tubs is that they are clear class indicators in our class ridden country. The mc are far less likely to own one of these things and hackles get raised with people getting defensive and other people getting a little judgemental (and I include myself I think in this).

I think they fall in to the same category as leather sofas and massive tvs and the like which I think have also earned the label 'chavvy' as earlier in the thread.

Whatever.

The water in a hot tub is going to be cleaner than a public swimming pool. If a hot tub holds 1000 gallons of water, and the pump is drawing 200 gallons an hour through the filter, then the water has effectively been filtered every 5 hours. It would take near on a week to filter the water in an Olympic size swimming pool.

Go to Centerparcs and stay in one of their expensive villas and you get a hot tub of your very own for the week. I had one for my 2nd and 3rd 21st birthdays and loved it - but I wouldn't want one at home.

I have a huge tv & quite like sitting in my friends hot tub having a chat & star gazing on frosty nights, I knew I wasn't middle class anymore because mumsnet told me but I hadn't realised I was a chav, what else do I need?

pitbull? lots of jewellery? pearls don't count do they?

Country kitten - judge away lovey. I sometimes shop in Asda, I do have a satellite dish ( kinda fundamental if you want sky TV) I used to smoke as well.

I have a degree, and work in theatre. I sometimes stay in Premier Inns, but I always travel first class on airlines.

I like salad cream, but only drink port if is over 20 years old.

I take people on face value and don't waste time categorising people into class compartments. You see I am very confident and secure about the person I am, and don't feel the need to measure myself against my perceptions of other people. I know a very wide spectrum of people, especially through my work, who come from all different backgrounds, who were educated at Eton, and secondary modern schools, some have manor houses in the Cotswolds, some live in tower blocks in the east end of London. It's curious, but the people who you seem to categorise as 'middle class' are the ones who seem to have an obsession with 'class'. The majority of people I know who live in town houses in Knightsbridge, really don't give a toss how people judge them and certainly would consider it vulgar to feel the need to discuss it in public.

If owning a hot tub makes me working class and chavvy in your eyes then carry on dearie. I CAN'T HEAR YOU ABOVE THE NOISE OF THE HOT TUB!

countrykitten you sound rude, bitter and jealous TBH. They are not for everyone as with many things but why do people need to be so nasty, how can you judge what taste I have. Taste is very personal and actually not for someone else to judge whether someone has any or not.

They are not really full of shitty chemicals, no different to swimming pools and I know that my kids don't wee in the tub they trail water through the house to the loo instead and there are only a few of us that use it so I would imagine they are cleaner than a public swimming pool.

I don't get the big tv thing either - if you have a massive lounge then surely you wouldn't be able to see a 14" tv from miles away.

LayMizz well put, I couldn't agree more.

I am not sure what makes someone middle class or working class or whatever bloody class and really couldn't care less.

Country kitten - I would be very interested in your definition of 'middle class'. As you use it as a label, then maybe you could give us a description of a middle class mumsnetter. Where would they live? What would they call their children? How would they bring them up and educate them? What would they eat and drink? Where would they shop, or go on holiday?
Oh please, tell us - I'm dying to know :-)

The best hot tub I have ever been in was in the winter in New Zealand. After a long day skiing it was AMAZING to stare at the snow covered mountains from the warmth of the spa. Not to mention bliss on my aches and pains after a couple of falls that say.

Nothing chavvy or gross at all. Still alive to tell the tale.

I've secretly hankered after a hot tub since backpacking round New Zealand.

One night was spent in a wonderful little hostel which had an old cast iron bath in the garden. You filled it with cold water from a hose, lit a fire underneath, and when it was hot enough, got in. Cold water trickling in and the embers underneath kept the temperature just right, and a glass of wine and a starry sky, made it one of the most magical nights of my life.

I grew up with them, 1970s childhood. Alright. Nothing to get excited about.

Countrykitten you sound very insecure and thinking in today's society you can judge someone by what they own/how they dress and then categorise them into which 'class' they are...well, its laughable!

Pubic Hair Soup

To be fair though, I was put off them during an extremely gross episode of How Clean Is Your House when they cleaned the faecal matter out of the jets in the whirlpool bath

I was trying to speak in general terms and how I think that some 'status' items are perceived in our class ridden society. I think that hot tubs are seen as rather declasse by certain sections of society and they have a rep because of this but apparently according to MN they are the height of good taste so clearly my perceptions are wrong. Who knew?

I wish I hadn't bothered making any point as this makes me bitter, envious and insecure! What a surprise.

And LayMizzBarb your post did make me laugh! Desperate stealth boasting which is kind of ironic considering the point you are trying to make.

As I said previously - whatever.

Sorry - LayMizzRarb.

Sorry Countrykitten, Did you miss the question? I'm really interested in your list of things that make you 'middle class' in your opinion.

I think its anything that costs money is a class indicator.

I may be wrong but I do believe you have to buy your own furniture fir it to be a indicator of taste and I'm pretty sure that my house has had the same furniture in it for the last 10 or so generations.

Sockreturningpixie, the age of your furniture is irrelevant. Countrykitten has decreed you to be lower than her middle class status as you have a hot tub. How dare you question her judgement? Shame on you. How lower class of you.

It could be worse, you could have a leather (wipecleanable) suite and a big flatscreen TV like I do. Welcome to chavtastic-ville.

I don't think I would like to be middle class if it means I have to fret about stuff like that.

I also have a bag of ready diced frozen onions in the freezer. Countrykitten doesn't even use frozen food. I must be scum of the earth on her scale....

And I once ate a biscuit straight from the packet without putting it on a plate. My bad.

It must be very tiring being so judgey all the time.