Dear Karen: I wanted to share with you how pleased we are with our new hot tub.  We purchased a FreeFlow TriStar hot tub from Olympic Hot Tub Company earlier this fall.  I know this is a relatively new line of hot tubs for Olympic.  While each person has his/her own priorities in what they want for features in a hot tub, we have found our tub perfect for our needs and believe many others are looking for the same features we were.

Our needs and wishes were fairly simple.  We wanted a hot tub but had limited space, limited electrical load availability (did not want to spend the money for 220V), and did not want to spend $10K on a new hot tub. While researching hot tubs I found there were not that many models these days that were not loaded with more jets than you can count, and extras like light shows and a sound system that can accommodate an Ipod.  I also found few tubs that were true plug-n-play meaning you can plug it into a standard outlet.  Many tubs I came across claimed to be plug-n-play, yet they still required a dedicated circuit.

During my online research I did come across a line of spas from FreeFlow that seemed to fit our needs.  The TriStar model we purchased is true plug-n-play. It is a small triangular model that is perfect for 2 people but can comfortably accommodate 3.  As a triangular model it takes up little space and while we did not do so, it would fit nicely in a corner area.

My research indicated that FreeFlow uses Balboa electronics (known to be reliable) and a good quality pump.   FreeFlow seems to build a simplified tub with a more than an adequate number of jets.  To me “simplified” means less things can go wrong.  And as for the price, FreeFlow models sell for 3-6K, a fraction of what other brands are offered at. While considerably less expensive, my research told me that does not mean “cheap”.

Overall, we are very happy with our choice of the FreeFlow TriStar spa.  It appears to be a good, solid, hot tub that suits all our needs at a more reasonable price point.  We will see how it stands the test of time, but I am happy that Olympic Hot Tub Co. is selling this line as they are the only hot tub dealer in this area who has a long history of standing behind their products. Feel free to share the above information with others who have similar needs to us when considering a hot tub purchase.  I have attached a few photos of our tub.

Sincerely,

Gregg May

Gig Harbor, WA

Thanks to Gregg for writing. I couldn’t have done a better job explaining the benefits of  FreeFlow Spas. As he says, his needs and wishes were fairly simple:  he wanted a small tub of good quality to fit in limited space, reasonably priced AND that would plug into a standard wall outlet without additional wiring. Gregg is a savvy consumer who did his research on spas.  He came to the conclusion that in today’s market there is only one brand of spas that fit all of his needs. Freeflow.  The added bonus: FreeFlow is sold by Olympic.

While the simplicity and small size may not be for everyone, if it fits your requirements, check out a FreeFlow Spa. It’s a great little spa that will bring you years of enjoyment!

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

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Dear Olympic:
I don’t really have a question but rather a comment. I have bought two Hot Spring Spas and with my second one I purchased a stereo system with it. The stereo system failed I was distraught as I am a widow on a fixed income. I called for service and this nice young man named Soltia Phan came to my rescue he quickly diagnosed the problem but there was no cheap fix so I thought that I would have to do without my beloved rock n roll while using my hot tub. Then I got a call from your service department from Soltia who had talked it over with Dennis Blair, the Service Coordinator, and they found a part that would fix my stereo system. Soltia came out and fixed it without cost to me for just customer satisfaction. Needless to say I am very impressed and grateful that you would go the extra mile to help me and keep me as a very satisfied customer. Thank you very much in a time when everyone is having financial difficulties it is great to know a company who still puts customers first. Sincerely, E. B., Hot Spring Spa Vanguard Owner, Ollala, WA

Thanks to Sotia  for his quick thinking and willingness to go the extra mile to help our customer in Ollala.  And, thanks to E.B. for sharing her story. After all, what’s a hot tub soak without Rock ‘n’ Roll?

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

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Olympic Hot Tub Company Hot Spring Spa owner Nancy Juetten of Bellevue, WA sent her best tip to Redbook Magazine for connecting with her husband and keeping the intimacy and love flowing between them while managing a teenage son and two busy careers:

Soak up the love: “My husband and I both work from home, so relaxed couple time is in short supply. To get away from all of our day-to-day tasks, we take ‘breaks’ in our hot tub. Even if we’re soaking in silence, we can hold hands and be together in a lovely way that has nothing to do with being productive.”
—Nancy Juetten, 46, Bellevue, WA

This is sound advice for all of us who during the holidays will be swept up in busyness and “to dos”. I know I’ve get so stressed during the holidays trying to get everything done that I often forget what’s really important. Nancy’s suggestion to keep it simple, keep it real and keep your relationship in balance is easy to do thanks to the hot tub. So bring it all back to what’s most important.  Sitting quietly holding hands in the hot tub paints a beautiful picture. Thank you for sharing this insight, Nancy.  Continued happy soaking and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is a serious business!

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.

Hi Val,

My family and I are enjoying our new hot tub.  Thank you so much for  the assistance and the level of service we received was outstanding.

Many Thanks!

Randy, Melissa and the entire Williams family! Happy owners of a Limelight Hot Tub Flair model.

It doesn’t get any better than that! Your whole family would love a hot tub, too.  I guarantee it!

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.

To Alice at Olympic Hot Tub,

I am happy to share my experience with SilkBalance with you all.  Before I started using SilkBalance I was experiencing a continuous difficulty with dry skin.  Since using SilkBalance my skin is never dry even when I have spent 2 hours in my Hot Springs Hot Tub enjoying the conversation of friends.  SilkBalance has also totally eliminated the cloudy water issues I use to have frequently.  I am totally in LOVE with SilkBalance and feel it is well worth the extra cost.  It means I can enjoy my Hot Springs Spa even more.  Thanks SilkBalance!

Barb Apple

McKenna,WA

Tiger River Siberian

Thanks to Barb for writing about her experience with SilkBalance. She is just one of hundreds of Hot Spring owners who have made the switch to SilkBalance natural water care for spas and hot tubs. Added benefits: no mixing or testing. You don’t have to add pH up, down, alkalinity and the like.  Add SilkBalance once a week and your hot tub stays in perfect balance.  Sound like it’s too good to be true?  I was skeptical, very skeptical when I first heard about it, but now use it exclusively in my own hot tub which I use almost every night.  Since the start of winter I haven’t even finished using a 5oz bottle of skin lotion. Normally I would go through 5 oz every two weeks.

You have to try it! You’ll become a believer like Barb Apple and me.

SAUNM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Healing.

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.

Ron said that his job is easy because “we stand behind the products we sell and treat our Service Technicians as important to the business.”

Our service techs are vital to our business. They’re in the field daily doing an excellent job and getting our customers back into hot water or just doing a pre-warranty expiration check-up as this letter speaks to.

January 22, 2010
Dear Olympic,
Hard to believe that we were approaching our 5 year anniversary for our Hot Spring Spa from Olympic.! I was reminded of that fact by your postcard alerting me that we were nearing the end of our manufacturer’s warranty. That postcard exhibited great customer service on the part of Olympic, but it was your service technician, Ron, who defined what great customer service is all about.

Less than a week after we responded to your postcard, Ron showed up to perform a thorough spa check-up, and identified several issues that needed attention. His experience and expertise allowed him to pinpoint two issues that had not yet resulted in a problem, but, in his opinion, were likely to become a problem in the near future. Both were corrected and covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.

Olympic Hot Tub Company has always stood above the crowded field of spa retailers,and I have recommended you to some of our friends with confidence. I now have a renewed passion for your company based upon the excellent service provided by Ron. I hope you will honor him with a little praise for a job well done.
Congratulations,
Rick & Kellie Lawton
Redmond, WA 98053

Thanks to Rick & Kellie  for taking the time to write and expressing their appreciation for Ron and Olympic.  Of course we “threw a party” for Ron and continue to tell him (and our other techs) what a great job he’s doing.  We sent him on a trip to the Hot Spring factory ahead of his scheduled time.  The Service Center staff was  really “blown away” by this letter.

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

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“In May 2009, my husband and I bought a hot tub from Olympia Hot Tub Company in Lacey, WA. During the time we bought our hot tub the company had a special where you would receive a 4 night cruise certificate for the Bahamas, Western Caribbean, or Mexico. My husband and I chose to go to the Bahamas January 10, 2010 on the Carnival Sensation.

We left from Port Canaveral, Florida on January 10 and came back January 14. The first full day of the cruise we spent docked at Freeport.  In Freeport we spent the day shopping and lying around on the beach until we left for Nassau. We arrived at Nassau the very next morning and stayed until the following morning. In Nassau we checked out some of the local shops, went snorkeling in the afternoon, laid around on a private beach, and in the evening went out to a local restaurant to eat dinner. The third and last day we spent at sea on our way back to Port Canaveral.

The cruise had different activities everyday of the cruise including dance lessons, bingo, how to make towel animals and much more. In the evenings they would have a show for everyone either a comedian or the sensation dancers would put on a Vegas type show. The ship also had casinos, dance clubs, restaurants and shops. You were never left with nothing to do on the ship. The food was as amazing as the entertainment and never ending.

One of the evenings we even had a formal night in the main dining area which was nice to dress up for the evening. We would have never gone on a cruise without getting this certificate and it was amazing. The best thing about it is we didn’t just get a cruise we also have a hot tub that we use every night. Thanks again to Exelane in the Lacey Olympic Hot Tub Company store for selling us a wonderful hot tub AND watching our dog, Buddy, so we could go on this cruise of a lifetime.”

Jessica and Avinesh Chand
Olympia, WA

Thanks to Jessica & Avinesh for writing and sharing their cruise vacation. A hot tub and a cruise! What could be better? A cruise for the vacation of a lifetime and a hot tub for a vacation every day. It doesn’t get any better than that.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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Here’s a great example of customer service to the max! One of our sales staff, Exelane, in the Lacey Olympic Hot Tub Company store sent me this email about something that she had done for a customer that was over the top…although looking after Buddy was really fun she said!

Hi Alice,

I wanted to let you know about a family who purchased a hot tub from me earlier last year. When they came in the store, there were just in the neighborhood shopping around for furnishings for their new home (just moved to Washington from overseas 2 weeks prior). When they came in they told me they weren’t currently looking for a hot tub and had to go buy a whole house worth of furniture. Then they overheard me talking to another couple about the promotion that we were having: all hot tub buyers that month would get a gift of a cruise for two. They were so excited at the thought of getting a cruise and a hot tub at their house, it couldn’t be better! They purchased the Hot Spot Trinidad model and absolutely love it! They left Tuesday the 5th to go on their cruise (first real vacation for them). Funny thing is… they had the hot tub delivered before they were able to get all the furniture for their house delivered! (we work fast) And guess what?? I’m watching their dog Buddy!!! He is a little Yorkshire terrier, and is getting along great with my two small dogs and cat.  (That’s Buddy pictured above). When they get back they promised some pictures of their trip!

Best Wishes,
Exelane

That’s service! Thanks, Exelane for always showing so much enthusiasm for your job and willingness to go the extra mile for every customer. Stay tuned for a letter from the cruising couple.

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.

We have had our last Sunstar Spa cover over 5 years and it looked like new but was getting heavy. So we decided to purchase a new Sunstar Spa cover to replace it. We wanted the same type cover because of the longevity, performance and quality of the product proven by the last one.

The cover is an “evergreen” color which matches the natural surroundings. It blends well with the redwood color spa base. Together they match all the evergreen trees around our home and it is aesthetically very eye appealing. We get many compliments on it.

We have been very pleased with its ability to help insulate the spa in very cold weather (such as snow and ice). It helps maintain a constant temperature. This allows us to use the spa at anytime with the confidence it will be hot.

I would recommend the Sunstar Spa cover to anyone who is seeking quality, performance and long life expectancy for their spa.

Sincerely
Ray and Manuela Buran
Marysville, Washington
2004 Hot Spring Jetsetter Owners

PS: Our cat also loves to sit on it.

Thanks to Ray & Manuela for writing and sharing their hot tub cover story.  Olympic Hot Tub Company is the largest retail dealer for Sunstar Spa covers. Our customers have appreciated them since 1985. If you’re in the market for a new hot tub cover (with winter almost here-now’s the time if your cover is torn or too heavy to lift), check out Sunstar Spa covers.  Our biggest cover sale of the year is on now through the end of the year. We’re making it easy for you to take it easy.

RES EST SERVA VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

In October 2009, Viesturs and David Roberts published the book K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain, which tells the story of six expeditions to the world’s second tallest mountain.  Ed just finished a trip up Mt. Everest this past June. The reviews have been terrific for his book and I can’t wait to read it-as long as I don’t have to go on that trip.

It was the seventh Everest summit for Viesturs, of Bainbridge Island, who retired from Himalayan climbing in 2006, after becoming the first American to climb the world’s 14 tallest peaks without using supplemental oxygen. This time he climbed Everest without bottled oxygen until the summit day.

I love his quote: “Going up is optional. Coming down is mandatory.”  Soaking in his Hot Spring Spa may sound boring after climbing Everest. Ed uses it as part of his training program-soaking after intense workouts for deep relaxation and muscle pain relief.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.