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I have been considering a hot tub for some time now. The right opportunity presented itself with the addition of a new deck which included plans to incorporate a hot tub. I'll admit that when I have to part with my hard earned money I become very detailed and analytical in my research. I visited every hot tub dealer within 50 miles and spent hours and days online researching. I've sure learned a lot about hot tubs and would like to share my findings and reasons for choosing the Gulf Coast Spas Boca Grande model. My selection criterion was to find the most spa for the least amount of money that met my core technical, quality, and functional requirements. i.e. not the cheapest spa, but a quality spa at a fair value price point. In my research, I didn't run across the Gulf Coast Spa line until I had researched and reviewed *several* other models. I did not find this brand in any of the "showroom" pool and spa dealers and literally stumbled across an ad in the local paper to find the local dealer. The dealer was a discount furniture store that was also selling Gulf Coast Spas. The dealer setup was not as nice as the big pool and spa stores but my first impression of the spa was very positive. I left the store and started my online research and comparisons against my current leading spa considerations. My findings: I was very impressed with the Gulf Coast Spa website. Very professional and complete. I was also impressed with their focus and commitment to service and 7/24 service and support line. Other selling features were the chemical free system and that the business was a member of the better business bureau with a favorable status. Technical Stats (I made a spreadsheet to compare brands/models): Gulf Coast - Boca Grande - $4,800
Waterfall feature Aromatherapy unit built into spa Closed cell foam headrests Stainless steel grab rail Plastic steps included in price Summary: One thing I always find favorable is having an established price vs. haggling. The price quoted in the paper was the price in the store. No come-ons or up-selling. The dealer did a great job with the delivery of my spa which included a pre delivery visit from the dealer himself during which he took pictures of the delivery site which he then provided to the delivery crew. The delivery crew had their work cut out for them as they had to deliver it in my backyard and set it on the new slab that had been poured to support the hot tub. No issues at all with delivery. I hired a professional electrician for hooking up the spa. The only trick here is getting the right circuit breaker as the Boca requires a 60amp breaker vs. a typical 50amp breaker for most hot tubs (per the electrician). The electrician did call the 7/24 support number and commented on the quality and knowledge of the rep that steered him to the right breaker make and model. I've had the tub up and running for about a month now with zero issues. We've already had a big party where the tub experienced heavy use and performed flawlessly. I am very pleased with the power and variety of jets. The lounge seat is incredible! Both corner seats feature shoulder jets. The seat to the left of the lounge chairs feet was also a favorite of many bathers as this seat provides a good mid and lower back massage. All chairs have built in arm rests which I did not find on many other models. The bubbler system is very powerful and really adds to the hot tub experience. I am very happy with my Gulf Coast Spa Boca Grande and would recommend and buy this hot tub again!
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