When I think of a jacuzzi, I think of a hot tub. Therefore I was quite excited when I saw three or four huge jacuzzis at the Westin Siray Bay. Perhaps stupidly I assumed they would be hot tubs, so late in the evening I changed into my swimming trunks, got a pina colada at…
Continue reading: Someone find me a hot tub!
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I'm with you. A hot tub is one of the things I look forward to in my stay, especially when I'm on vacation. - Lately more often then not the resorts that I have stayed in have not had them. Would sure make us a lot happier if they made that small investment!
Boy, you're a mess Ben (or at least the hotel literature is a mess. 🙂
Jacuzzi is a brand name for a whirlpool, or any tub with jets. While the water may be hot, typically these tubs don't have any additional heating element to keep the water hot. A few do, most don't.
Hot tubs are just that - tubs of hot water. The ones without jets went out of style in the 80's. Wooden barrel hot tubs are probably the best example of that. Most now have jets, so hot tubs typically considered heated whirlpools. They have a heater that keeps the water hot. These are also referred to as spas.
My guess is this was just a pool with jets. Either that or the spa heater was turned off or broken. In any case, they certainly aren't Jacuzzi's 🙂
When I first moved from California to Singapore I was shown an apartment building with a pool and "Jacuzzi". As we walked past the pool I inquired as to where the "Jacuzzi" was located. The agent said I was looking at it (a shallow segment of the pool with jets). As it turned out, nearly every whirlpool in Singapore only offers pool-temp water because the climate is considered too hot and humid for a hot whirlpool. As Thailand has the same climate I presume that is why their whirlpool was cold. For the record, I have never found a cold whirlpool to be worth the effort.
Woah Horsie... Jacuzzi is a brand name. Not all soaking tubs are HOT. It might mbe very Amerikan to assume that all soaking tubs are Hot, but... Sorry to have to say this, but despite your many world travels, I don't think that you've ever stretched your little wings beyond a transplanted North Amerikan experience. Stretch a little bit guy - reach for something new, even if it is cool water. I've enjoyed reading your stuff, but I'm about to explode... You enjoy flying foreign airlines, but only when their 'standards' are an Amerikan suck-up that is better than US Flag carriers. Save a little of the ost country's food, you judge them by Amerikan stnandards. Hotels: Just the same! have you ever slept in a genuine Thai hotel, or bothered to honor Thai cistoms? I suspect not. Finding a cold tub may be 1) a broken tub, 2) after tub hours, or 3) Gawd forbid - a local custom! I don't know, but I pretty darn sure that you Do Not Know - either. And you were there!
I think I read enough of your blog and I say so because - without exception - you seem to judge every every foreign experience as a measure os American standards of luxury. As a part-German young man, you ought to know a little bit better. Thanks for a fun ride, but I've come to believe that your objectives are a bit too jaded for my tastes. Have fun, I guess - but know that you are carrying the image of a 1950s Ugly American in your travel habits. Shame on you!
You know when I was at the JW Marriott Khao Lak this time last year they didn't have a hot tub or jacuzzi (although the pool felt like a pretty big hot tub!), they did have some areas to "lounge" in the water with jets, but there was no warm or hot water.. But the spa did have a legitimate hot water jacuzzi/hot tub, so I'm not sure that it's against Thai custom, its probably like JimSG notes, just a hot climate.
I wouldn't go to Thailand to sit in a hot-tub. Generally it's way too hot. The exception was when my wife and I were in Chiang Mai last December -- it was actually too cold to use the pool.
I got to Thai beach resorts for the beach. Not hotel pools, hot tubs, or soaking tubs. It's one reason the Westin Siray Bay doesn't appeal to me.
Yikes! Harsh comments... I would have assumed they would be hot too as we do live in America and have perceptions based on our experiences. I enjoy reading your blog; thanks for stating your opinions and experiences!
Its a cold plunge pool. A lot of resorts in SE Asia have them. Usually they are next to hot tubs.
Cedarglen-I think Ben was just expressing his disappointment that the pool wasn't hot, something that he assumed it was and was looking forward to. I don't think that it had any huge cultural significance to him or to his host country (It's not as if Thailand is well known Worldwide for it's incredible cold pools) We all make assumptions based on our previous experience and indeed, our own cultures, sometimes we are mistaken, which Ben very clearly points out. You, yourself seem to have made some assumptions about "Amerikans", even a "part German" one. Please remember that he writes primarily for an American audience who may find these "cultural" differences more interesting than you do.