Hot tub bar ideas

Sitting back with an ice cold drink in a bubbling hot tub is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Read on for eight simple hot tub bar ideas that will help you create a spa bar that will be the envy of your friends and family.

Can I drink alcohol in a hot tub?

Before we get into our favourite hot tub bar ideas, let’s settle one thing: is it safe to drink alcohol in a hot tub?

Soaking in a spa and booze both dehydrate you, so it’s definitely not a good idea to go too hard on the drink in your hot tub. At the very least that’s not going to do any favours for your hangover the next morning. And at the worst, you could even come over lightheaded when you stand up to get out of the tub (or even faint if you’re really dehydrated). 

So, make sure you’ve got plenty of iced water on hand around your spa and make every few drinks a glass of water. And think about taking it a bit easier than usual, as drinking when you’re dehydrated from your hot tub will have a similar effect to drinking on an empty stomach. The end results often aren’t pretty!

Get plastic glassware

First things first: glass and hot tubs don’t mix. Everyone will have to get out of your spa if a glass gets smashed in it so you can drain it and make sure every shard is cleaned up. So, while you might feel like you’re putting a damper on the fun by asking everyone to use plastic glasses in your hot tub, they’ll definitely be thanking you if anyone does drop their drink. 

Get a home spa with cup holders

Modern hot tubs come with all kinds of bells and whistles, with some top-of-the-line six-person spas even coming with an app that lets you control their temperature from your phone.

But the best development in home spa technology is still arguably the humble cup holder. Go for a hot tub with cup holders and an ice-cold drink will never be out of arm’s reach. Bliss! 

Bring the bar into your spa

Does your hot tub not have cup holders? Don’t sweat it: just pick up a floating spa bar. Sit your drinks and snacks on one of these handy hot tub accessories and they’ll always be within arm’s reach of all your guests. No more drawing straws to see who has to do the next drinks run!

Invest in a spa with in-built shelving

If you’ve got a bit more space to play with in your garden, it’s well worth investing in a hot tub surrounded by an in-built shelf. This will give you ample room to rest your drinks alongside snacks, towels, books, and anything else you’d like easy access to during your soak. Plus, you won’t have to faff on slotting your glass into a drinks holder every time you put it back – which is especially handy when you’ve had a few!

Use your surroundings

When you’re planning a hot tub bar, the keyword is “surfaces” when it comes to your hot tub landscaping. Got the perfect space for a spa next to a wall that could double-up as a shelf for your drinks and knick knacks? That’s a great spot to install your hot tub if you want to take your hot tub drinking game up a notch (and one that will lend your soaks some extra privacy, too – see our hot tub privacy ideas).

Install an external shelf

Want enough space to sit a champagne bucket – or enough drinks for a hot tub full of thirsty guests? Pick up an external shelf that fits onto the side of your spa and you’ll have more than enough space for hours worth of drinks. Plus, since this nifty accessory keeps your booze out the way, you won’t have to worry about it being knocked over by elbows (especially after you’ve all had a few).

Go all out with hot tub housing

Install your hot tub in housing and you can really let your imagination run wild when it comes to your spa bar, since you won’t need to worry about your decorating ideas getting ruined by the weather. That means you can do your space up to whatever your tastes, whether you fancy your own private tiki bar or want to recreate your local. You can even install a hand pull and have your favourite tipple on tap. Then all you’ll need is a TV on the wall and you’ll never want to leave!

Make your spa the centrepoint of your social space

Last but not least, if you’re serious about entertaining, don’t hide your hot tub away in a corner of your garden. Make it the focal point of your outdoor space to make sure everyone can get involved in your hot tub parties – even if they don’t fancy a soak or they’re taking a break from the tub.

Last orders

So, there you have it: eight simple ways to transform your hot tub into a spa bar. Just don’t blame us if your guests don’t want to leave your next spa-rty!

Pick up your free copy of WhatSpa? magazine for more expert advice on buying, installing, and maintaining a hot tub – as well as our pick of the best buys for any budget.

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