Chris Bolte, president of Agean Bath and Spa in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, says he was one the first dealers to order the new Vita Salon Spa from MAAX Spas. Released on April 1, Bolte had the prototype as soon as it came from the factory.
Agean sold nearly 10 Vita Salon models within the first two months of having it on the showroom floor. Bolte says he believes what’s making this hot tub so popular with homeowners is the new double lounger design.
“There are people who come in and love a lounger [seat] and, a lot of times, it’s a fight on who gets that lounger spot with the family using the hot tub,” Bolte says. “[Now] I have a hot tub that has two loungers.”
Having a double lounger in the Vita Spa 500 series was the main motivation for the creation of the Salon model, says Robert Lange, director of marketing and brand management for MAAX Spas. “Research and development worked with our dealers, consumers and design team to take the best seats from favorite Vita Spa hot tubs and create an amazingly comfortable double lounge hot tub,” Lange says.
The Vita Spa line now has 21 hot tubs and six swim spas. The Salon measures 92 by 92 by 38 inches and was developed to hit the mid to upper market segmentation of buyers, with a retail price between $8,000 and $9,000.
“We find that second-time buyers love the idea of two lounge seats,” says John Napodano, president of Pettis Pool & Patio in Hilton and East Rochester, New York, which brought in the Salon in time for its spring hot tub expo in April. “It was the first model that sold at the event. [MAAX] offers a very sellable and serviceable hot tub at fair market prices. So this addition to their line simply expanded that.”
Bolte says the double lounger often appeals to couples. “It’s kind of like his-and-hers loungers,” he says. “One is a few inches longer and a little bit deeper than the other. So a lot of people like that there’s two different positions. [It’s hard to find] that full-on double lounger with the legs stretched out like it was a [recliner] chair design.”
MAAX as a company began in 1969 in the fiberglass and metal industry. In the late 1990s, MAAX expanded into the spa sector with the acquisition of companies like Coleman Spas, Savannah, Vita Spas and Infiniti. And, in 2017, MAAX Spas merged with American Bath Group to create a synergy between the bath and spa industry. During this time, Lange says MAAX created a solid reputation by providing appliance-grade hot tubs across all its brands.
The Vita Salon, Lange says, continues to uphold those values with additional features such as the steel-frame construction, Northern Exposure insulation system and the Aqua Nova UV/ozone system. “[Vita Salon has] low energy costs, best quality and a great warranty,” Lange says. “It’s one of those hot tubs you can truly get five adults into, even with the double lounger. It’s an easy transition.”
Additional features/options on the Vita Salon Spa:
- Two 6.0 bhp 2-speed, fully electronic, 56-frame pumps
- Powerpack with M7 technology
- CleanZone Ultra ozone/UV system
- SmartTouch 2 control
- Champagne Air
- Vita Tunes
- Circulation pump
- WiFi connectivity
- BlueMAAX
- Perma-Shield bottom pan
- Excel-X siding
- 53 Halo Pro-Loc stainless-steel jets
- Illuminated control valves and drink holders