There’s nothing quite like stepping into a bubbling hot tub at the end of a long day to melt away your stress, especially when you can enjoy the backdrop of nature. Whether you’re dreaming of a hot tub integrated with your pool or a tub with a serene water feature, the right outdoor hot tub design can transform your backyard into a spa-like oasis. From cozy hideaways to showstopping setups, these ideas prove that relaxation starts right at home.
Whether you’re looking to create a peaceful place to unwind or an inviting space to entertain, these outdoor hot tub designs prove that a backyard retreat is more attainable than ever. With the proper setup, you won’t need a weekend getaway — your spa sanctuary will be just steps from your door. Continue below to see our collection of amazing outdoor hot tub designs.
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1. Built-In Tub That Spills Into A Pool.
Take luxury to the next level with a hot tub that seamlessly overflows into a swimming pool, creating a resort-style ambiance. The backyard of a home in Louisiana features a lakefront natural pool and spa along with water stepping stones. The name and color of the spa tile is Blackies Blend, sourced from National Pool Tile. (via Selective Designs)
2. Create Privacy With A Pergola.
A wooden pergola with climbing vines creates a sense of intimacy and shade while maintaining an open-air feel. This built-in Western Red Cedar hot tub is a premade unit with a custom-designed wood surround, stairs, and planter box. It is on a roof deck. The lattice is made up of Cedar Lattice/Frame and Brass rods. It is offset from the columns and is attached to them and the pergola above at periodic spacers, which is how it appears to float. (via Colin Smith Architecture)
3. Hot Tub With An Elevated Deck.
An underused backyard in Oregon was converted into a modern outdoor living space. This cedar soaking tub was sourced from Zen Bathworks. The decking is made of ipe hardwood, and the fence is constructed from stained cedar. This spa-like aesthetic blends beautifully into the landscape. The bamboo is a standard clumping bamboo, which is easy to find and grow in Oregon, where the climate is just right for it. The bamboo stands straight when it’s newer growth. It requires pruning to keep the stand neat. The planter is cast concrete. (via Howells Architecture + Design)
4. Sunken Hot Tub With A View.
A home in Whitefish Lake, Montana, features this expansive lakefront deck and hot tub. The sunken hot tub is surrounded by plenty of seating to relax and enjoy the heavenly views. Large trees provide shade and privacy in this backyard oasis. See the rest of this fabulous home tour: Mountain lakefront Getaway in Montana Captures Breathtaking Views. (via Stillwater Architecture)
5. Hot Tub with Seating Surround.
In Walnut Creek, California, this hot tub design was inspired by the owner’s favorite Canadian lakeside retreat. To bring this experience home, the Landscape Architects designed the pool and spa with a ‘dock-style’ sitting area, a jumping platform, Baja shelf seating, and sand beach entry, tucking strawberries into the rockwork to recreate the memory of picking them at the lake. The integration of the tub with the built-in seating area provides a seamless look that’s perfect for entertaining. (via Montgomery Robbins)
6. Tucked in the Trees.
Set your hot tub beneath the canopy of trees for a feeling of seclusion. This spa is a Hatteras Stainless steel 83″ polygonal Spa with a depth of 3′ made by Bradford Products. It was created using a stainless steel frame with Cedar exposed decking material. The operable tub cover was created using the same stainless steel frame and Cedar exposed decking material as the rest of the deck. To make the spa cover operable using a remote control, an operating mechanism (similar to one that would operate an entry gate) was used. (via Projects General Construction)
7. Small Hot Tub Deck.
A partially recessed stainless steel spa with tile trim is featured in this compact backyard in San Francisco, California. The tile surround is set into a Western Red Cedar deck for a finished look. (via Bradford Products)
8. Fire And Water Combo.
Pair your hot tub with a fire pit or outdoor fireplace to create the ultimate relaxing retreat, especially on cool nights. The stone for this custom-designed hot tub and fireplace was sourced from Eldorado Stone, adding to the overall beauty of this backyard oasis. (via Eldorado Stone)
9. Stone Surround Spa.
Natural stone cladding around your tub adds an elevated look, blends beautifully with the outdoors, and creates a feeling of intimacy. The hot tub is a Western Red Cedar tub from Roberts Hot Tubs, situated on a deck and surrounded by walls and stone pillars that overlook the property. (via Simmonds & Associates)
10. Urban Rooftop Spa.
If you live in the city, why not enjoy an amazing skyline view while soaking in a peaceful wooden tub? It brings the luxury of a high-end spa home. Be sure to check that your building allows (and can handle the weight) of a hot tub before you bring your plans to fruition. The Corten ball came from Big Daddy Antiques in San Francisco, California. (via Siol Studios)
11. Build A Privacy Wall.
This unique circular hot tub in a backyard in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, features a semi-spiral staircase built from durable sandstone in soft shades of gray and beige. The spa features tall walls that offer a feeling of intimacy. (via Gib – San Pools Ltd.)
12. Opt For An Inflatable Hot Tub.
For a budget-friendly, attractive, practical, and energy-efficient solution, try an inflatable hot tub. A bright orange shade was selected to add a burst of color to this backyard in Palm Springs, California. (via @dazey_desert_house)
13. Shade Garden Around A Hot Tub.
A cozy hot tub niche nestles into a lovely shade garden for relaxation and privacy. The hot tub was sourced from @customqualitypools, and the landscaping is by @pmclandscape. (via @mcldllc / Instagram)
14. Perch With A Scenic View.
Position your hot tub to take full advantage of a dramatic view — whether it’s a mountain range, lake, or forest — for an instant sense of escape. This stainless steel hot tub has a cover. (via Diamond Spas)
15. Soaking In The View.
View from an 18″ raised spa overlooking a vanishing edge pool and Lake Worth, Texas. The sloped backyard created challenges, but it also offered fabulous views. (via Farley Pool Designer)
16. Mosaic Tile Spa.
Overlooking the water in Cooper City, Florida, this stunning mosaic tile spa features custom fire bowls, providing the perfect relaxing atmosphere. (via Van Kirk & Sons Pools and Spas)
17. Shade With A Gazebo.
This installation features a portable Jacuzzi that was lowered into a deck, and a glass roof gazebo was built over it. This helps to provide shelter from the elements while still allowing in filtered natural light. (via Mission Valley Spas)
18. Cozy Corner Hot Tub.
Consider integrating a hot tub into a private, walled garden, such as this one in the backyard of a home in Winnetka, Illinois. This outdoor spa has an auto-cover and a brick privacy wall with a sconce water feature. Natural blue-stone patio with recycled clay paver accents. (via North Shore Hardscapes)
19. Water Feature Accent.
Add the soothing sound of trickling water with a small waterfall or fountain feature built into the backdrop of your hot tub. This infinity-edge spa with a water feature is designed to be a visual work of art. The wall features custom Bobe water scuppers, is veneered with ledgestone, and has a Lueders limestone cap and ends. (via AquaTerra Outdoors)
20. Japanese-Inspired Soaking Tub.
Tucked into a heavily forested hillside in Maine, this cedar hot tub on a large deck takes inspiration from traditional Japanese soaking tubs. Its simple, circular design and serene forest and lake views create a calming retreat. (via Leslie Saul & Associates)
21. Let Nature Be The Backdrop.
The siting and design of the spa were centered on the concept of water filling a void where a boulder may once have been located. By painstakingly preserving the adjacent boulder during construction, integrating site boulders within the spa, and using native stone around the spa, this concept is achieved. Plants surrounding the spa further integrated it into its context. (via Richardson & Associates, Landscape Architects)
22. Modern Zen Spa.
This is a self-contained Sundance Spa. It is partially set into the ground with the rear (access panels) accessible. An Ipe deck was built around it. Thick hedges and mature growth trees frame the hot tub, creating a feeling of intimacy. (via Environmental Design Services)
23. Terrace Hot Tub With A View.
The spa and pool on this property in Carmel Valley, California, were designed by Zeterre Landscape Architecture and installed by Wildwood Aquatech Pools, based in Fresno. The hot tub is set on an angle to maximize views of the canyon. The tub’s concrete surround is set into a beautiful wooden deck with clean lines and minimal details. (via Zeterre Landscape Architecture)
24. Tropical Stone Spa.
Surrounded by lush greenery, this sleek stone hot tub creates a private, spa-like escape right in the backyard. This structural spa, with a deepened foundation and subtle water jets, creates a sense of a tropical retreat in the backyard of a Los Feliz, California, home. (via Riviera Pools & Spas)
25. A Hot Tub And Pool Combo.
This stunning hot tub has a stone surround with steps wrapped around the tub for simple access. The tub spills into the swimming pool, allowing one to soak for a while and then conveniently hop into the pool to cool down. Lanterns surround the tub for evening ambiance. A pair of fire bowls enhances the overall ambiance, creating a spa-like atmosphere. (via Town & Country Pools, Inc.)
26. Minimalist Desert Spa.
Use stones, succulents, and simple lines to create a serene and low-maintenance desert-inspired oasis. The steps leading up to the hot tub are pre-cast concrete and were ordered through Pacific Stone Design in Santa Ana, CA. The steps are Gaviota model. The coping depth is 19 inches, and the step depth is 14 inches.
27. Create A Spa-Like Oasis.
A backyard in San Diego, California, features this spa-like oasis with tropical plants, a water feature, and a hot tub. This spa is 8′ x 8′ water ( coping adds another 16″ all around). It is faced with a precast product from Napa Valley Cast Stone in a neutral color and sand finish. The water line tile is bronze colored glass mosaic. The approximate cost is $32,000. (via Debora Carl Landscape Design)
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