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Lay-Z-Spa have earned a reputation as hot tub masters – so how does the Monaco match up to expectations? We performed an in-depth review to try and find out.
Lay-Z-Spa have an opulent range of hot tubs, each with different benefits. Some are made for two people, others are made for 6, but all come with less of a price point than the astronomical costs of a regular, permanent hot tub.
The Monaco is designed to fit up to 8 adults and carries over four hundred gallons of water. With such large specs, it looks like we have our work cut out with the review process. Nevertheless, let’s put it through the rigorous testing of our categories and find out if it lives up to the hype.
The Benefits of an Inflatable Hot Tub?
Many people first ask what the benefits are of having a hot tub in the home. Some gym users already understand the importance of the long soak in an airjet stream, for soothing the aches and pains of tired, worn-down muscles.
The truth is that hot tubs have long since been touted as a great way for athletes to soothe the aches of a hard session in the gym. They are similarly brilliant for being able to recuperate damaged muscle tissue, ligaments, tendons, and even broken bones.
As well as being soothing for damaged tissue, the home hot tub is an excellent way to soothe away stress at the end of a hard day. Have your friends around and make it a social occasion… what could be better than a night spent sipping cocktails from your very own hot tub? There are certainly few things that could be more relaxing.
A hot tub will improve your flexibility by loosening up all those tense body parts. It can be excellent for relieving symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Arthritis. There are even reviews from people who have used them to help their autistic children. So as well as having a home-help in terms of pain management for the long term, you also have somewhere to relax easily at the end of the day.
Hot tubs are for everyone, but the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco almost actively encourages you to get your friends over. Enjoy the space of a full pool to yourself – or party with your buddies.
A Quick Overview
The pros and cons of the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Airjet for all those who are in a hurry. Here’s the at-a-glance version:
Pros of the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub
- Fits 6-8 people at once
- Heats up to 40 degrees
- Attractive light blue coloured innards, deeper blue exterior
- 86 jet patented Lay-Z-Spa airjet massage system
- Digitally controlled, comes with air pump and thermostat
- Ready to fill in 10 minutes
Cons of the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub
- Heats 1-1.5 degrees per hour
- Takes 407 gallons to fill
- Needs 7 metres of space
What’s Included when you Buy a Monaco Hot Tub?
When you make the investment to buy a Monaco Hot Tub, you don’t have to buy the parts separate. Rather, the box comes with all the bits and pieces you need to make for a relaxing evening of it.
It includes one rigid inflatable part, which will make up the main body of your hot tub. This needs to be blown up to begin using your hot tub, but don’t panic because the boffins at Lay-Z-Spa actually added an air pump into the box too, to help you out.
You will find that the hot tub package has two lids. One is an inflatable lid that you can use while the hot tub is cooling or heating. You will receive a second, imitation leather lid, which clips securely into place. This is the lid you should use when you are storing your hot tub or when it is not in use. Don’t put both lids on as it heats up as this will result in trapped hot air!
You will receive the heater pump necessary to bring the Monaco Lay-Z-Spa hot tub up to your desired temperature. 2 filter cartridges will come with the set so that you are able to keep the water both moving and clean. On that note, they also include a chemical float, which will dispense chlorine around the pool and stop the spread of germs and/or bacteria through the water. While this is fabulous, you will have to buy the cleaning products for yourself.
The Monaco hot tub package arrives with the inclusion of a pressure gauge. This allows you to monitor the pressure, so you know there isn’t a build up of steam. The whole thing will be set up so that it can be controlled digitally, through that pump which attaches to the side. This keeps the electronics away from the water.
To add the cherry on top of the already bountiful hot tub cake, the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco inflatable hot tub comes with a maintenance and setup DVD. They have left you absolutely no reasons why you shouldn’t take a dip. Even the technophobe is accounted for!
The Lay-Z-Spa Brand
The hot tub is actually sold through Bestway, who are the manufacturer behind the Lay-Z-Spa range. They have clawed their way up through the ranks to become one of the best-selling inflatable hot tub brands in the UK – maybe even the best. They have a wide, varied mix of hot tubs, capable of meeting anyone’s needs.
As a brand, Lay-Z-Spa are incredibly proud of being one of the most often 5-star rated hot tub manufacturers on the market. Inflatable or otherwise, they account for a top favourite among UK buyers. They have 894 five star reviews on Trustpilot and 1390 on Amazon, making them one of the highest regarded manufacturers in the western world.
Lay-Z-Spa are the brainchild of the Bestway brand, a wholesale firm established in 1976. They are one of the leading food and drink wholesalers in the UK, with a hugely diverse product range. Lay-Z-Spa was established by this trusted high street name, who established the Bestway Inflatables and Material Corp in 1994. Since then they have come up with creation after creation, all with your comfort and spa facilities in mind.
Nowadays, you can choose from any number of Lay-Z-Spa inflatable hot tubs. The Monaco is one of the bigger models, but they start from two person hot tubs and grow from there. If you are looking for a slightly smaller hot tub, see the 4-6 person Vegas model, or the 2-4 person Miami version.
Setup of your Monaco Lay-Z-Spa Hot Tub
When you have your hot tub into the space that you would like it to remain, you can set up the air pump and start inflating it. The whole inflation process should take around ten minutes, should everything go to plan. Once fully inflated, you will be ready to start filling your hot tub with water. It is important that you do not turn on your heat or air pump until the pool is filled.
Once totally full, replace the inflatable cover and set the pool to heat. The Monaco Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub will heat at a rate of between 1-1.5 degrees per hour. You will need to plug it in and leave it to heat for a while before it is ready to use. You should only place cold, clean water in your hot tub to fill it.
Should you need more detailed instructions, you will find they are included within the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub maintenance and setup DVD. Be sure to watch it in full before you set up, just in case there are any issues, or steps that you are unsure of.
Features of the Monaco
The Lay-Z-Spa doesn’t just come with the benefit of the Bestway reputation and the ability to fit 8 people – no. It is so much more than that. The Monaco represents the freedom to enjoy the warmth of the tropics in your own English back garden, pool room, or wet room.
The Lay-Z-Spa hot tub range has many best sellers, but the Monaco is best for those that are looking for a big pool and plenty of space. It’s ideally made for those with a large family, who want a hot tub big enough for everyone – but that doesn’t come with a price big enough that you need a second mortgage to afford it.
With all this in mind, we listed the features that make this a special hot tub… and it isn’t just about size.
Stand out Features of the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub
- Holds 407 gallons of water when full
- That water is pumped through 86 different airjets, which cause massage-power bubbles to circulate the water.
- Heats up to 40 degrees, at a rate of between 1.0 and 1.5 degrees
- Weighs 1,973 kg when filled, or 46 kg when not filled
- Fits 6-8 people at once, more, according to some reviewers
- Comes with an air pump for faster inflation and is ready to fill within ten minutes
- Heats up in 48 hours of first filling
- Comes with two covers, one inflatable, one leather, both offer different degrees of safe storage
- Pressure gauge built in and full digital control panel
- Attractive ‘pool’ blue colours, lighter on the inside than out
- Easy to keep clean with a pool cleaner float as standard
- Great price
- The indoor and outdoor use factor
These are but our favourite features from the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub model. You will likely find your own favourite features, should you become a proud new owner.
Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Airjet Buyer’s Considerations
Just as there are things that we love, there are things that we don’t always understand. We aren’t all hot tub experts, after all. We thought we would help out with a pre-emptive nod towards a hot tub buyer’s guide.
If you want to buy a new hot tub, below are some of the factors you should take into consideration. We will measure these considerations against the Monaco and see how it turns out.
Dimensions
The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub requires a room with 7 metres squared of space. Otherwise, the same space but outdoors. It has exact dimensions of 201 cm x 69 cm, weighs 1,973 kg, and uses 407 gallons of water to fill. It is big enough to comfortably fit 6-8 people, although some reviewers say you can fit more in it.
Other hot tubs might have 2-4, 4-6, or even 8-10 persons worth of space. The best way to decide how big your hot tub should be is to measure the amount of space you have. Obviously, we would always suggest that you buy the largest model possible for your space, since this will bring about optimal comfort.
Colour
You can choose a hot tub in limited colours. This is because they are generally designed to fit in with their surroundings. White, black, or blue outer lining is common, with white, light blue, or light green a common inner lining colour. It is fairly uncommon for the inner and outer lining to be the same colour, although they are often complimentary to one another.
The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub has a deep-but-bright outer blue that is reminiscent of a real swimming pool. The inner lining is actually a light blue, which allows you to see any dirt or contaminants that may have fallen in your home hot tub between uses. These elegant blue shades allow you to subtly announce to the neighbours that you have bought a hot tub. Don’t be surprised if they happen to show up with a towel and a swimsuit!
Indoor or Outdoor Hot Tub?
This is a tough decision if you have ample space. Once you have blown up and filled your hot tub, it will be too weighty to move. Besides anything else, the water will pour out if you try to move it – so it has to remain in the place where it is filled. This means you need to decide before you go out and buy one, where you are going to put it.
The best hot tubs money can buy are outdoor and indoor compliant. If you have a garage, all the better. The hot tub can stand inside it and the door can open for you to enjoy the outdoor feeling. Some hot tubs are made exclusively for indoor or for outdoor use. Be aware of this at the time of purchase so you can choose accordingly.
Being one of the best 6-8 person hot tub on the UK market, the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. If using indoors, ensure your room has 7 metres squared of space or more. If using outdoors, ensure you have an outdoor-friendly extension cord so that you have a power supply with which to heat your hot tub.
Digital Features of the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco
Any inflatable hot tub worth its weight in water will have a digital control panel nowadays. The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco has a digital control panel which is placed on top of the heater and pump. This means that you can set it to timer and get into your hot tub, but that you can’t reach those controls once you are inside.
Temperature of your Hot Tub
Hot tubs don’t tend to get any hotter than 40 degrees centigrade. This temperature is like a very hot bath and can be too much for people. Any warmer than this would be uncomfortable and would risk damaging the occupants.
The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub is equally as temperate as other models, with a maximum temperature of 40 degrees. Again, since this might be too hot for you, you are able to set it to a timer to click off when it reaches your preferred temperature. The in-tub system will keep that temperature, throughout.
Safety Features
Most modern hot tubs will come with in-built safety features. Our favourites include the digital control panel set at a distance from the water, the chlorine dispensing pool floats that keep your water clean and prevent contamination by bacteria or mould – and an automatic sensor that stops the pool from overheating.
The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub has all three of these, with particularly good sensors. When you set the temperature and the time, the digital controls will maintain that temperature, for that amount of time. When it switches off, the water will cool slightly. After a while, if it drops a full degree, the heater will kick back on again and heat your water up.
This means you always get consistent, reliable temperature controls with the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub. You can set it, get in, and relax in the knowledge that it will keep the heat.
Warranty and Guarantee
The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub comes with up to two years warranty for defects and design faults. If it arrives faulty, get back on to the company and get them to send a fresh one. If, for some reason, it rips or tears, leaks, or otherwise doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can get a refund or a new model. However, if you have done something to cause the damage other than natural wear and tear, it is likely they won’t refund you.
What Customers Love about the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Airjet?
Below, we have listed the things that consumers enjoyed most about the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Airjet hot tub, according to the reviews we searched through. We wanted to bring you as accurate an overview as possible on this large hot tub for up to 8 people, so you can make the right decision and go ahead and buy one.
The Temperature
One of the best things about this hot tub is the temperature. The majority of people we found agreed that the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco airjet hot tub is toasty warm without being so hot that it scalds them. Many even find that 40 degrees is actually too hot for them and turn the heat down to around the 36 degrees point. This is a consistent comment we have come across in the past across our many hot tub reviews.
The Size
The Monaco Lay-Z-Spa inflatable hot tub for your home is large enough to hold the whole family – including gran and grandpa. The huge volume of over 400 gallons of water make it one of the biggest, best, and safest, models on the market for this price point. To get the same quality of hot tub in the UK, you would need to buy one as a permanent installation in your home… which could see you spending thousands, and leads us to our next point…
The Price
While nobody will deny that a home hot tub is a luxury, we can’t all afford, the price is something that can only be seen as a plus point. For the same average spend, you would be able to afford a mediocre two person installation home hot tub. You would not expect such good quality and craftsmanship to have come with an inflatable model, but Lay-Z-Spa have an exemplary reputation in precisely this.
The Service
When it comes to any issues whatsoever with the pool, reviewers were quick to praise the help they received. Lay-Z-Spa and Bestway both have UK offices, meaning that your query will be dealt with, within the UK. You will be speaking with people who understand your accent and your culture – making customer service quick, painless, and painfully polite because we are all Brits.
The Setup Process
Both in terms of speed and in terms of ease, the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub couldn’t be simpler. It exceeds expectations when customers realise that it inflates in ten minutes. Once filled (filling with water takes the longest, maybe even up to three hours, depending on water pressure in your area), your pool heats to ready within 48 hours.
From the point of sale, you could be set up and enjoying your hot tub in as little as ten days – maybe even less!
The Airjets
Lay-Z-Spa patented their very own type of air massage stream that works underwater as you enjoy your hot tub. This model has 86 jets, each aiming water streams out in different directions to provide you with the ultimate in spa-day experiences. You don’t even have to turn them all on at once if you don’t want to.
What Customers Disliked about the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Airjet?
Just like there are points about the Monaco model that everyone agreed were perfect, there are points that not everyone enjoyed, too. This isn’t anything to do with the quality of the model, mind you, but is usually more to do with personal taste.
For example, you have no idea how many people want this model in black or white. Alas, it is blue. There is very little that can be done about it.
The Filling Time
Depending on how good the water pressure is in your area, it can take quite some time to fill up the Monaco hot tub by Lay-Z-Spa. This is a tub capable of holding between 6 and 8 people. This amount of water is an almost unimaginable volume. It takes anything up to 3 hours to fill that tub and you might as well use cold water, because hot water will cool in the time it takes you to fill it and switch the heater on.
The Cleaning
If you ever get into this hot tub dirty, you only have yourself to blame for the water change you will have to do. On the other hand, put that cleaning float in, fill it up, use an anti-foam powder once in a while (according to one reviewer on Amazon) and you ought to find it is just fine. Be careful about muddy feet though, particularly if it is on the grass.
The Anxious Wait
When you first buy your hot tub, you want to get in it immediately. This might mean filling it as quickly as you can – only to find that the pool takes 48 hours to heat up from cold to a nice toasty temperature. The solution? An anxious wait that nobody enjoys.
Unfortunately, this is the price you pay for a bigger hot tub than normal. Some of the smaller 2 person models can be filled and used in a matter of mere hours. Definitely something to think about if time is a factor to you.
FAQs About the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub
If you still have questions about the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub, then you might find the answers below. Our frequently asked questions page has all the queries we have heard before, so you might find what you are looking for has already been asked.
Q) How hot does the Monaco hot tub get?
A) Precisely 40 degrees Celsius, which is 104 degrees Fahrenheit for anyone not in Europe. The temperature can be fully controlled through the digital control panel set into the pump. If 40 is too hot for you, you can pre-set it to a lower temperature which the hot tub will sustain for you.
Q) Can You Fit 10 People in the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub?
A) You are only supposed to have a maximum of 8 adults in this model. That being said, two smallish children would probably equal to one single adult. If you do that enough? Then sure, ten people it fine. It all comes down to mass and how careful you are. We don’t advise exceeding that 8 people limit even though Amazon reviewers swear by it.
Q) How much does the hot tub weigh when filled?
A) The Lay-Z-Spa Monaco hot tub has a total weight of 1,973 kg (4,349 lbs). Keep in mind this is a heavy weight since it has volume enough for 8 people. It holds a whopping 407 gallons of water. All that water might be too weighty for a floor that isn’t reinforced… so be careful.
Our Verdict on the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco Hot Tub
When you combine all of these factors: the temperate controls, the digital panel, the air pump, the 86 patented air jets, the spacious interior and the bold colours – you get a palatable total sum which adds up to a great inflatable hot tub for you.
There are few bad points to having a hot tub in your own home. It makes a wonderful home improvement purely because you can pack it up and take it with you when you move… or at least you can if you have an inflatable one. A hot tub is one of the most stress-relieving things you will ever own and, although it’s a large investment, it is also a sound one.
A hot tub like the Lay-Z-Spa Monaco airjet is able to relieve tensions, cater to good health, and keep everyone cool no matter the state of the world. Realistically speaking, we ought to all have one. If you like a good hot tub, do yourself the favour and make the investment. It will become the most cherished item in your home.
