Soaking in a warm outdoor hot tub is one of the summer’s greatest pleasures. It’s even better when you’re surrounded by your closest friends and family! However, when your tub is not in use, it can become a massive eye-sore in your backyard if you haven’t placed it well or done a good job landscaping around it. Because hot tubs and spas are so big, they present massive aesthetic challenges that you’ll have to overcome to maintain the look you want.

Below are some great ways to hide the ugly parts of your hot tub, and highlight the features of it that complement the rest of your deck and yard.

Place It Well

Be sure to avoid leaving all sides of your hot tub exposed. Instead, use existing walls and railings to hide multiple sides, then mask what remains with a wooden enclosure. Head on, you’ll see functional steps leading to your tub, but from the side, the tub will appear as a warm wood wall. This is a great way to create a spa-like outdoor space that’s separate from the rest of your yard.

Give It Character

Consider placing your hot tub or spa in a spot with garden or other landscape features around it such as a bird bath. This will give the tub a dynamic feel, and will hide some of its harder, less eye-catching features. Unlike in-ground pools, hot tubs and spas don’t require a wide berth of paved space for access. Instead, use your tub as a beautiful garden focal point.

Build It Into A Deck

Building your hot tub or spa can sometimes be the best way to hide it. However, if you’re going to build it into a deck, you need to be very conscious of the cover that you decide on, as this will often be the only thing people will be able to see of your hot tub. On top of the cover you choose, if you’re going to build a hot tub or spa into a deck, it’s critical you create an easy-access point so that you can access the tub in-case of mechanical problems.