I want to take a nice bath
November 28, 2016 4:15 PM   Subscribe

My apartment only has a shower. I have a couple of vacation days coming up, and I'm tempted to rent a hotel room that has a nice bathtub. Difficulty: I am 6 feet tall and like 240 lbs, which means that a standard size bathtub is really unsatisfying. I want a big bathtub, ideally with some kind of heating element so it doesn't get cold after twenty minutes. How can I find such a thing?

I'm in the Providence area; I'd be up for going as far as Boston but not much farther.

I'm finding hotels with "whirlpools" and "jacuzzis" but so far these look to be shared resources (like, a jacuzzi next to the hotel pool). I want something in the hotel room itself.
posted by JDHarper to Travel & Transportation (19 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Try searching for "jacuzzi suite" to find rooms with jacuzzis in them.
posted by Orlop at 4:23 PM on November 28, 2016 [10 favorites]


You can look for honeymoon suites (which often have huge tubs) and call and see if you can work out a discount rate for non-weekend nights. You can also use Jacuzzi tub as a search term. This shows two in Providence, but I bet there's more.
posted by Candleman at 4:24 PM on November 28, 2016


When I stayed at the Sheraton Commander in Cambridge I had an in-room hot-tub*.

*It was big and did bubbles, but I don't recall if there was heating. Also, this was over 15 years ago, so they may have changed things up since then.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:27 PM on November 28, 2016


You might consider bed and breakfasts or AirBnb's instead. (I thought of this because I've stayed in some lovely cabins on the west coast that had their own hot tub. Divine. And wouldn't be listed in any hotel listings...)

Both of the search options I linked to allow you to filter by hot tub as an amenity. Then, I suppose you might have to make some phone calls or read descriptions of the different rooms in a bed and breakfast. I bet it would be worth it though.
posted by purple_bird at 4:37 PM on November 28, 2016


If I remember right, the fancier rooms at the Kimpton chain come with really deep soaking tubs. I'm sure they'd be happy to let you know if a hotel near you has them.
posted by MsMolly at 4:47 PM on November 28, 2016 [5 favorites]


You might want to check out a Russian (or Turkish) Steam Bath. This one has private soaking tubs Inmanoasis
posted by Coffeetyme at 4:58 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


Try using the term "soaker tub" for a personal Jacuzzi-size tub in the room but without all the jets.
posted by gateau at 5:04 PM on November 28, 2016


Crowne Plaza Warwick Whirlpool Room looks like a good option, but I suspect you'll have to call the front desk to get a reservation or confirm they still have them, as I can't seem to pick a date combo that lets me choose that room option.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:11 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


Wherever you choose to go, call ahead and ask that the jacuzzi or soaker tub be thoroughly cleaned prior to your arrival. IME, even the nicest hotels sometimes skimp on properly cleaning tubs, so it may be worth it to ask just in case.
posted by Hermione Granger at 5:22 PM on November 28, 2016 [4 favorites]


I've seen "soaker" tub misused as an empty marketing adjective for regular-sized bathtubs, so be careful of that one.
posted by space snail at 5:25 PM on November 28, 2016


look for "two person tub" as your search term.

edit: this place has several rooms with two person en suite tubs.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:53 PM on November 28, 2016


Most 5 star hotels have the bigger tubs (and towels!).

The thing with flotation tanks is that one is ON the water, not IN it.
posted by brujita at 5:54 PM on November 28, 2016


Response by poster: The Crowne Plaza would be the ideal choice I think, since it's close to my house and not that expensive (in the ~$100 range vs the 200-400 range I've seen on some of the other hotels). Unfortunately, they're booked up for the days I'm on vacation.

But b1tr0t's suggestion of a flotation tank is very intriguing. I've wanted to try one of those for a while, and I think it'd scratch just about the same itch.
posted by JDHarper at 6:26 PM on November 28, 2016


Inman Oasis in Cambridge rents private hot tubs by the hour. Their traditional Japanese wooden tubs are extra nice. You can even bring your own iPod and have it playing on the in-room stereo.
posted by ananci at 8:09 PM on November 28, 2016 [6 favorites]


When I stayed at the Sheraton Commander in Cambridge I had an in-room hot-tub*.

I am in the Sheraton Commander right now and my room definitely does not have one of these :) But I have another suggestion, check your MeMail.
posted by jessamyn at 8:09 PM on November 28, 2016


Take a look at nearby spas - I've been to multiple that offer private hot tub or deep tub rentals by the 15 min or hour.
posted by asphericalcow at 8:43 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


Garden tub and jacuzzi suite are the terms you are looking for. I have found them at everything from a Quality Inn to a Hampton to a Holiday Inn to 5 star Marriotts and Hiltons. It seems like most full (not "junior") suites have them, come to think of it. Or at least very large tubs of some description.

The two best were at a Hampton and an Embassy Suites, interestingly enough. The suite at the Hampton wasn't anything special, just a giant room, but the tub was ehrmazing. It would easily fit 600 pounds of flesh. Typical Embassy Suites rooms don't have them, though, only the upgrade rooms.

Check out a few nearby budget-to-midrange chains that call themselves Whatever and Suites and I'm sure you'll find something suitable.
posted by wierdo at 12:13 AM on November 29, 2016


I tried a floatation tank for the first time a couple of months ago. My main suggestion: bring goggles or something else to cover your eyes. I inadvertently got salt water in my eyes a few times and had to open up the tank, rinse off my eyes, etc. because of the stinging. It was the only part of the experience I didn't enjoy.
posted by tacodave at 12:51 PM on November 29, 2016


Response by poster: I tried the flotation tank at a place in West Boylston today. It was interesting, but not the same experience as an actual bath. The tank experience is about limiting sensation (dark, earplugs, water close to body temperature), rather than pleasant sensations (hot water, maybe music and/or a book and/or some pleasant-smelling stuff in the water). I can see it being good as a meditation aid (since once you get past the novelty you don't have any distractions).

I do have an actual bath lined up now too. Thanks everyone!
posted by JDHarper at 8:34 PM on November 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


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