I have finished major part of the project, still need to fix small things like paint work on the wooden boarder, arbor over waterfall, rails, aquatic plants and fish. here are some pics; Mia, thanks again for the pump and filters, it is working great, lift lot of water. Thank you all for all those tips to make it happen. Here is a link that might be useful: Hot Bath Tub Water Garden

We are going with a freestanding in our new master bath both because we like the looks and also with our layout it worked better. Given the cost of a good tiling job I'm not sure a built-in would have been less expensive than a standalone. We had 2 drop-in tubs (one to be removed with shower stall) and one of them still in-- acrylic-- which we put in 12 years ago and somewhat regret now because it flexes and the grout cracked over time so it has needed a lot of maintenance. (this is mostly because of the material we chose). But when our kids were younger they loved the bubbles!

Here's an article that seems to recommend ideas like creating a lattice style fence around it .... perhaps create decking too with built-in bench seating so people can easily step into -- and get out of the hot tub? Then add planters etc. Maybe add a outdoor fireplace or firepit? Or course I would want a outdoor bar nearby too! LOL! Jan Here is a link that might be useful: Article about decorating around a hot tub

I figured I should post a follow up in case it can help others in a similar situation. For a heavier bather load we might have considered a UV or ozone system, but seeing as we were new to owning a hot tub, we were hesitant to invest the money to upgrade the system (from what we could find, it would be at least several thousand dollars) when we had no idea how much use the hot tub would get. It did take several months and a few flushes of water for the hot tub to stop smelling heavily of chlorine. We did a few weeks of letting it run with some soda in the water with no bathers, to try to remove the odor and replaced the filters completely. We decided to try Ahhnatural's system for the tub, and it has worked beautifully. I would probably consider the hot tub usage light, and we've enforced quick pre-showering with no problems (our guests were happy to use a hot tub in a pretty backyard, so no fuss about needing to pre-shower). That being said, the hot tub is a pleasure now. We've shocked regularly, and extra after holidays when the tub had extra use with guests. We've occasionally used an enzyme designed for hot tubs. We have no slime, no smell and clear water. No dry skin or rashes. We don't find we need to check on it often when it's not been used. In addition to my being able to use it safely, my family members don't smell of chlorine to make me ill. While I'm sure those who would not like to pre-shower or those with small children that might pee the tub may need chemical treatment, for those who are sensitive to normal hot tub treatments the Ahhnatural system has worked well for us. I paid full price for their system, this isn't a paid endorsement and I've not spoken to them since I did my online order, so aside from my favoritism for non-chemical systems, I feel this is a fairly unbiased review. Hopefully it will help someone else.