Explore the top hygiene issues affecting hotel pools and spas, and how smart water care can prevent them. Improve safety, clarity, and guest experience.
Hotel pools and spas are no longer optional amenities - they are decisive factors in guest booking decisions and brand reputation. According to industry surveys, 75% of travelers rank pools or hot tubs among the top three most important amenities when booking a hotel stay. Yet, more than half of guests have experienced a pool or spa closure during their visit, often resulting in negative reviews and reduced likelihood of return bookings.
Poor water quality, strong chemical odors, or unhygienic surroundings can quickly damage a hotel’s brand image. In an era where online reviews shape reputation overnight, the margin for error has disappeared. Hygiene failures don’t just affect comfort - they create compliance risks, operational disruptions, and sustainability challenges.
This blog explores the most common pool hygiene issues in hotels, why they occur, and how to solve them using modern, automated solutions that protect guest health, enhance satisfaction, and align with sustainability goals.
Guests expect hotel pools and spas to feel clean, look clear, and smell fresh - not like a public gym or city pool. A single negative detail, such as cloudy water or a harsh chlorine smell, can dominate their memory and reviews. Hygiene is not just operational - it’s brand-critical.
Key reasons hygiene matters:
Why it happens: Poor filtration, imbalanced pH, or excessive contaminants like sunscreen and body oils.
Impact: Guests associate cloudy water with poor hygiene and safety risks.
Solution:
Why it happens: A strong chlorine odor indicates chloramines, formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter, not cleanliness.
Impact: Harsh odors lead to complaints and discomfort.
Solution:
Why it happens: Warm, under-treated water and hidden corners of circulation systems create ideal conditions for algae.
Impact: Slippery surfaces, safety hazards, and negative guest impressions.
Solution:
Why it happens: Biofilm forms on tiles and in pipework, harboring bacteria and increasing slip risks.
Impact: Liability risks and poor guest experience.
Solution:
Why it happens: Manual dosing is prone to human error, leading to fluctuating chlorine levels and unsafe conditions.
Impact: Increased risk of closures, complaints, and health incidents.
Solution:
Modern Pool Care is preventive, not reactive. Automated systems stabilize chlorine and pH, minimize chemical use, reduce chemical & plastic waste, and minimize staff exposure. Solutions like HTH EASIFLO™ system (feeder, controller & briquettes) deliver:
Why automation matters:
Guest impressions are shaped as much by the cleanliness of floors, changing rooms, showers, and lounge areas as well as by the water itself. Luxury is in detail, and cleanliness plays a major role in how customers judge comfort, safety, and care.
Recommendations:
Sustainability is now a compliance mandate. Hotels face rising pressure to reduce water and chemical waste. Smart systems help by:
Eco Certifications like Green Key and EU Ecolabel signal that your property meets strict criteria for water management, chemical safety, and overall sustainability. These build trust and enhance your brand image.
*pH standards for pool management may vary by country within the European Region. Users are responsible for verifying and complying with the local pH requirements applicable in their country.