Settling back into a deep warm bath is one of the oldest human pleasures – and it’s good for you. A hot tub, in the Roman Empire, was a kind of very large barrel, cut in half, and used for bathing. Nowadays, the term ‘spa’ usually means a product with plastic finish. A hot tub is the name given to natural soaking tubs. The trend now is towards these more sympathetic natural materials, which are regaining popularity as people realise synthetic materials never match the appearance, subtle scents and other unique qualities of wood. Oak tubs blend perfectly with the natural surroundings in gardens. They also look good on wooden decking. So it is no surprise that the old tradition of hot tub bathing has again become very popular.