Rated 4.2 / 5 from 30 reviews
5
22
4
2
3
1
2
0
1
5
Website
Call
Blackthorne Spas Family owned and operated, Malina and Herbie Breaux welcome you to Blackthorne. We have been serving the central coast for more than 35 years. We are the only full service pool and spa store in Salinas, offering service, supplies, accessories and more.

The company was started by Locksin Thompson in 1975 when he installed a redwood hot tub in his back yard. Then a friend wanted one, then another and another. Blackthorne was born. Since then we have installed thousands of hot tubs, spas and swimming pools as far away as the Island of Tonga.
Highlights and features
  • Hot Tubs, Spas
Reviews (30)
Write a Review
Leesa Giancola
Jun 20, 2022
Blackthorne Spas is a wealth of knowledge. We let our spa sit empty for an extended period of time (years) and decided to get it up and running again. They helped me immensely with what I needed in order to do this and did not try and over sell me products I did not need. I will definitely be returning to Blackthorne for all my spa needs.
Micah C.
May 28, 2022
The staff at Blackthorne were attentive. They knew their stuff and were super informative when discussing issues with my water. They have a lot of products on hand as well. I am glad I found this dealer.
Stephen Pavlik
May 15, 2022
The guys that came to move the two-man spa from our neighbors' house to our house were great. They did a super job and also provided the information we needed to restart the spa and to maintain it moving forward. Gabriel and Manuel were just awesome. I didn't catch the names of the other two guys but there great too. Super experience and we will use Blackthorne for any future needs we have. thanks again, stephen
David Finkelstein
May 15, 2022
I bought my spa from Blackthorne in 2014 and have been a customer ever since. They've always been helpful with maintenance questions and I've found them reasonably priced as well. They've earned my business, my praise, and this review.
Sara Nelson
May 15, 2022
Hi I appreciate you all coming to our home and evaluating our hot tub and what it will take to remove it from the back yard. The expense is more than we can afford at this time. We will contact you in the future if funds become available. Thank you.
Ale J.
May 13, 2022
I have to applaud Gabriel, Mark and 2 other men that put in my spa today. Listen when I tell you my place is an absolute hell to install a spa. From crazy driveway to uphill soft ground to tiny steep stairs that go on forever. These wonderful men never gave up and made it happen without damaging one thing. Good staff is hard to find but Blackthorne has hit gold with this group! I will recommend this place to everyone that's looking for a spa because of the awesome service they provided
Linda Fanelli
Apr 17, 2022
Our sales person, Will, was very helpful, professional and knowledgeable. He came to the house, looked at the access and did a fantastic job throughout the whole ordering process. We waited a long time for delivery due to Covid. The crew that delivered our hot tub was also very professional and knowledgeable. Our experience with office staff was very poor until a manager stepped in and resolved our problem. Manuel came out to the house and was outstanding! Very polite, knowledgeable and over-the-top in customer service.
Charles Mendez
Mar 15, 2022
Blackthorne was my go to spa store after much research. I use my new tub every night to relax and help with my sleep. Brandon was my sales guy and he seemed very knowledgeable about all the products they offer. Email replies were a little slow but with a phone call I did get my answers. The delivery was pretty seamless and anything that was wrong or damaged is to be taken care of. Haven't used the maintenance team yet, I'm sure they will be fine.
Eric Ebell
Mar 08, 2022
I recently bought a spa from Blackthorne and the experience was very positive. They had the spa in stock, which was a surprise during the current circumstances. The employees maintained exemplary communication from purchase to installation, responding to emails and phone calls quickly. The hot tub was installed quickly and efficiently. A team of 3 men delivered and installed the spa.

They were polite, conscientious, and professional. They even worked well with my electrician who was onsite to help. Once set-up and filled, they added the necessary chemicals and I received instruction on how to maintain the spa. When finished, the team cleaned up the area and removed all of the materials. It was a great experience from start to finish.
Carol Hammons
Feb 26, 2022
The guys that came out to determine what was wrong with the hot tub were professional, and very knowledgeable as to the problem. They told us what needed to be done, We received an estimate of the replacement parts a few days later. We decided to have them replace the parts instead of purchasing a new tub. The parts will take a few weeks to get here but we expected that. So far so good.
Tom Sana
Feb 05, 2022
Called in due to an error message on my Sundance Spa. Service rep, Ricky Avila responded and took care of the problem. He was very knowledgeable and had great customer service. Highly recommend Ricky Avila and Blackthorne Spas.
Paul G.
Feb 05, 2022
I had a issue with my spa pump but it was over the warranty. Malina Breaux was very helpful and pointed me to the manufacturer plus gave me all of the information needed to contact them. Long story short. I got a new replacement pump! They sent out their tech Jeremiah to do the pump replacement and he did a great job! Thanks so much!
Rj Ridge
Jan 24, 2022
I love my hot tub. It broke. I live way out in the country. The first place I called refused to help. Blackthorne however was happy to help. The people on the phone were friendly and helpful. I was kept informed about timing and visits. Once the parts arrived, the tub was fixed! I am so grateful. Everything seems perfect, which is better than it was before it broke.

I didn't have to be there, I only the met the repairman for a minute. Coming home to a clean hot well-functioning hot tub is the best, and I am thankful and grateful to Blackthorne Spas for their help. I definitely recommend them if you have an ailing hot tub.
Paul G.
Jan 20, 2022
Working with this company mutually for customer supplier success! Happy New Year 2022!
John M.
Sep 23, 2021
Will was very knowledgeable and explained how the spas work what features were important and what electrical wiring was necessary. Once we chose a spa he helped us reserve one as there was a lot of demand and very limited supply. When they installed the spa the crew with Gabe and Dave were very professional and efficient. They communicated with my electrician so he could get the wire correctly set up. All in all it was an excellent experience working with Blackthorn Spas and totally worth the price paid for their product. I highly recommend them.
Andy V.
Jul 14, 2021
We had scheduled a service for our newly installed hot tub. The day before they called and said it would be another 3 months and when we finally got our hot tub it went out less than 2 weeks later due to a faulty circuit board! They have called Sundance and was given no date on when the part will come in! Basically I have a 10G paperweight sitting in my backyard. Even though we are coming out of the pandemic they really don't seem to care about customers once they get paid.
A. C. S.
Jun 21, 2021
Our realtor suggested Blackthorne for a pool inspection for a home we were purchasing in the area. They gave the plaster a 'fine' review and the equipment as well. Once we closed escrow and began to identify a pool maintenance company we called two firms, both very reputable in the area. Both found significant fault with the plaster condition indicating the pool had not been maintained properly and the PH destroyed the plaster.

One found pool equipment that was not up to code and wiring issues - all of this was missed by Blackthorne. Plaster repair $17,000 and equipment when it comes time to update/fix will be another $5k at least. All of this could have been negotiated in escrow if Blackthorne had done their job. Run don't walk away from this firm. They missed basic issues with our pool that any basic inspector and pool firm would have identified. Ugh.
Charley O.
Jun 08, 2021
I bought a 7'X7 spa from this place in October 2020. They estimated delivery on February 1, 2021. The salesperson Brandon never returned calls and was totally unhelpful. It was installed (badly) in early April. I had to cut a hole in my brand new deck to accommodate the cover lift device. They suggested we use their service and even told me they were in my area often. When I called to set up the service they said they were not taking new customers.
Chris B.
Apr 14, 2021
Blackthorn pools and spas, thank you! The high level of service you provided should be an industry standard. Blackthorn delivered excellent, professional with attention to detail. As well as following all safety guidelines. Needing to replacing a major feature in you home? Is attention to detail is important, this company delivers! We had a semi complicated situation, Gabe, Dave, Mo have you covered.

Leadership was easily recognized, instructions were clear and efficient to get the challenges accomplished. I made the right decision here and would recommend this high level customer satisfaction driven business.
Shivam P.
Mar 23, 2021
Update was quoted $90 for a pool cleaning on the phone when I called on the phone. The owner reached out to me and sent me an estimate of $390 JUST for Labor. Ignore the platitudes in the responses. This is a money hungry business that I will not recommend to any other patrons with pools
Sheila H.
Jan 16, 2021
Blackthorns answer our questions and was quick to do an install of a lift kit for our spa. Quick and reliable. They are a bit factual when answering questions, but answer and honest.
Doug L.
Jun 02, 2020
My family and I were in the market for a new hot tub so we visited Blackthorne as they are the biggest in the area, we spent some time with Brandon who was helpful but when it came time to make a purchase we learned they we 10-12 weeks back ordered which is the end of the summer. We shopped around and found another Sundance dealer out of the area who had what we wanted so we made the purchase. Wanting to still use Blackthorne for supplies, my daughter called Brandon and got a VERY cold shoulder, learning we bought somewhere else he was clearly unconcerned about our needs. We will not be doing business now or in the future with a company who doesn't want our business.
John C.
May 11, 2020
I just moved into my house and needed the existing Hot Tub cleaned and set up. I don't know anything about how to set up the chemicals etc. Their tech that came out was very helpful and explained what was important to test for. He made it very simple. He also recommended using an Enzyme to keep from having to deal with adjusting Chlorine all the time. He did a great job cleaning the Tub and getting it refilled and set up properly. Overall, great people to deal with and always helpful.
Skorp G.
Jul 21, 2019
We had a great experience purchasing a spa at Blackthorne. Brandon took wonderful care of us, the delivery team was friendly & efficient and we've received excellent after-sales service (we had some questions about the water additives). Two thumbs up!
Trish B.
Jun 08, 2019
Rob and Will were great in helping us find just the right model! Delivery could have been smoother, highly recommend insisting on a pre-delivery site visit. Regardless Josue, Will, & the team got it done! We were up and running for a soak that night! Local company, great team, great service.
Michael Z.
May 03, 2019
It has been 18 months since I purchased a Sundance Spa from Blackthorne. My initial reactions were at times perplexed, but have to say that in the end this is a business that truly cares about their customers and does what it takes to make things right. I started off by looking at tubs from traveling shows and Costco. I am SO glad I did not make that choice. Having a quality local business that will handle all your warranty needs is crucial in the purchase. Jonathan and his team were there to handle everything with years of experience and built up knowledge from installation to basic upkeep. I can not say enough positive things about Blackthorne and my interactions with them. I would with absolutely recommend them to anyone looking to purchase a spa.
Cindy C.
Mar 21, 2019
Everything went smoothly! From the sale, to the scheduling of the delivery, to the delivery! Everyone was professional and friendly, I'm happy to buy local for the service and the experience! Everyone was low-keyed and not pushy at all! I was there twice before I bought the hottub. They give you a box of treatments and a clear laminated instruction card for using them, which was really nice! I'm very happy with my new hottub!
Radu M.
Dec 31, 2018
We had an excellent experience buying a spa from Blackthorne Pools & Spas. Rob Robinson is a true professional and his whole team is a pleasure to work with. Shopping for a hot tub can be quite time consuming and we felt that there was a lot of mixed information out there. Once we met Rob those worries were put to rest. He was very knowledgeable and patient He guided and helped us pick the right hot tub for us. Don't let price be your only reason for buying a tub at one of those hot tub shows.

You most likely won't get any help from those guys after you buy your hot tub. Rob and his team ensured we got our hot tub properly delivered, hooked up and they spent time showing us how to use the tub and mix the right chemicals to ensure our water was just right. We bought a Caldera spa and use our hot tub 3-4 times per week and love it. It's probably our favorite purchase for our new home.

The service you will receive from Rob and his entire team is worth it. Go to Blackthorne Pools & Spa in Salinas and pick up a hot tub you won't regret it. Thank you for the great service and experience.
Anonymous I.
May 30, 2018
Great spa and even better customer service! Highly recommended for any spa and pool needs!
Dave K.
May 11, 2018
I came to work with Blackthorne Pools and Spas AFTER my doggone pool went totally green because the trees around the pool bloomed a million small flowers that clogged the skimmers and then got in to clog the pump filter before the Sand Filter. The flow rate went very low so got an algae bloom. Uuuuugly indeed. I brought a pint of my water to Blackthorne for testing and was told what I needed to get and bought the chemicals I needed to clear it up.

With their recommendations we cleared it up in 3 days! Now, I get to have Manny, who LOVES his job, and is super awesome at cleaning pools take care of the pool. What a relief to find a GREAT company to take care of the pool!