Outdoor Soaking Tubs Are the Ultimate Backyard Luxury

The cedar wall enclosure creates privacy while still allowing the occupants to enjoy the breeze at this island oasis on the south coast of Jamaica by Ishka Designs. If rinsing off indoors is preferred, there's another bathroom right on the other side of the glass door.

In this Austin home designed by John Humphreys, a fully closed fence enures privacy—a must for a city backyard. The outdoor soaking tub and shower are only accessible through the primary suite and a very large (and very old) oak tree hangs above the bathing area, for a totally relaxing and intimate setting. Humphreys made the faucet out of copper and the Dundalk Oval Hot Tub is wood-fired.

This outdoor bathroom isn't just a good spot to rinse off—if you want to soak in a bubble bath after a long day at the beach, there's an outdoor freestanding tub for that, too. Even scrubbing the grout on these oversized square tiles seems oddly delightful when this is your view.

A pergola over an outdoor shower and soaking tub makes for a very dreamy backyard situation in this Hampton's home designed by Max Humphrey. The rounded outdoor shower enclosure reflects the shape of the tub for cohesion.

An open-air, swimming pool adjacent bathroom designed by Akin Atelier looks out onto the open ocean. In other words, it's paradise. Stone tile floors set the foundation while an oval skylight and dappled light add partial protection without blocking the sun completely.

This galvanized outdoor soaking tub at Folly Collection, a hospitality concept by Malek Alqaadi of Cohesion Studio in Joshua Tree, invites guests to experience a creative escape, unplug from the chaos of daily life, and simply relax with alone time. Exposed to fresh air and looking out at expansive views, it kicks "me-time" up a notch (or ten).

Okay, so we know this isn't actually a tub you can submerge in, but hanging a hammock over a body of water is pretty darn close to the peace you'd get from soaking outside. Designed by Studio DIAA in a Seattle home that literally floats on water, the occupants like to place an essential oil diffuser on the cedar deck to maximize the spa vibes even further.

If you decide to build an outdoor tub, one of the first things you'll need to sort out is plumbing. Keep things tidy and simple with an outdoor tub that's fixed to the exterior of your home or pool house, as Nicole Hollis demonstrates here.

Here's another great example of an indoor soaking tub that feels like it's outside. Designer Eric Olsen added this glass door—which actually leads to an outdoor shower—off the main bath of his California home to make it feel like it's actually outside and to get the most out of the view of the Pacific Ocean ahead.

A clawfoot tub, midcentury canary yellow sofa, plenty of greenery, and cheerful blue accent wall give this greenhouse multiple use-cases so the occupant can actually enjoy the sun-filled room. A curtain separates it from the main living area inside.

This small deck by Tamsin Johnson Interiors features a sleek in-ground soaking tub that blends right in, as a raised one might make the area feel too cramped. The sunken style also creates the illusion of more open space than a raised hot tub or bathtub would on a small deck.

If an outdoor shower seems more realistic but you are determined to make it more comfortable (in other words, help bathers get off their feet), a comfortable bench inside the open-air shower will help get thee look and feel of a soaking tub. Architect Ruard Veltman built a semi-outdoor shower in a North Carolina pool house with slatted walls to promote good airflow. The thatched roof helps regulate heat year-round.

The outdoor bathing area in this Kenyan home is yet another gorgeous example that's somewhere in the middle of a shower and tub, thanks to the bench. Featuring a thatched roof and organic curves, it blends in with the landscape beyond.

A rooftop soaking tub and outdoor shower keep things modern with a tubular chrome showerhead and a raised black soaking tub.

If your property simply doesn't have enough space for an outdoor soaking tub, don't give up just yet. Even a small patio can fit a water feature, which can bring that calming sound and energy reminiscent of a zen garden. Here, Sarah Solis manages to pack it all in style. Who knows, maybe if someone sat on this cute terrace and focused on the calming trickling water, they could manifest a full-sized soaking tub.