We made and supplied an Eclipse natural stone bathtub for the outdoor Ice Bath at Twinpalms Tented Camp Phuket in Thailand. Carved from a single river boulder in our Indonesian workshop, this stone cold plunge tub measures 248 × 149 × 75 cm externally. This case study documents the selected piece, its preparation and its use in the resort garden.
In a tropical garden in Phuket, a stone bathtub holds water and ice. Broad leaves surround its irregular outline, while the natural stone exterior sits comfortably within the planting. From the outside, it still resembles a river boulder. Its shaped interior reveals its new purpose.
This project features the Eclipse bathtub from the Lux4home stone bathtub collection. The dimensions below refer to this individual piece.
An outdoor cold plunge tub in a tropical resort garden
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Twinpalms Tented Camp Phuket combines luxury tented accommodation with beach, lagoon and tropical garden settings. Natural materials and outdoor spaces are central to the property’s character. Explore the resort in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection.
Within this setting, the ice bath has its own place in the wellness offering. The property’s presentation on Amaya Escapes features a boulder-carved bathtub surrounded by greenery as an experience available to guests. The material and form of the tub have become part of the story of staying at the resort.
From an Indonesian river to the workshop
We made the bathtub in Indonesia from a single boulder extracted from a river. Its existing shape determined the outer outline of the finished piece.
We gradually removed material to create the bathing cavity, shaped the rim and made a drain opening within the natural boulder.
Our workshop photographs show the result: a pale, uneven exterior surrounding a grey, worked interior. We retained the stone’s irregular outline while shaping its bathing space.
Each boulder requires individual assessment. Differences in proportion and structure influence the possibilities for making a bathtub. Selecting the raw material is therefore part of production, before work on the bathing cavity begins.
How did we assess the stone for ice bathing?
In correspondence from February 2025, the Twinpalms team clearly identified the intended use: an outdoor river stone bathtub for ice bathing in the resort garden.
For us, the intended use shaped the selection process. We had to consider the temperature difference between the warm surroundings and the cold water and ice; appearance and size alone were not enough.
We selected the stone and carried out scanning aimed at detecting internal microcracks. This allowed us to examine aspects of the boulder that could not be assessed from its surface appearance alone.
We considered the risk that existing weaknesses could develop under sudden temperature changes, including contact between heated stone and very cold water. We also worked the stone carefully to limit the risk of introducing new microcracks.
For an investor, this distinction matters: a photograph helps in choosing a form, but it cannot replace information about material inspection. Location and climate considerations are discussed further in the Lux4home™ guide to outdoor stone bathtubs.
What were the dimensions of the Twinpalms bathtub?
The selected bathtub had the following dimensions:
| Measurement | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| External: length × width × height | 248 × 149 × 75 cm |
| Internal: length × width × cavity depth | 172 × 82 × 45 cm |
These two sets of measurements answer different questions. External dimensions help with planning placement and access around the bathtub. Internal dimensions describe the space available for bathing.
With an irregular boulder, the profile of the cavity also matters. The overall length alone does not describe the interior, and differences between the measurements should not be treated as a simple indication of wall thickness.
Documentation of the individual piece should therefore include several views. A photograph from above shows the proportions of the interior, the outline of the rim and the drain, complementing the information provided by a side view.
Natural stone in a wellness setting
During bathing, a material is experienced through touch as well as sight. The user comes into contact with the bathtub’s interior and rim, making the surface finish, shape and temperature of the stone relevant parts of the experience.
For the Twinpalms piece, the uneven exterior preserves the character of the river boulder, while the worked interior serves its bathing function. These areas require different approaches during production, although they remain parts of the same solid piece of stone.
The photographs from Twinpalms make this relationship clear: planting surrounds the bathtub, the stone rim remains exposed, and the ice-filled water identifies its purpose.
A process documented in photographs
Before shipment, we sent the Twinpalms team photographs and dimensions of the selected bathtub. In our correspondence, we also confirmed that we would take additional photographs before packing the piece into its wooden crate.
For a naturally shaped product, this documentation allows discussions to refer to a particular item. Later photographs from the resort show it in its intended setting and use.
The general approach to making stone bathtubs can also be seen in the Lux4home™ production video. The film illustrates a typical production process; it does not document the manufacture of the specific bathtub supplied to Twinpalms.
What should a hotel specify before ordering a similar bathtub?
The Twinpalms project demonstrates why a discussion about a stone bathtub should begin with its location and intended use. Ice bathing, sun exposure, the required interior dimensions and arrangements for managing the water are all relevant during planning.
Transport, base preparation, drainage and access require separate consideration. Stone selection forms one part of the wider project.
Questions about this stone ice bath project
What stone was used for this bathtub?
We made this piece from one natural river boulder in Indonesia. ‘River stone’ describes its origin; the project documentation presented here does not establish a specific geological rock type.
Did Lux4home supply a complete cooling and filtration system?
This case study documents the stone bathtub, not the technical specification of the resort’s cooling or filtration equipment. Water temperature, cooling, water treatment and connections need to be agreed separately for each installation.
What information is needed for a similar hotel ice bath?
Send us the location, intended use, required interior dimensions and delivery access details. For the selected piece, we can then discuss the information needed to plan weight handling, base preparation, drainage, water-system connections, delivery and quotation. Dimensions alone do not establish the weight of an irregular boulder bathtub.
Planning a stone bathtub for a hotel, spa or garden? Share your project with Lux4home™, starting with the installation location, intended bathing use and required interior dimensions.
