Meet the Cardiff fourth year with a hot tub in his back garden

Taking Netflix and chill to the next level


Is this Cardiff’s most eccentric bachelor? Meet Miles Howell, the fourth year Cardiff student with a hot tub in his back garden. Yes, that’s right – a hot tub.

To find out more we spoke to the man, the myth, and the legend himself.

Origins of the tub

Purchasing the tub has been a long term ambition for Miles. Finally finding the right house and getting some money together, this year the dream came true. He tells us how: “I wanted to buy a hot tub in third year, but the house we lived in wasn’t suited for it.  It didn’t have the power source and bills weren’t included.

“After a year of working in industry, with some money to burn and my current house having bills included and the space it was possible. Why not? And the legendary hot tube emerged.”

Whilst talking to Miles, it soon becomes apparent that rain or shine, nothing’s stopping this man enjoying some down time in his tub. From post night out chilling, to snoozing in a hail storm there are no limits.

If the hot tub wasn’t enough, he also has a projector which means him and the lads can play Call of Duty whilst chilling in the tub. Talk about living the dream.

Dropping the controller is not encouraged

The rules

Eager to stop bad behaviour and protect the innocence of the tub, Miles has put some rules in place. The fourth year tells us: “All my flat mates are allowed in the tub however they aren’t allowed girlfriends in the tub until I get one!

“Challenge set, it’s one way to motivate flat mates to step up as wingmen!”

The tub itself fits four comfortably, but five close friends as bit of an intimate squeeze.

Funny stories

Owning a hot tub is more than a little bit out of the ordinary, so it’s no surprise that it’s the catalyst for unusual events. Recalling a recent incident, Miles said: “Only last week next door had a house viewing and they managed to look in the garden without noticing me but later noticed and found it rather amusing.

“They were Snapchatting me and everything and I was just trying to chill. Think they were a bit taken aback.”

Future plans

For any normal person, the hot tub would be the end goal, an invitation to let yourself lazily soak until graduation. Miles, however, is brimming with ideas on how to take tub time to the next level.

He explains that he’s “currently planning on building box around it with pallets and moving hot tub into the shed as keep bikes in house anyway, making some kind of sauna hot tube super shed!

“Also in second year had a house with a basement, so looking for a basement house next year to put the tub in.”

His flatmates love it

Those who live with Miles are in an envious position. At first, though, they didn’t quite believe it was going to happen. Flatmate Ash Harris describes his reaction to the tub as “disbelief I think – I thought it was a joke, but that it was amazing and I’m so happy he did buy it because the tub is sweet.”

As far as flatmates go these boys have struck gold living with Miles. By the sound of it there’s never a dull moment in Mackintosh!

If the the hot tub wasn’t enough, Miles also has a growing collection of ‘toys’, ranging from hammocks to an air rifle and a compound bow, not to mention the road bike and slingshot.

Miles we salute you, keep being eccentric and look forward to seeing what you get up to in the future.