I love the Mt Maunganui hotpools. The position at the base of the mountain and convenience for Mt Maunganui residents is awesome.
The $5 or $6 for local residents is liveable if you don't go to often. So why oh why does it have the worst quality water of any pool I have ever swam in.
As a former life guard and water polo player, I have covered a fair few pools in my time. Honestly, this toxic soup leaves my skin dryer than an autumn leaf and my hair stripped of its natural oils, and as stiff as a piece of cardboard. I'm getting pretty tired of multiple shampoos just to get it back to normal.
One of my mates swims at the Mount hotpools too, and she told me one trip to Bayfair confirms that she agrees with me. Incidentally, I love the boiling showers and the water blasters (despite the previous blasters being the best in the world), so please don't change those.
Today, I accidentally swallowed some Mount water - the internal reprecussions have been devastating.

Paul Knights, Mount Maunganui.