A spa cover lifting device that easily lifts and stows the removed cover out of sight below the upper edge of the spa is disclosed. When closing, the lifter assists the cover up out of its hidden stowage, and guides the cover back into position on the spa. One difference in this design from current art is that the spa cover when stowed disappears out of sight to those in the spa, below the top edge of the spa. Current spa cover lifters generally all park at least part of the stowed cover above the top edge of the spa, blocking views and reducing apparent roominess. Fourteen exemplary methods are shown to accomplish such a spa cover lifter, accommodating different size spas and cover designs, but it could also be done in other ways.