We are going with a freestanding in our new master bath both because we like the looks and also with our layout it worked better. Given the cost of a good tiling job I'm not sure a built-in would have been less expensive than a standalone. We had 2 drop-in tubs (one to be removed with shower stall) and one of them still in-- acrylic-- which we put in 12 years ago and somewhat regret now because it flexes and the grout cracked over time so it has needed a lot of maintenance. (this is mostly because of the material we chose). But when our kids were younger they loved the bubbles!

Thanks for the link cncnh. My problem is that the tub will be in front of a bay window which will come down to about the tub rim -- not much room for a wall mount gorgeous as they are. I contacted Vintage Tub and they very helpfully informed me which brands will work with plumbing stubbed through the floor. It looks like I'm in luck. Both the Sunrise Specialty and the Strom Plumbing models should work for me! Thanks again!

You can purchase a free-standing, floor-mounted clawfoot bathtub faucet. They are pricey, but should provide an attractive solution for you.

I purchased a free-standing, composite soaking tub from Devon & Devon (D&D) (they have a clawfoot, but I chose a different style). Two advantages of composite over acrylic: it holds the heat, and scratches or stains can be easily "buffed out" with light sand paper. The D&D tub has a satin-like matte finish. I use Windex to clean it. D&D is pricey, but after trying out tubs for months, it was my favorite, and I was willing to wait several more months for delivery. Other brands I considered: Wetstyle (from Canada), Bain Ultra, Toto, Kohler, Duravit, Blu Bathworks, Mti, Hydrosystems, Axor, and T&L. Zucchetti and V&A tubs were tempting - but I didn't like the look of the exposed drain pipe.