It all depends if you are a tub person or a shower one , unless its a very comfortable tub that you can really relax in plus jets then go with that and a hand held shower , you could have both if you have the room for it ,or just a good size shower stall for quick showers ....me I prefer a shower. You can have a bench even , think of later years too ....when you are older .

A simple tub with a shower curtain will cost you less, but definitely a glass enclosed shower will be the more sophisticated choice. Frameless glass will give you the best look (see above in photo posted by Genevieve) but is costly. Go to a specialized glass showroom to see other options. You can save money by using a chrome framed glass enclosure. The frame comes in a choice of finishes, so you have choices.

Here's a super cool new look but I have no idea what it costs! Maybe someone else will know.

Modern Bathroom · More Info

I'm a tub person, but my husband really wanted a high end shower and we didn't have room for both in our master. We converted the tub/shower into just a shower that is beautiful! I still have a tub upstairs.

That dark bronze windowpaned thing is a 20K shower, and a nightmare to keep clean. Just a ''regular'' tile shower is 5-7K. That's with a curtain. Add another 2-4K for glass. And a .99 squeegee that will be the permanent resident in it.

Install a shower with zero threshold. USG has a great system for achieving a ramp entry. Immobility can happen at any age. A friend's 12 year-old son broke his thigh bone and was unable to use stairs for 6 months. At 140 pounds he was too heavy to carry to the second floor bath. Life happens.

http://www.durockshowersystem.com/en.html

That's why I'm looking for a single story house or a house with a downstairs bedroom & full bath. A walk-in shower is most practical for all ages.

We are now using the Durock USG system and I would highly recommend it, particularly since you say the bath also functions for the in-law suite. I would recommend a shower instead of a tub/shower.