Where to go when you've gotta go
As a coffee addict with a small bladder, I know my way around the city's public-restroom circuit. When nature calls in Harvard Square, for example, I skip the stark facilities in the basement of the Garage and head straight to the lobby of the Charles Hotel, which features full-length stall doors and cloth hand towels. Alas, I'm not so savvy when I travel. Fortunately, there's a terrific website that caters to anyone who knows "hold it till you get home" is not an option.
Created in February 2000, The Bathroom Diaries provides brief reviews of some 12,000 public bathrooms in more than 120 countries. Relying heavily on reader input, the site reports on hours of operation, safety, levels of cleanliness, aesthetics, handicap access, gender specificity, and shower facilities. Each restroom receives an overall rating of usability. In Boston, the Mary Baker Eddy Library is rated "excellent," for example, while Terminal B at Logan Airport gets a rating of "horrible."
For jet-setters, the site specifies the types of toilets that international travelers may encounter. For example, the Felix bar in the Peninsula hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong, offers "squatter" toilets, while most of the city's museums feature Western-style commodes.
The site's "Golden Plunger" page pays homage to the world's nicest loos - the greatest hits of public potties. If you need to go in Branson, Mo., head to the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre. The women's room features Italian marble and gold fixtures, with live orchids decorating each sink. The men's room sports black leather chairs and a marble fireplace.
"From feng shui serene to funky bohemian to cutting edge science, bathrooms are as varied as snowflakes," reads a welcome message on the site. I couldn't agree more. Check out the site next time you hit the road and avoid getting caught with your pants down.
