Traveler’s tale
Privacy please, for the toilet!
I am sorry, but there is nothing sexy about seeing someone else on the toilet. This has to be said, because so many bathrooms in so many hotels have clear glass separating the toilet from the hotel room. Some have a sliding window.
At least in one fine hotel in Tokyo includes an electric blind inside the bathroom, against the glass partition, allowing for privacy—from both inside and outside. In a hotel in Mykonos, the ‘love partition’ was double paned and included a manual blind inside, which allowed for privacy. In a hotel in Marseilles, the hotel bathroom partition was similarly sexy, but also allowed for privacy with blinds.
I am sure that most people are happy with the greater visual space that glass walling provides in bathrooms, but hotel design should be sure to include the ability for privacy. And hopefully, it is clear before any incident occurs! I can only imagine a weary family traveling with young kids, where the father or mother becomes the starring actor in a short documentary about private toilet business. This unrated vision would not be something for kids, let alone the kids of the main actors! Hopefully, the switch for the bathroom blinds is clear and indeed, the glass partition is visible in the first place, so that any risk of a risqué moment can be avoided entirely.
Space seems to be another perennial design flaw with toilets. But this doesn’t appear to be for lack of room space or main bathroom space. I am not sure where the idea comes from that people wish to be contained in the tightest of all spaces, to take care of their personal business. In many toilet spaces, a hotel room provides a room within a room within a room. That is to say, the bathroom is in the hotel room—obviously—and the toilet room is a contained space, with a door, inside the bathroom. This is not natural. It is not what we are used to. I seriously doubt that hotel guests relish the idea of being constricted to a one square meter cell (eleven square feet) to take of their personal business while on holiday or while at their new and exciting travel destination.
The ultimate in toilet design rests with a fine beach resort in Phuket, but not in their typical room, rather in one of their large villas. In the largest structure of this villa, there was a living room, kitchen and upstairs bedroom. The bathroom for the upstairs bedroom could only be accessed by going outside. That’s right; for anybody wishing to relieve themselves in the middle of the night, those with an overactive bladder would need to open the door to the balcony, cross over it with a few steps, and then enter the bathroom. I wonder how many stormy monsoon days or nights at this Phuket resort were the cause of distress for hotel guests residing in these luxury villas, unable to come and go as they pleased, to the toilet!
Tips on toilets
• Limit designs allowing view of toilet from bathroom or bedroom
• Include blinds in window partition from bathroom to bedroom
• Design toilet with ample space and not in a cramped cell
• Knee, elbow, access and visual space are critical to toilet area
• Enhance bathroom space with shower door creativity, mirrors
• In narrow, small bathrooms, use white decor and limit protuberances
• An outdoor bathroom must be covered, and access made easy
• Tiles, marble are the norm in bathrooms, but timber works well
Traveler’s talePrivacy please, for the toilet!I am sorry, but there is nothing sexy about seeing someone else on the toilet. This has to be said, because so many bathrooms in so many hotels have clear glass separating the toilet from the hotel room. Some have a sliding window. At least in one fine hotel in Tokyo includes an electric blind inside the bathroom, against the glass partition, allowing for privacy—from both inside and outside. In a hotel in Mykonos, the ‘love partition’ was double paned and included a manual blind inside, which allowed for privacy. In a hotel in Marseilles, the hotel bathroom partition was similarly sexy, but also allowed for privacy with blinds. I am sure that most people are happy with the greater visual space that glass walling provides in bathrooms, but hotel design should be sure to include the ability for privacy. And hopefully, it is clear before any incident occurs! I can only imagine a weary family traveling with young kids, where the father or mother becomes the starring actor in a short documentary about private toilet business. This unrated vision would not be something for kids, let alone the kids of the main actors! Hopefully, the switch for the bathroom blinds is clear and indeed, the glass partition is visible in the first place, so that any risk of a risqué moment can be avoided entirely. Space seems to be another perennial design flaw with toilets. But this doesn’t appear to be for lack of room space or main bathroom space. I am not sure where the idea comes from that people wish to be contained in the tightest of all spaces, to take care of their personal business. In many toilet spaces, a hotel room provides a room within a room within a room. That is to say, the bathroom is in the hotel room—obviously—and the toilet room is a contained space, with a door, inside the bathroom. This is not natural. It is not what we are used to. I seriously doubt that hotel guests relish the idea of being constricted to a one square meter cell (eleven square feet) to take of their personal business while on holiday or while at their new and exciting travel destination. The ultimate in toilet design rests with a fine beach resort in Phuket, but not in their typical room, rather in one of their large villas. In the largest structure of this villa, there was a living room, kitchen and upstairs bedroom. The bathroom for the upstairs bedroom could only be accessed by going outside. That’s right; for anybody wishing to relieve themselves in the middle of the night, those with an overactive bladder would need to open the door to the balcony, cross over it with a few steps, and then enter the bathroom. I wonder how many stormy monsoon days or nights at this Phuket resort were the cause of distress for hotel guests residing in these luxury villas, unable to come and go as they pleased, to the toilet! Tips on toilets• Limit designs allowing view of toilet from bathroom or bedroom• Include blinds in window partition from bathroom to bedroom• Design toilet with ample space and not in a cramped cell• Knee, elbow, access and visual space are critical to toilet area• Enhance bathroom space with shower door creativity, mirrors• In narrow, small bathrooms, use white decor and limit protuberances• An outdoor bathroom must be covered, and access made easy• Tiles, marble are the norm in bathrooms, but timber works well
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