2007’s Best and Worst Public Toilets

From luxury loos to crappy crappers, Where’s the Toilet? reveals its best and worst public toilet experiences of 2007.

Best movies. Best albums. Best dressed celebrities. Best toilets. As each year ends, the media bombards us with pop-culture based lists that look back on the year’s high and low points.

Not wanting to be left out, David and Eyal, founding editors of Where’s the Toilet?, decided it was perfect time to reveal their best and worst toilet-going experiences of 2007.

“We’ve been though a lot this year,” said Dawson. “We’ve experienced some truly golden moments, no pun intended, as well as some horrific experiences. It seemed foolish not to sum them all up for the end of the year.”

The Toilet Awards for best and worst toilet experiences on Where’s the Toilet? is as follows:

The Top 5

These are what David and Eyal found to be the best toilets experienced of 2007 (based on the site’s ratings):

1. Wynn Las Vegas, NV, USA (bathrooms beside Mojito’s)
2. Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester-Le-Street, UK
3. Hotel Jerome, Aspen, CO, USA
4. Sani Fare Toilets, Various Locations, Germany
5. Okada, Wynn Las Vagas, NV, USA

Editor’s Pick (based on experience): Mall at Millenia, Orlando, Florida, USA (food court toilets)

“It didn’t make our top five list, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a high-quality toilet-going experience,” said Dawson. “We have often marveled at how this toilet, which after all is only in a mall, surpasses expectations. Better still, it provides top class hotel quality for the masses at no charge!”

The Bottom 5

The most downright dreadful toilet experiences of 2007 (based on the site’s ratings):

1. Pho Pasteur, Orlando, FL, USA
2. Ghiradelli, San-Francisco, CA, USA
3. BP Services, Chateauvillain, France
4. Ay Jalisco, Sebastian, FL, USA
5. Oriental Supermarket, Orlando, FL, USA.

Editor’s Pick: The Crappiest Crapper of 2007: Ay Jalisco, Sebastian, FL, USA.

“It’s so bad, we couldn’t even include a picture,” said Dawson. “Needless to say, we will not be visiting again.”

St. Raphael Restaurant Provides Room With a View

Restaurant Le Toukan,
2112. Route de la Corniche,
83700 St Raphael, France
http://letoukan.eresto.net/

Where is it?

From the seaside terrace on the first floor head towards the back of the restaurant. The toilet is smack bang in the middle at the back.


What’s it like?

I guess I’ve said this before, but my friend and I spent a bit of time avoiding the floods last summer. If you didn’t believe me here’s some evidence. Look the end of the village was defiantly under water. See the van in the water. It is wet – people are sailing radio-controlled boats on the water. Accept it, it was WET!

St. Raphael by contrast was hot, sunny and sumptuous. The Mediterranean glistens in a way you can’t describe without being there. This was really the sort of place that makes you decide you’re moving home and never going back. I’m still there – it is only my body sitting here in the UK right now!

And Le Toukan is a fantastic restaurant to have lunch at as well. Meant for the beach crowd, but also the local ladies that lunch, this place has a relaxed feel but just that little bit of swagger to make it a special place to visit. A table looking over the sea where you can spy on the passers by makes this a fantastic place to hang out for lunch.

And the food is great. The salad was fantastic and served on a plate that has to take the prize for humour. The seafood platter, and pineapple and ice cream all hit the mark. Sorry people of Florida you may have the beaches, but I’m not sure you can beat the food, especially at these prices.

And the toilet? What more would you expect in such surroundings than a room with a view, with the smell of lavender wafting through the window. This is really the most relaxing place to pee. And the fixtures are clean and modern, cool – in fact the perfect place to spend a couple of minutes away from the heat. Indeed, this is the most serene pt stop I’ve ever had. So, the fixtures are nothing special, but hey, you’ll be so relaxed you’ll not care!

Especially if you're avoiding flooding.

Did I say it was flooded back home?

Marks out of 10:

9. Pretty damned good.


Comments to the management:

You can’t buy the view, but the lavender and cool context makes this a great place to pit.

Mile Under Club Limited By Grubby Toilets

Eurotunnel
Under the English Channel
United Kingdom and France

http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcPassengers/



Where is it?

Drive to the channel tunnel and on to the train. There is a toilet in every third carriage. Once parked get out and walk forward, it will be on the left hand side.


What’s it like?

This is a cool place to go for a pee. You may have heard of the mile high club, but what about the mile under club? Well maybe you’d want to give that a miss (given what I say below), but taking a pee in a technological marvel of the age (the tunnel, not the train obviously) is certainly something to write home about – well at least write a blog on!

We parked right next to the loo that made this a convenient stop. Three steps around the front of the car and you were there. Still, a sticky door handle could have easily added a significant delay to the proceedings. Given the achievements of the channel tunnelers (tunnelling from both ends they came together in the middle only 5cm of centre) it’s a pity the toilets were not more impressive.

OK it might be impressive that the toilets had soap this far under water, as it might that they had obviously been cleaned. To give credit where its due, the push button flush was surprisingly advanced for otherwise basic toilets too. But then you are left with pokey aircraft like toilets that are in bad need of refurbishment. They are grubby because they have aged. And they smell terrible, being completely airless. Finding toilets here that are so basic is a real let down, especially as the terminal buildings are so plush. My advice is use the terminal toilets. Use the train toilets at your peril.


Marks out of 10:

4. Worth giving a miss.


Comments to the management:

For such a great way to travel, these toilets stink (literally).

Possibly the Highest Toilets in Europe?

Seegube Station
Next to Leingartner's Seegrube & Hafelekar Restaurant
Seegrube Lift (1.905 meters)
Innsbruck
Austria


http://www.nordpark.at/96.html?&L=2


Where is it?

Take the Seegrube lift at Nordpark in Innsbruck. Once you have got off the lift head straight past the exit on the left and entrance to the restaurant. The toilets are through some fairly heavy grey doors.


What’s it like?

From potentially some of the lowest toilets in the world to some of the highest. High up above the tree line in the Austrian alps I was not that sure what I’d find in the way of toilet facilities. On previous winter visits to French resorts in the Alps I’ve always been presented with some fairly rudimentary and dirty toilets. With this in mind my expectations were not high on this visit. Nevertheless, the drive from Munich had made a wee stop essential. So what can be said here?

Well I’d have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Innsbruck itself has a lot to offer for the summer visitor. And I’d have to say the trip to these toilets must be one of the most scenic in the world. The lift is newly refurbished and although at 19.50 euros return is a little expensive, is a trip you should not miss.

The toilets themselves are also surprisingly good. In fact they were well beyond my expectations; maybe because this is Austria and not France? When it comes down to it these were well thought out and high-grade toilets that would be at home in any restaurant. The designers had thought about who would be using them and there was lots of space for skiers with bulky clothing and equipment. The materials were also heavy so that they’ll wear well. They were also very clean, except for the floor that having been recently cleaned had muddy boot marks from the various walkers who had taken a break.

So overall, a good place to pee in a spectacular setting!


Marks out of 10:

8. A must see.


Comments to the management:

Keep up the Austrian efficiency.

Strollo's Upscale Toilet Mixes Traditional Design with Appealling Modern Flourishes

Strollo's Cucina Due
200 W Fairbanks Ave
Winter Park, FL USA
www.cucinadue.com

Where is it?

This is a wide, thin place. So in finding the bathroom, it's best to situate yourself here in that regard: There's a large kitchen in the back, with a sprawling deli case filled with various meats, cheeses and prepared dishes separating the dining room/shopping area (which takes up the back half of the place) from the kitchen. A deli/cafe area sits to the far right, when facing the deli case, and a small teaching kitchen (where the place's cooking classes are held) to the left. There's also an upper level dining room, though that was closed on my visit.

To find the bathrooms, head towards the teaching kitchen. Just before reaching it, and just past the cashier at the far end of the deli case, you'll see a small hallway open up on your right (while facing the teaching kitchen). Go down that hallway to find the toilets.

What's it like?

This mammoth storefront may be the closest thing the greater Orlando area has at the moment to a traditional Italian meat store and deli. The design here is decidedly modern, featuring plenty of woods and brick work, along with wood tables for diners to sit at (not many though, making it a bit difficult to find a seat during peak periods) and metal racks and various shelves spread out over the dining area, holding a smattering specialty foods, most of them imported from Italy or France. Not exactly a great gourmet market -- it's more of an eatery with some specialty foods spread out -- but you can see the place evolving and I imagine in the coming year or two it will offer a great deal more than what is there now, and I can't wait for that.

The kitchen and deli produce some delicious breads as well as several enticing prepared dishes, most of them upscale spins on Italian classics. It also peddles a modest array of Italian-based meats and cheeses. The far right end of the counter (when facing it) serves as an upscale deli, churning out fanciful soup and sandwich creations, as well as a la carte servings of the foods found in the deli case. The P.L.T. (prosciutto, lettuce and tomato, with fresh mozz as a binder) was a favorite of mine, as was the ricotta pie. Also, the in-house coffees prepared here are wonderful, featuring a very robust Italian roast as its espresso base.

The toilets are one-baggers and like the dining room they feature a modern spin on traditional design. They are roomy and clean and offer much privacy, thanks to being located away from the main action of the place.

You'll find an off-white toilet here set atop gray brick floor tiles that are reminiscent of stones found on brick roads. The walls are deep beige and clean-looking but without any decoration on it -- which in turn makes the place feel more modern and minimalistic.

The vanity houses a single sink that looks European-inspired. Upon seeing it, immediately thought of the sinks I saw at Club Quarters Philadelphia or at Petro Palace lobby or the SkyBar in St. Petersburg, in that they are small, yet stylish, and with a single old-fashioned spigot controlling water temperature and such. Only, unlike those, the small sink here isn't placed to conserve space -- here it's done for style, and it works.

An elegant mirror that looks like something taken from a diva's dressing room hangs above the sink, adding some elegance to the proceedings, and a small counter jets out to its right, holding a tall but thin vase with fake flowers in it.

The soap dispenser, paper towel dispenser and toilet paper dispenser are all boxed in matted stainless steel, which looks very slick -- and really is the second straight bathroom visited where traditional stainless fixtures like these are presented in a slightly different manner (I'm referring to McCormick & Schmick's Orlando, of course). Only, I found a little flaw in the design with these: The area where you grab the paper goods or receive the soap is covered by a lip, and as a result you can't see where the item you're getting (soap, paper, etc.) is and as a result it makes getting that stuff cleanly a bit of a chore.

On a different note: This is also the second Italian market bathroom to post very specific instructions on how to wash one's hands -- the other being Laurenzo's in North Miami Beach. Is this a trend or something?

Marks out of 10:

8. Very nice, private and clean, and the design touches certainly make it more interesting than a standard one-bagger. I rank this experience up there with other one-bagger wonders, like La Brazas Chicken and Shiki at the Beach.

Comments to the Management:

It's a great experience. And although I like the look of those fixtures holding the soap, paper towels and toilet paper, their functionality is a bit questionable. Is it possible to modify them some so you can get what you're looking for? If not, you may want to consider alternative fixtures.

Po-Mo Design Touches Make Toilets at Musée de l’Orangerie Unpleasant and Prison-Like

Musée de l’Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries
Paris, France
www.musee-orangerie.fr

Where is it?

You enter the museum on the top floor. After going inside, walk past the ticket and coat/item check counter and into the belly of the building. Once there, you'll see stairways leading downwards and a bridge taking you to the back half of the museum, where Monet's mammoth "Waterlilies" are exhibited.

Go downstairs using the stairs on your right (while facing the the Monet exhibit entrance). Go down two floors (the museum gift shop is at the bottom of the first flight). At the bottom of the stairs, taken an immediate u-turn into the enclave there, which is where the toilets are. (Signs will be posted at the bottom of the stairs.)

What's it like?

This modern-looking museum, home to Monet's famed "Waterlilies" murals for more than 100 years, is a modest art house compared to most Paris museums. That doesn't mean its small, though. It's just not as large as, say, the Louvre of the D'Orsay.

The focus here is on Monet's masterpiece and the other impressionistic works from the same period (mid-to-late 1800s and early 1900s). So visitors here can explore a dozen or so galleries dedicated to masters like Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Rousseau, Utrillo, Soutine and Derain, among others. The galleries are large but modest in design, allowing you to get up close and personal with these masterpieces and take your time viewing the art without fear of going to slow.

The centerpiece, of course, is Monet's enormous murals, which comprise two entire gallery halls of the museum, both of which are lit exclusively by natural light, making the experience that much more organic. For fans of the era's art, this museum can't be beat in terms of collection, experience and quality. Coupled it with an afternoon at the nearby Musee D'Orsay for a modern art experience of heavenly proportions.

Though the works here are of rooted in the golden age of Impressionism, the design of the building and the bathrooms are decidedly post-modern. Concrete is the main building block used here, and its implementation gives the place a cool, slick look and feel (which is quickly warmed by the matted colors found in the various galleries).

The toilets here make the most of these constructs, but not always to good effect. Visitors experience a dimly lit environment with little wall decoration (just concrete, really) and plenty of po-mo touches.

The central area of the men's room is large and cave-like at the same time, and despite the apparent roominess of the place it still feels very claustrophobic, even prison-like.

A set of three urinals stand along the front wall, looking like art installation pieces (a technique that reminded me a lot of the toilets experienced at Sensi and Okada in Las Vegas.)

The stalls along the back wall are separated by floor-to-ceiling doors, which are triggered to turn on a stall light whenever you open, close and step inside. Thus, when you first open the door, the light above the toilet is off, making you think you're about to enter a stall that will have you doing your business in near-pitch blackness. However, after you close the door, the light turns on, easing those sudden fears.

Of course, the light is very sharp and at first makes you think you're sitting under a heat lamp, which doesn't necessarily make you feel any more comfortable than you would you feel by sitting in the darkness, come to think of it.

If that weren't bad enough, the stall doors (because they are floor-to-ceiling and require some thicker material to compensate for the wiring switch inside them) keep odors in the stall with amazing skill. Thus, when you first open that door and see a small toilet in a dark stall, you get a nasty whiff of the previous inhabitant's business and it makes you think you're about to enter the deepest gate of hell..... Yes, very bad.

On the plus side, the stalls are covered with beige tile and the toilet is fixed to the wall in an ornamental fashion that again reminded me of the toilets at Sensi and Okada in Las Vegas, which employed a similar effect.

The flush mechanism here is foot-pedal based, however instead of having a standard pedal to step on, the designers have chosen to use a rubber push pedal thingamajig, which (no doubt because it's gotten worn down over the years) requires a good deal of pin-point pressure to initiate (you really have to press down on it), which in turn strains your foot and leg some because you thought it would be easier than it was.

A similar rubber push pedal mechanism is used by the vanity, to start the flow of water at the sinks. The sinks here are stainless metallic troughs built into a concrete slab. When you approach them, you think the water will come on automatically (the sleek design gives you that impression, as does the fact that the urinals have sensor-driven automatic flush mechanisms attached to them) but it doesn't, and as a result you start scrambling, looking for a way to turn the water on. Not very fun after you've soaped up your hands with a basic push-pump dispenser, I should add.

Anyway, it took me a while to figure out that to push on these rubber dots on the floor with your foot to get the water to start. And really, had I not visited the toilet moments earlier, I still might be there, trying to figure it out. And like in the toilet the pedal is hard to push, making it hard to keep the water on while you wash up. This is easily the most confusing and most difficult-to-use water faucet I've ever experienced -- even the O2 gave us directions, you know?

Given all these po-mo additions, you would expect to find an automatic hand drier. But no, there isn't one there either -- like the soap dispenser, the hand towels are kept in those primitive European models that essentially keep a long towel bound up inside a container. You pull the towel down to find a dry spot and dry your hands. Like all those old contraptions, the towels always jam and you have to dry your hands on a wet towel. Fun.

Also worth noting: The towels are at the opposite end of the room from the sinks, and as a result water gets dribbled everywhere after you wash your hands and those drops literally liter the floor, thanks to the concrete tile here, which highlights the water spots all too well. This is the furthest I've seen a towel dispenser put from a sink since my visit to Famous Phil's in Orlando.

Marks out of 10:

5. The po-mo touches are interesting at first, but the lack of functionality here, as well as the cave-like/prison-like feel and harsh, looming smells, ultimately make this a foul toilet-going experience.

Comments to the Management:

I appreciate you wanted to do something different, if not fitting, to the environment. However, you still need to remember the basics, which it seems are not a consideration. For one, increase the ventilation here so the smells aren't so sharp, especially in the toilet stalls. Second, move the towels closer to the sinks. Third, put some direction sheets on the walls so people know how to use the foot pedals. Fourth: Consider piping in some house music here to make the place a little friendlier. Fifth: Make those foot pedals easier to use, either by installing new levers or making them sensor driven. While it may feel trendy on the surface, a public toilet shouldn't be so purposefully off-putting.

Atomic Toilets

Atomium Square 1020
Brussels
Belgium

http://www.atomium.be/

Where is it?

You need to pay for entry at the ticket office next to the Atomium. Enter the complex and take the lift to the top. You’ll exit the lift in to the restaurant. You are forced left. Follow all the way around and just before you meet the lift again you’ll see the toilet to the left.


What’s it like?

Despite their ability to make extraordinary beer, the people of Belgium are an odd sort. I guess being squashed between France, Germany and Holland as they are does that to you. This amiable oddness shows itself in fairly harmless ways it must be said, like their love for the Atomium. This structure can be seen clearly over the Brussels skyline. But why on earth I hear you say build a building in the shape of an Atom? Well I’ll let you get the answer to that question, but at least they included a toilet at the very top!

This is one of the oddest buildings I’ve gone looking for a toilet in. And the first thing to note is that I think the top floor only has a ladies'. Well at least that's what the front door seems to signify. OK lets say it's probably unisex. Well, at least 3 men had used it before I did, and I thought it was worth the risk in the name of toilet journalism!

So what did I find? Well these are not the most luxurious toilets in the world, and they could do with a little more capacity. Nevertheless, when you consider they are in a relatively small ball hanging above the city, they are plenty big enough. They were also fairly clean. Add to this an automatic flush and plenty of hot water in the tap and they were functional enough. Nice shiny fittings that are more than in with keeping with the space age exterior of the building. Overall, I’d have to say I was impressed.

Now we have to consider which atom the building represents. Wii2O?


Marks out of 10:

7. Perfectly functional.


Comments to the management:

Maybe you could clarify for the international visitor if this is a unisex toilet?

Toilets at Montparnasse 1900 Evoke Classic Spirit of Art Nouveau Era

Montparnasse 1900
59 Boulevard du Montparnasse
Paris, France

Where is it?

This is a long, slightly slender place, with the kitchen in the very back, a bar and greeting area/coat-check area up front and a dining room in the center. (Supposedly, there's also a banquet hall and cigar bar, though I didn't see them.)

To get to the toilets, head through the bar and dining room, towards the back of the place. In between the kitchen and dining room is a small enclave containing a sitting area, some displayed art (both paintings and a few items held in a glass case) and the toilets, which are behind some darkly stained wooden doors. The men's room has a little bronze boy hanging on the door; the women's has a little bronze girl on it.

What's it like?

This unassuming eatery is located just a block or so away from Tour Montparnasse, Paris' tallest skyscraper building. While walking the streets here, you may have trouble locating the place because its facade and awning are very modest and from the outside it looks very similar to the other eateries around it. (To find, just look for the awning with "Montparnasse 1900" written on it.")

Still, this is definitely a place to seek out, as it provided me with the best dining experience I've ever had in Paris, at least for a bistro-type experience. The affordable menu comes filled with classic French dishes, like steake frites, endive and Roquefort salad, freshly shucked Normandy-caught oysters and much more, and each dish I had was expertly prepared and outrageously delicious. (The price fixed menu offered three courses, plus dessert and cheese and white for about 35 euro, which isn't that bad, really.) The big surprise here was the use of rump steak for the steak frites -- I thought it would be chewy, considering the cut, but it ended up being moist, tender and very flavorful -- one of the best I've ever had, to be honest.

The decor here is decidedly art nouveau in spirit. The place is covered in stain glass and metalworks, along with fanciful sculptures and paintings. The high point is the ceiling, which is a sprawling single glass mural portraying a view of autumn trees and leaves.

The toilets appropriately extend the art nouveau feel of the dining room. The room has two sections. The main area contains the urinals and sinks, both white porcelain. The walls here are dark mahogany wood, the mirrors and fixtures made of bronze, the lighting dim but not too dim. It's a lot like stepping into a turn-of-the-century boudoir, only without the seedy undertones. Similar in look and feel to La Cave, but without the modernist touches.

The back half of the bathroom has two toilet stalls, each one a single chamber that -- thanks to a full-sized door -- is separated completely from the rest of the place, which in turn means lots of privacy to the user. Those stalls are covered floor to ceiling with shiny white tiles and feature a classy white porcelain toilet in them with a dark wooden seat. The only ornamentation found inside is the stainless steel toilet paper roll holder hanging (albeit a bit too high) on the wall.

Marks out of 10:

8. Very classy art nouveau setting in a fantastic art-nouveau-inspired restaurant.

Comments to the Management:

Not much to suggest here. It's a great place, from the dining room on back. If anything, I would suggest adding a little more light in the bathroom stalls, which weren't dim but weren't that bright either. Also, if possible, lower the toilet paper holders a little to accommodate us shorter people some.

Chez Panisse Eschews Country Feel for Cannes Glamour

Chez Panisse,
2 Boulevard Jean Hibert ,
6400,
Cannes,
France.

http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/0591/fiche_hotel.shtml


Where is it?

Drag yourself away from the view of the Mediterranean and prepare for a long trip. From the street side head into the restaurant and towards the back. Pass to the left of the counter. Follow around to the right and there is a doorway. Go through it up the step. The door to the toilet is on the right….

But then, if it is engaged, as it was when I was visiting, turn about and you’ll see some signs for a first floor alternative. Head across the lobby and up the stairs. On the right you’ll find the entrance to the toilets.


What’s it like?

Cannes is famous for its beaches, boats, and most of all its film festival. Great beaches, fantastic weather, (remember we were running from the summer floods in the UK) and even more fantastic scenery add up to a fantastic place to go.

After a couple of beers or so (well 25cl is can hardly count as one can it?) around the corner overlooking the harbour, it was certainly time to find somewhere to eat. After a stroll down Boulevard Jean Hibert, Chez Panisse was determined to look like the favourite this particular evening.

The restaurant has a great combination of style and cosy. Whilst clean and modern it keeps an element of true French country style with it. The food lived up to the Mediterranean’s reputation and was tasty and reasonable in price. Great views and good service was also on offer and a street side spot made for a great place to eat.

And the toilets? Well despite the trek what you get is of high quality hotel style, rather than something more rustic that you might expect from the restaurant. They were pretty damned good. Marble counter tops, floor tiles, and lime stone tile is and modern fixtures makes this more than a comfortable place to go.

That with the great location has to be something good.


Marks out of 10:

9 for great style and a touch of luxury.


Comments to the management:

Great toilets for a great location.

Old World Charm Gets Lost Inside Teutonic Bathroom at EPCOT's UK Pavilion

United Kingdom Pavilion Bathroom
EPCOT
Orlando, FL USA
www.epcot.com

Where is it?

This is pretty deep inside Disney's EPCOT theme park.

To get here, head to the United Kingdom Pavilion. Once there, look for the Rose and Crown pub, which is pretty much in the center of the pavilion. When you see it, look across the street, and you'll see a quaint little English garden set before a structure that looks a little like Windsor Castle.

There's a set of archways at the far end of the garden -- the bathrooms are inside those archways. (There's also a sign on the central street there, indicating which way the bathrooms are, as well as which way the Rose and Crown Pub is, in case you need to get back there and can't quite remember where it is.... for obvious reasons, of course.)

What's it like?

Like with the China Pavilion at EPCOT, the United Kingdom Pavilion houses a small array of structures that sum up traditional English experience for the non-initiated. There's the Tea Shoppe (notice the spelling of "Shoppe" -- doesn't that scream "English?"), the Rose and Crown Pub, a fish and chips place, some quaint gardens, windy streets reminiscent of a quaint Cotswolds village and architecture that looks like it was modeled after postcards of famous castles, like the aforementioned Windsor dwelling.

The pavilion itself makes for a nice diversion, but unlike China Pavilion, there isn't any attraction here (no movie; though there is a Beatle-mania-type show a few times a day) and no fine dining restaurant, unless you count the pub here as being fine dining. (It's got table service, and it charges $9 per beer, whereas the fish and chips place is just a fast food counter.)

The bathrooms look nice on the outside -- as said earlier, the architecture outside them is reminiscent of Windsor Castle and the like. Inside, however, they are just your standard mass market multi-person toilet -- nothing special. They're very hectic and busy too because they sit in the dead center of a busy thoroughfare between the France and Canada Pavilions, both of which have great fine dining restaurants and decent attractions to see.

Of course, given its bland interior, I can't complain on its lack of ambition as the bathroom at the Lotus Blossom Cafe in EPCOT's China Pavilion exhibited too much ambition and as a result created a somewhat unpleasant toilet environment. So there is something to be said for having a straightforward practical restroom on premises.

But at the same time you're letdown by the fact that the outside of the place has lots of personality and the inside doesn't.

Anyway, this is a long, rectangular environment. When you enter, you first face an area of sinks and counter spaces (for changing babies and such). Turn left from there and you see a long stretching room with a long row of urinals on one side and a long row of toilet stalls on the back, with the handicap stalls being in the back corner. (Why they are all the way back there, since it makes it hard to get to for anyone with disabilities, is anyone's guess?)

Regular stalls are average in size and are divided by beige metal stall walls; the urinals are separated by stainless steel dividers. Because of the shape of the place, and the fact that many people visit here, anyone in the stalls will have to endure lots of noise and activity. During my visit, I encountered lots of shouted conversations and many kids, who ran around frantically, bumping into things and having water fights. This was actually what I expected to experience at the Spiderman toilets in Super Hero Island in Islands of Adventure, to be honest -- just kind of a bathroom free for all, if you will.

The sinks, urinals and toilets all have autoflush (soap dispensers are manual, as is in all Disney parks bathrooms, it seems). This isn't a bad thing to have in such a frenetic environment. The place is brimming with spilled water and paper and other trash (even though it's frequently cleaned by the crew -- just too hard to keep tip top when this many people flush in, I guess) so the less I have to touch anything, the better.

The decor is pretty Teutonic, with an off-kilter brown and white-tile checkerboard pattern on the floor and white tiled walls with a black tile highlight. Again, nothing exciting -- pretty plain Jane, like what we saw at the Grand Canyon's Desert View bathroom or at TooJay's Original Gourmet Deli in Orlando. No bits of cozy English culture, no personality whatsoever. Soulless and bland and very hectic.

A little of that would have been great -- I'm not asking for something as eccentric as what we we saw in the bathrooms outside Westminster Abbey or Bleinhem Palace, or even something as high end classy as the majestic Lumley Castle Hotel, but at least some effort to mimic the decor of the Pavilion outside would have been nice.

Marks out of 10:

5. Would have been higher had the place not been so filled with frantic children, water, and trash and shown a little personality.

Comments to the Management:

Clearly, the cleaning schedule you've placed this place on isn't enough -- you need to double the crews here to ensure it stays clean, because it's a crowded mess as is. Also, adding some decor would soften the blow of overcrowding and messiness some. Look at what was done inside the bathrooms at the Paris Las Vegas for some inspiration, or the Lost Continent Toilet at Islands of Adventure.