Grand Central Station Toilets Offer Visitors Truly Hectic New York Experience

Grand Central Terminal
Food Court Toilets
87 E 42nd Street
New York, NY USA
grandcentralterminal.com

Where is it?

Head to the station's food court (which is a trip in itself, though if you follow the signs and try not to get swept up in the waves of people floating about, you'll make it without much trouble). Once there, look for the Zocalo food stand. The entrance to the bathrooms is down the hallway to the left of that stand.

What's it like?

As most people know, Grand Central Station is one of the largest and busiest train terminals in the U.S. It's a sprawling building filled with ornate architecture, towering arches and countless shops, eateries and stores tailored to the passing-through traveler.

The food court bathrooms, as you can imagine, are large, noisy and hectic -- some of the busiest I've experienced. And I imagine they're always like this, not just at select times (such as the dreadful toilets experienced on the Florida Turnpike at Ft. Drum and Port St. Lucie, which were busy during one visit and not so busy the next).

Of course, this being New York and Grand Central Station, a hub for public transportation (which normally doesn't offer much luxury in terms of bathrooms), you don't expect this place to be very friendly, clean or accommodating. That wasn't the case with the men's room. While it was certainly very busy, I found the place cleaner than I thought it would be and everything in working order.

This is a "P"-shaped facility (no pun intended), with the stem being the entrance corridor. When you walk in, you first see a row of urinals (about 4 of them) on the left wall. That's the base of the "P." The opposite wall has another set of urinals there.

In the center (around the loop of the letter, if you will) are two rows of sinks and mirrors, one facing the back wall and one facing the front wall, with a marble wall separating them. Across from each row of sinks are stretches of toilets. Marble dividers separate everything cleanly, and marble covers the floor as well.

The place is well lit. The sinks are made of stainless steel and in many ways look like a string of stock pots placed beside one another. The mirrors over them, one to each station, are oval in shape and well lit. Stainless steel doors serve as the toilet stall door, with the same marble dividers walling off each toilet area to ensure each visitor has some semblance of privacy.

As said, this place was pretty clean on this visit, a surprise considering how busy it was. (I had to fight through some crowds to get to the sink to wash my hands, and then I had to do the same when I wanted to leave.) Sure, I saw some mis-thrown trash, some spilled water and whatnot, but I really expected it to be a lot worse -- like what I experienced on the Florida Turnpike at Ft. Drum and Port St. Lucie.

Marks out of 10:

7. Busy and hectic, yes, but also surprisingly clean, bright and well-maintained.

Comments to the Management:

Outside of the hectic nature of the place, which I doubt can be fixed, given this is NYC and Grand Central, I'm not sure there is much I can offer in terms of help, since my experience was a good one here. Still, my companion (who used the ladies room) said it was horrendous in there, one of the most disgusting bathrooms ever visited and said she was literally jarred by the experience. (She refused to write about it, though.) However, without specifics I have little to recommend.

Delta Crown Room Toilets at JFK Certainly a Regal Affair

Delta Crown Room
John F Kennedy International Airport
Terminal 2
New York, NY USA
www.panynj.gov

Where is it?

Unfortunately, because of modern security protocol, you'll need a ticket to get into the terminal itself. After that, you'll need a first class or business class Delta ticket to get into the Crown Room. (Though, I imagine with a properly pleaded "state of emergency" greeting, you may be able to pass through as well. The people here were very friendly and looked like they would by sympathetic towards someone in this situation.)

Once inside, head towards the bar. With it to your back, head towards the back left corner of the area. As you walk, you'll see various hallways open up to your right. One houses an assortment of computer cubicles, another leads to a set of elevators, and a third leads towards the toilets.

What's it like?

The Crown Room is the first class and business class lounge for international flights departing JFK. It's a large area, with several sitting areas, TVs, an open bar, a buffet and some excellent customer service. A very relaxing place to spend some time before heading on a long flight to the other side of the world.

While the decor is decidedly airport-influenced (cheesy carpet, pictures of airplanes, etc.), and the food is just a little above standard airport food court quality, there is a level of exclusivity present here that's undeniable. This is a terminal that's still being put together, and this place seems like it's been an institution in it for a while. For that I commend it.

The toilets are appropriately regal. Vast, spacious, impeccably clean. The floors are covered with beige and black tile, set in a fanciful art deco pattern. The stretching vanity is black marble. The walls are covered with beige tile and bright, matted green drywall, though there is no decor hanging on them. Three stalls, separated by black metal walls that nearly touch the floor (for top-notch privacy) and three urinals, divided by similar-looking black dividers. Sinks and toilets are standard white porcelain but are elegantly presented enough, thanks to the black barriers.

The vanity is the highlight here: Well-lighted, mammoth and very luxurious-looking. The user gets top-quality hand soap (I forget the brand, I'm afraid), high-quality, plush paper towels (grabbed from a basket as if they were actual cloth towels) and can select from an assortment of colognes, lotions and perfumes after washing his/her hands. Very classy.

Fault-wise: The sinks faucets are those old push-the button-to-keep-the-water-flowing type -- no doubt a means to control water use. However, I went here twice while in the airport and found an attendant in it each time, so I don't see the need to have to control water flow so carefully, since the attendant can easily shut off faucets that have been left on, if need be. As a result, it's a bit dated and too old-fashioned for such a ritzy place to use such a mechanism, what with the elaborate, modern decor and all.

Also, the spaciousness creates sharp, often piercing echoes in the place, which can make bodily functions seem a little bit more impressive than they actually are -- certainly not a problem if you're alone, but certainly embarrassing if you're in the stall and sharing the environment with only one or two other people.

Marks out of 10:

9. Nearly perfect.

Comments to the Management:

Trade out those tired old faucets for newer ones. If you're worried about water control, put in sensor-controlled faucets -- anything but these dated units.

Also, to reduce echo, put up some Plexiglass framed pictures on the wall. They will absorb some of the sound reverberation.

Toilets at Historic Angelo's on Mulberry Street Beautifully Blend Old World Charm with New World Style

Angelo's of Mulberry Street
146 Mulberry Street
New York, NY 10013
www.angelomulberry.com

Where is it?

From the front entrance, head to the back of the place. You'll pass through a narrow dining room along the way, as well as the entrance to the kitchen, which will be on your left.

About halfway down, you'll also notice a waiter station. Behind that, the restaurant opens up some to reveal it's back-of-store dining room. Just past the waiter station is a twisting staircase heading to to the basement. Take those stairs downward and you'll come to a small lobby, off of which are the bathrooms.

What's it like?

This establishment, located in the ever-shrinking neighborhood of Manhattan's Little Italy, has been serving high-end Italian and Italian-American cuisine for more than 100 years. The interior extends that sense of history, especially in its aged woodwork, hand-painted murals, dim lighting and friendly-yet-professional wait staff, many of which are from the Old Country.

The menu itself consists of dozens of well-prepared dishes, from fresh salads, breads and antipastos to pasta dishes to meats and desserts. Portions are enormous and a bit on the pricey side, but the quality of the food is so high and the ingredients so fresh that you feel like you're getting your money's worth.

I had a wonderful, flavor-packed pasta dish filled with big chunks of garlic, tomato and crab. My companion had a special of squid ink pasta with various cheeses in it. Both were otherworldly, as was the incredibly fresh Antipasto all' Italiana, assorted cold cuts and cheese that featured some of the freshest, creamiest fresh buffalo mozzarella I'd ever had in my life.

Given the Old World charms exuding from the dining room, you would expect the bathroom to be a throwback to the past, or at least a clever spin on the place's turn-of-the-century roots, a la Bennigan's or Macaroni Grill, if you will.

(And no, I'm not trying to imply that Angelo's and those chain restaurants have anything to do with one another, just that I was expecting the toilets to possibly have that kind of design.)

But, of course, they didn't. Though the dining room is very traditional, the toilets here are decidedly modern in design and very clean -- a surprise considering its age and NYC location. (You never know with this city, you know?) Granted, there were some cigarette buts in the urinal -- strange since NYC no longer allows smoking in places that serve food -- but otherwise the place was spotless and fresh smelling.

Sleek, gray, sandstone-inspired tile covers the walls, the grout line all but invisible, and light sandstone-colored tile covers the floor (in a way that isn't at all like the other red-brick-floored places we've visited), creating an almost futurist vibe in the place. The pedestal sink, toilet and urinals (two of them) are all white porcelain, but like at Sensi and Okada in Las Vegas, the sleek, futuristic-albeit-minimalistic wall design somehow makes the fixtures seem less plain, almost like pieces of art.

On the flip side, the toilets are a bit small for multi-person facilities. Not as small as what I experienced at the Petro Palace Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia, mind you, or even Club Quarters Philadelphia and Marathon Grill in Philly (they were more the size of, say, Sharky's in St. Augustine), but they were somewhat small for multi-person facilities. I ended up sharing the space with a person on my first visit here (I made two in all) and it felt crammed with two people in there. I could see how this might make things uncomfortable if someone were there for a longer visit and another person came in.

Still, the cozy lobby just outside the toilets, featuring a well-worn padded bench and some homey artwork, makes for a good place to wait out any delays and give other attendees some privacy until it becomes your turn to go inside.

Marks out of 10:

8. Classy, sleek and small -- not what I expected in the least.

Comments to the Management:

It's a small space and you've done your best to cover it up. Just make sure the cigarette butts stay out of the urinals and you're golden.

Beware the Mirrored Stairs at Ferrara Cafe

Ferrara Cafe
195 Grand Street
New York City, NY USA
www.ferraracafe.com

Where is it?

From the street entrance, head all the way to the back of the place. Once there, you'll see a staircase going upward.

Go up those stairs (take care while doing so -- more on this later on) and turn left once you've ascended to the top. You'll find yourself in a small enclave, which will be dimly lit and filled with dark wood -- behind it is a mammoth dining room that looks like it handles special events only. The doors to the toilets will be right in front of you at that point.

What's it like?

This famous bakery, in New York's Little Italy neighborhood, bills itself as "America's first espresso bar -- since 1892." Those visiting get a sense of the history the minute they step inside.

The interior, a vast old-fashioned parlor area, is filled with brass fixtures, sparkling mirrors, glass lighting and plenty of friendly beiges and browns.

The centerpiece here is the large, elongated glass bakery counter on the left of the store (when you've got the entrance to your back). It's filled with hundreds of selections of sweets, each of which tempts you with its delicate appearance and flavorful aroma. If only I had more of an appetite when I came here....

Being an espresso bar, I can say that the brewed coffee is good here though the espresso drinks are much better -- some of the best you can get stateside without roasting your own beans, really. The atmosphere is busy, often tourist-filled, but friendly. Service is quick and professional. Not really a place to lolly with staff but certainly a great place to stop for a coffee and pastry while walking around the city.

The toilets, like those found at nearby Angelo's, showcase a modern design, even though the rest of the place feels very turn of the century-like in appearance. Here, you'll find white tiles with a black tile trim on the floor and walls, a rust-colored marble vanity counter and faux marble stall doors -- all of which make the interior look like a modest take on the toilets experienced at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. (Though, it should be said, that the toilets here aren't in that location's league.)

It's a clean place too, though while I was there the smell emitted from one visitor in the stalls was pretty strong. (That's more the result of that visitor, of course, though had I been in the Bellagio, that smell issue wouldn't have been a problem, would it?)

Because it's upstairs, too, you don't feel the hustle and bustle of the dining room much. And while the enclave outside is very dimly lit, the toilets themselves were bright and comfortable and welcoming.

Given that, the only issue I had with the place was with the staircase leading up to it. The lighting around the stairs, coupled with the many mirrors on the walls opposite it (so that this is the wall you're staring at when you head downward) make it difficult to descend, mostly because those reflections alter your perception some. It's also like this going up too, but the effect is not as bad, since you're walking into a darker environment from a brighter one; once those qualities reverse, the scenario becomes less predictable, especially as your eyes get drawn more to the lights and bright reflections around you.

As a result, you often experience vertigo while walking down those stairs to return to your seat -- which makes the descent somewhat dangerous. And I overheard several people complaining about this while there, so I can say my experience isn't an exception to the rule.

Marks out of 10:

7. Almost an 8, except for the perilous trip down those stairs after I completed my bathroom visit.

Comments to the Management:

The experience itself was good, and I appreciate the old-time feel to the place, but if possible there has to be a way to make that descent a little more easy-going. Perhaps dim the lighting more for the descent or cover up those mirrors so that the climb down is more linearly presented?

Shiny and Bright at Buffalo Airport

The Buffalo Niagara International Airport,

4200 Genesee Street,

Cheektowaga, NY USA 14225

http://www.buffaloairport.com/


Where is it?

Go through the security after check in. Head for gate 12 (United). The restrooms are just past on the left.


What’s it like?

OK Buffalo is not a the sort of place that’s springs to mind as a place to go. If you use this airport its probably because you’re on your way somewhere else. Niagara with its picturesque falls and tacky casino scene are probably the main reason for a foreigner to pass by. It’s also a good stopping off point for those making their way to Canada without using Toronto.

So I guess it’s a bit of a surprise that the airport is a clean and efficient place to be. The staff are friendly and, on the whole, efficient. Even more surprising is the brightness that meets you when you go into the toilet. When I say bright I mean BRIGHT! They yell clean and shiny at you. Once your eyes adjust you soon realise that these toilets aren’t the most cosy in the world, but are so, sooo clean.

The toilet has seat covers and two toilet rolls. Eight sinks for the two people a flight who must use this place! Great electric towel dispensers are on hand. Honestly these are the best toilets I’ve seen in an airport.


Marks out of 10:

8 for the bright clean feel!


Comments to the management:

If you can keep this up Buffalo will have a claim to fame!