Cool public restrooms from around the world

Mandarin Oriental New York

I’ve always thought the best thing about booking a treatment at the MONY’s spa is getting to luxuriate in the men’s relaxation (locker and restroom) area. The Amethyst Crystal Steam Room is a bejeweled chamber that will make you feel like Persian royalty. And the wet area also contains the best whirlpool I’ve yet experienced: the Vitality Pool is enriched with oxygen-concentrated water, so there’s 20% more oxygen than the water we typically come into contact with. (After a soak, your skin feels polished.) And the pool contains an “air bed” steel lounge that gently massages the entire body. Kudos to architect Brennan Beer Gorman and interior designer Hirsch Bedner Associates—the MONY sets the standard for luxury urban spa facilities. The spa is available to day guests. (Photo: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental)

Equinox gym

I’m a new member, and I’ve used the facilities in different cities. They’re always spotless and well stocked. I overheard a guy at the gym saying he prefers showering there to home, citing the unlimited fluffy white towels. For me, it’s the clean, luxurious design, the multiple vanity stations, and the Kiehl’s products—the grapefruit body cleanser and the Crème de Corps moisturizer. (Photo: Courtesy of Equinox)

Four Seasons New York

If you aren’t a patron, it’s best to be inconspicuous when using the loo. So in terms of venue, the bigger the better. In a small establishment, you’ll probably get noticed and perhaps turned away.

Hotels that have social or “showplace” reputations are good bets—the staffs are usually welcoming and the restrooms easily accessible from the street. When I’m in midtown New York, my go-to restroom is in the Four Seasons. The lobby is one of the city’s great Manhattan public spaces, and the sparkling clean marble restrooms are on the main floor, under the bar and restaurant on the 58th Street side, which has its own entrance. The atmosphere will make you want to stay for a drink at the hopping bar or in the I.M. Pei-designed TY Lounge. (Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons)

American Airlines Admiral’s Club

The reason I’m loyal to American is the benefits that come with being Executive Platinum. I get upgraded for almost every flight, and when that happens for an international trip, I enjoy access to the Admiral’s Club. I always knew the showers existed, but never used them until recently. I was escorted back by a butler-type staffer, was given towels and products, and was able to wash the beach off for my connecting flight. Day use for coach passengers is $50 (comes with TV, comfy chairs, magazines, snacks, business center, and wireless Internet—and in some airports, a major hot food buffet and booze). (Photo: Karl Baron / Flickr)

Hinoki & the Bird restaurant; Century City, Calif.

David Myers (Comme Ca) and Kuniko Yagi delight diners at their Century City eatery Hinoki & the Bird with specialty cocktails like the Hinoki Swizzle (Amontillado sherry, St Germaine, fresh green apple, and champagne) and dishes like the caramel-braised kurobuta pork belly with radish and mustard greens. The good taste extends to the restrooms, where staggered subway tiles double as wall mirrors. The design, by Milo Garcia of MAI Studio, is so fashionable that Nylon Guys magazine used the bathroom as the background for a photo shoot. (Photo: Jessica Ritz 8BIM)

Mix Lounge, Las Vegas

The restrooms at Mix Lounge, located at THEhotel, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, are pretty high up—on the 64th floor, in fact. And what makes them so special is that they boast the same birds-eye views of the Strip as the venue itself (the space is adjacent to the Alain Ducasse restaurant). The bar’s cover charge is $15 ($10 for hotel guests); ladies enter for free.

Beach layover

Sometimes you find yourself with a long layover in a beach destination that’s close to your airport. Miami Beach is about 20 minutes away from the airport; San Juan, Puerto Rico, is even closer. So coming back from Virgin Gorda, my pal and I hung out all day on Isla Verde beach in San Juan. When it was time to clean off and change, we walked from the sand straight onto a hotel pool deck; the outdoor showers and restrooms were right there. Walk in with a sense of purpose; don’t look vague or guilty, and smile at the security guard. (Photo: Anthony / Flickr)

Finally, a note on etiquette: I’m conflicted about advising whether or not to ask permission to use a restroom. In general, I’m of the “Don’t ask permission, apologize afterwards” school, especially when you’re not likely to be noticed anyway (see above). But when I was in Rome on one of those above-mentioned family trips, and I suggested to my companions that they use a trattoria’s restroom, I saw that the place was busy and the host stand was like a barricade. So I recommended that they ask politely and it worked. (Photo: Luke Addison / Flickr)