Toiletries and Tubs: A Tour of Hotel Bathrooms

“O

ne could argue that after the comfort factor of beds and pillows (and mini-bar assortment, of course), the bathroom in a hotel room is a super-important travel factor.

I have been on the road for more than two weeks, so forgive me if my subject matter is deteriorating. But seriously, bathrooms are important! We spend a lot of time there — showering, brushing our teeth, putting on make-up, and doing what proper folk call “our business” (but not the kind with Zoom calls and Slack). Here’s my critique of water closets I’ve seen of late.

• A 100+-year-old hotel called the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, AZ had a sink in the bedroom and the actual bathroom is so small that if you turn around too quickly to grab a towel, you might knock yourself unconscious. It was very quaint and the water pressure was surprisingly good in the shower. Had I not been staying alone, it would have been a tad claustrophobic. 
• The new Encore Boston Harbor houses bathrooms as large as my old studio apartment in Manhattan. Fully-equipped and sprawling, it included a scale, a chair, and a little “dresser” for the bath products. Plus, it had a double sink. Even when I’m staying alone, I love the double sink. One for putting on make-up and one for brushing teeth. I feel like royalty. It even had cool artwork. 
• Miguel, the Manager at the Bryant Park Hotel always gives me an upgrade when he has availability (because I’m a “regular” and I make him laugh, I suppose). This time my bathroom had an amazing view of the park and a little outdoor patio. They have nice robes and amazing good-smelling bath products.
• The Kimpton Saint George had a lovely bathroom with a wonderful spacious shower but after my Encore and Bryant Park Hotel experiences, I’ve been spoiled for life. The soap was so wonderfully fragrant that I confess that I took an unwrapped bar with me. That’s not stealing, right? Plus, they had a little sign that told you if you forgot anything, they would bring it to you. That’s always a nice touch. The list of items was comprehensive too. But no shower cap. What’s with that? I hoard shower caps in my toiletry bag for just such occasions.

Other things I appreciate in hotel bathrooms:

• A tub AND a shower. Not that I usually take baths. But I like having the option.
• Big fluffy towels — lots of them.
• A loofah-like thing or great washcloths
• Eye make-up remover. Everyone gives cotton swabs, but as long as I’m cleaning my ears, what about my orbs?
• A make-up mirror (because my sight has never been great and I need to know if I have lipstick on my teeth before I go out)
• A blow dryer that’s relatively easy to find

Please feel free to weigh in on your own bathroom idiosyncracies. I’d like to know I’m not alone (except in the bathroom, as it should be).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

amenitiesbathroomshotels