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Nature’s not the only thing calling
Sometimes, you just need a place to go. And if you’re sick of looking at your own bathroom, then you can fantasize about visiting these one day.
Most public facilities in hotels and restaurants are perfectly fine – but some are simply extraordinary. They go beyond the practical and add a real “wow” factor to what’s usually a pretty utilitarian space.
In fact, they’re so Instagrammable, you’ll want to pull out your phone and start snapping photos – but please make sure no one’s using them when you do.
Here are 10 of the most unique restrooms you’ll ever walk into. Some have been named America’s Best Restroom in an annual competition Cintas has been sponsoring for almost two decades, while others may be future winners. All could easily have inspired the title of the Dr. Seuss classic, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
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Palms Casino Resort | Las Vegas, Nevada
Hidden inside one of the ladies’ room stalls at Scotch 80 Prime at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas is this pretty-in-pink commissioned installation called, appropriately, “Cakeland.”
Scott Hove, known for his cake-inspired art, has created a life-sized confection that surrounds you in a sweet, pastel wonderland – a stark contrast from the outside world.
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Hermitage Hotel | Nashville, Tennessee
Don’t be surprised to find women in the men’s bathroom downstairs near the Oak Bar and the Capitol Grille at the historic Hermitage Hotel. There’s even an official plaque outside encouraging them to take a peek.
The Art Deco details are jaw-dropping, as are the green toilets and urinals. There’s even a shoe-shining station with a working telephone in case you need to call for a quick shine. It all takes you back to an era of glamour which the Hermitage has been celebrating for more than a century.
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John Michael Kohler Arts Center | Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Of course, bathrooms in any building with the name Kohler on it should be spectacular, but the ones in the John Michael Kohler Arts Center are, literally, pieces of art.
Each of the six restrooms in the center has a different theme, and you’ll want to check them all out. Using the tile as their canvas, acclaimed artists turned each one into a masterpiece worthy of, well, being in a museum.
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Skyfall Lounge at Delano | Las Vegas, Nevada
One of the best views of the Strip is also the most private. Slip into a stall in the ladies room in the Skyfall Lounge at Delano Las Vegas, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, and you’ll want to settle in for a while and take in the scenery.
Don’t worry, guys. The men’s room also features an expansive window overlooking the skyline, so feel free to indulge in a couple more cocktails and head back for another view.
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The Varsity Theater | Minneapolis, Minnesota
Step into the restroom at the Varsity Theater, one of the premier performing arts venues in the Midwest, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped onto the stage of a play that’s just won the Tony for best set design.
In fact, you can actually still see and hear the stage from this stunning lounge, which is a magical world of its own. Best of all, you can even order a drink over the back counter, making it very tempting to just hang out in the restroom for the entire performance.
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Kimpton Muse Hotel | New York, New York
You’re so vain, you probably think this stall is about you.
Vain, along with Rebel, Glam, Macho, Passion and Envy, is one of the individual stalls in the lobby bathroom of the Kimpton Muse Hotel, all of which are inspired by the seven deadly sins and, appropriately, totally decadent. Hey, this is Manhattan, after all.
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OdySea Aquarium | Scottsdale, Arizona
Usually when you’re washing your hands in a public bathroom, you find that you’re facing yourself in the mirror. When you wash your hands in the bathroom at OdySea Aquarium, though, you face sharks. Real live sharks.
It can be a little intimidating to walk into the restroom and be greeted with a shark tank. But cue the music from “Jaws” and get up close and personal with creatures that are nearly ten feet long, knowing it’s safe to put your hands back in the water.
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Thalia Hall | Chicago, Illinois
The subterranean chalkboard closet inside historic Thalia Hall is literally a blank slate, so you can express yourself after you’ve relieved yourself.
Chalkboard paint covers the walls and the individual stalls, letting you doodle away between concert sets or between drinks at Dusek’s Board & Beer or Punch House. Feel free to channel your inner artist, go on a rant or start the novel you’ve always dreamed of writing.
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Papermoon Diner | Baltimore, Maryland
This iconic diner is beloved as much for its décor as its food, and the kitsch extends into the restroom, where you won’t know what to look at first.
The walls are lined with an impressive collection of Pez dispensers, some of which may take you back to your own childhood. You could easily get lost in those but make sure you look up at the ceiling filled with mini race cars, and remember there are people waiting outside so you should probably speed it up yourself.
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Port and Blue Hotel | Tel Aviv, Israel
This boutique hotel in Tel Aviv is an eclectic blend of seaside resort and urban oasis, and its ode to imagination is reflected in everything from the fairy tale-inspired Fantastic bar and restaurant to the unisex bathroom in the lobby.
With a bathtub serving as the sink, a disco ball and a lighted mirror reminiscent of a movie star’s dressing room, this is not a restroom for resting. Before you enter, you’ll see a large plastic cake topped with a candle. When you approach it and blow, a camera snaps and prints out a kiss face photo of you, all puckered up and ready for your wishes to come true.
10Best is a part of the USA TODAY Network, providing an authentically local point of view on destinations around the world, in addition to travel and lifestyle advice.