Glass-walled en-suite toilets in hotels

[jennyrosyjenkins]

Hello everyone.

I’m a retired UK doctor, recently returned from a holiday in Krakow, Poland.

A lovely city, with a stylish modern hotel called the Puro:

en.purohotel.pl/krakow/rooms

What you might just fleetingly notice is that every en-suite toilet in every room is surrounded by a wall of completely transparent (not frosted) glass. The standard rooms are quite small, with the glassed area very close to the bed. There is also a 5cm gap preventing the sliding door ‘closing’, and every activity can be seen, smelt and heard.

The distress caused to someone sharing a room with a partner or friend is obvious. My holiday was ruined.

Many new hotels are planned across Europe with this ‘chic and stylish’ arrangement, and apparently there are even some in the UK.

The reason I’m posting is to suggest that we compile a list of these horrible places on this website. This would warn IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, stoma sufferers etc and their doctors, so that everyone can avoid a spoilt holiday. At least make sure when you book your trip that 'private facilities' means private.

And if the hotels lose business, their practice might change. You have been warned!

theguardian.com/travel/shor...

[Tralala]

It's hardly a spectator sport. Not good. Thanks for sharing.

[SuzyQ2]

We came across a hotel like this in Madrid going back about 12 years before I was confirmed coeliac with collagenous colitis- in this instance the room design was different and the beds were behind a solid wall - nevertheless - the door was probably about the same height as me (short) and started about a foot off the ground

We did work out a symptom - we didn't like it - but as you can imagine my then 11 year old daughter was horrified - most of the glass ended up being completely covered with towels.

A slip up with coeliac or even stress can kick off my colitis - so that attacks are shorter - nevertheless - a single day or night can feel like a lifetime, and in an environment like this would just be horrendous

[LDupree]

Thank you for letting us know about the horrid rooms with less-than-private, "private" facilities.

[binks]

Who on earth thought that was a good idea!! Horrific.

[Hidden]

About as much use a a chocolate fireguard mind atleast with chocolate you can eat it!

but not very private plus even married couples like some privacey could see some big arguments starting there so a strain on a holiday

[Kpops]

I've stayed in a hotel where the shower was totally visible from the room, this wasn't ideal as I was sharing with a friend, wouldn't have minded so much if had been with my partner! The idea of the toilet being on show like that is awful! Why would they think anyone wants to be seen on the loo??

[linedance]

I have stayed in a hotel in Oslo which was similar, although not as revealing as this one.

[Hidden]

Well just sent them an email lets see what they have to say and did say if i was staying there they have a coat of paint so opaque! plus on a list of places to avoid!

Let them chew that with there potatoes and cabbage!

[Mc89]

I would not like this! It doesn't matter how long you have been in a relationship there are some things that should remain private.

[O2ADDICT]

The room are fabulous but that toilet would certainly cause me to bind up like someone put a cork in my intestines. LOL!

[Iizzy]

That is my worst nightmare. It's stressful enough going away with a boyfriend when you have ibs but to be faced with that!

[Suchislife]

Hi. I am currently experiencing exactly the same thing. My partner and I have moved to Singapore due to work when we arrived at our long term apartment the first thing I saw was that the whole bathroom is surrounded with glass and I have crohn's disease and immediately freaked out. Luckily my partner saw this too and knew that I would be uncomfortable with this and we moved to another apartment with the same but it has a enclosed toilet off the living area.

I felt so much better when moved but I can understand how this could get to people I wouldn't of been able to stay there if we didn't get a different apartment.

I couldn't believe that this is the way they are most apartments here are the same so be careful when booking.

[jennyrosyjenkins]

Why on earth do hotels do this? MONEY of course!

Compare the cost of constructing, plastering and decorating a proper en-suite bathroom with installing a glass box.

Add a few funky reviews from gullible style wannabees -

and you have a luxury hotel!

[littlemissbee]

This is bizarre. I don't know anyone who would be OK with this!?

When we are in hotels I still find it embarrassing to use the loo because of the close proximity of the bathroom to the bed/living space. More often than not I will go use the public loo in the foyer or try to hold on while my OH pops out for a paper or something. I just can't get my head around this.

There's no way I'd be comfortable staying somewhere like this even if I didn't have my IBS issues. I hope the hotel advertise it as such so it's not too much of a shock for unsuspecting visitors. I'm afraid I'd have to ask to be moved immediately.

[Hidden in reply to littlemissbee]

some things are private and I would hate it as well as we all have times we have problems there and don't want it on view.

[SuzyQ2]

We recently had a short break in a 5 star hotel in Dubrovnik and my partner bless him thought he was doing the right thing booking a disabled room - the bathroom entrance was covered by a "normal shower curtain" (and like the majority didn't wholly fit) - leaving no privacy at all - the hotel staff couldn't understand what was the problem.

We were eventually upgraded the next day after several complaints - but even then the bathrooms were open apart from unlocked (but not glass) doors on the toilets - I know it's quite common in public places in Belgium for toilets to be "unisex" - begging the question, is it a "British thing" (not that I will be changing my thoughts or beliefs any time soon

[Hidden]

its not very nice is it making the loo visible to everyone as its not very private.

[Sebizzle]

I used a loo like this in a restaurant in Cologne, Germany. It was frosted glass but you couldn’t see anything from the outside at all. Maybe this is a solution - but why glass anyway? What’s wrong with a normal wall?

[Batteria]

This is outrageous. What are they thinking of? The policy of premier inns is no toilet brushes in bathrooms. When I queried this I was told to call the chambermaid. I have always been a solo traveler but on the few occasions I’ve had a romantic companion I would have been mortified both for him and me to share a bathroom with no means of cleansing the loo. I have also worked as a chambermaid and never once been called to a room for this reason. Is our dignity unimportant? Con amore Bxx