You may notice the heartwarming news and social media posts about airports working hard to reunite left behind stuffed animals with their rightful owners.
Or, the story that likely started the heartwarming “airports goes-all-out-to-reunite stuffed animal with child” trend. Back in 2015, Tampa International Airport took a stuffed tiger named Hobbes on an airport adventure before sending Hobbes home.
We love these stories.
So, when making our way through Norway’s Bergen Airport (BGO) last week at about 5 am we did a double-take when were spotted a stuffed rat taped to a lane post.
It was very early in the morning. But we did notice that Bergen Airport is spotless. So it didn’t seem likely that the stuffed rat was there as a social comment. Nor did it seem like an official guidepost to point travelers to their gates.
So all we could conclude was that this stuffed rat had been left behind by a small child. And that it may soon show up on Bergen Airport’s social media feed in search of its owner.
We’ll check back to see.
Other amenities spotted at Bergen Airport
Besides the stuffed rat, there are some other sights at Bergen Airport that made us smile.
The sign for the bathroom employs the hard-to-miss universal symbols for “gotta go, now.”
And the kids’ play area in the main terminal area has this fun hopscotch board with an airplane, of course, in the top box.
Have you spotted a cool amenity (or a stuffed rat) and an airport? Send us a photo and we’ll try to include it in a future post on Stuck at the Airport.
The finalists for the 2021 America’s Best Restroom contest. are out and we’re pleased to see a restroom in an airport on the list. That doesn’t happen very often.
The lavs on the list are located on the east side of the Customs Arrival Hall and are designed by Woods Bagot.
In the nomination write-up, the lavs are described as being easy to find, easy to clean, and very spacious at 900 square feet.
Framing the restroom entrance is a teal back-painted glass with graphics of iconic New York City landmarks. Mirroring the hue of the entrance, a teal penny tile feature wall draws users into the space. Inside, bright white terrazzo flooring, marbleized walls, and delicate wall sconces combine for a look and feel of understated elegance. Calcutta porcelain tile lines the women’s vanity area, and a thoughtful raised shelf behind the sink provides the perfect spot to freshen up after a long flight. Full height wood laminate partitions provide privacy and a touch of warmth to an otherwise clean, bright space.
Another restroom on the list of finalists is a portable toilet in Santa Rosa, CA inspired by tiny home cottages. This roadside rest stop contains a roomy restroom with vessel sinks, touchless faucets, air conditioning, heat, ambient music, adjustable color & dimmable lighting, countertop decor, and a hospitality tray with hand towels & other toiletries.
Also on the list is a word-filled restroom at Planet Word, a museum in Washington, D.C. devoted to words, language, and reading,
The contest celebrates innovative and hygienic public restrooms across the country and invites the public to vote for their favorite flusher. See the full list of 10 finalists and cast a vote before August 20. .
As travelers, we are all too familiar with the search for a clean public restroom. We also know the delight of entering a public bathroom that is not just clean but blessed with quirk and charm.
Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, clean and super-sanitized public restrooms are even more important.
Anyone can vote for the winning throne through October 19. The top toilets get a seat in America’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame and restroom cleaning services worth more than $2500 from contest sponsor Cintas.
Here are the finalists:
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
All gate-side restrooms at DFW Airport are now super ‘smart’.
The bathrooms have touch-free technology and the Tooshlights feature we’ve been raving about that uses red and green lights to indicate which stalls are open.
Digital signage outside each restroom lets passengers know how many stalls are open.
JFK’s AirTrain Jamaica Station – New York, NY
The new restrooms for the Jamaica Station stop on the AirTrain people mover at John F. Kennedy International Airport are nearly three times as large as the previous restrooms. As a nice bonus, the stalls are wide enough to accommodate luggage.
Bancroft Park – Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Bancroft Park restrooms have green, red and yellow lights to show availability. Soap, water, toilet paper, and a dryer are all touchless. Better yet, the restrooms self-clean after every 30 uses and an app lets the maintenance crew know when toilet paper or other supplies are running low.
Gaslight Bar & Grill – Cincinnati, OH
The Gaslight Bar & Grill in Cincinnati, OH is in a building that once served as a branch library. The restrooms have marble tile walls and gold wallpaper as well as touchless faucets and trash cans.
Greeley Square Park – New York, New York
The kiosk-like restroom at Greeley Square Park in NY is decorated with historic photographs and has classical music, rotating seat covers, a full-time attendant, Italian tile, fresh flowers, and an HVAC system for seasonal climate control.
Kimpton Muse Hotel – New York, New York
The Kimpton Muse Hotel restrooms invite guests and diners at the adjacent Muse Bar to pick a stall according to their personality or mood. There are six “sin-inspired” unisex stalls, each with a different theme and design: Glam, Vain, Rebel, Passion, Macho, and Envy.
Portland Japanese Garden – Portland, Oregon
All materials in the restroom at the Portland Japanese Garden – from the texture of the tiles to the design of the fixtures – are chosen for their standalone beauty, as well as functional works of art.
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts – Scottsdale, Arizona
Standing ovation? These sleek and modern lavs have terrazzo flooring, glass-tiled walls, and plenty of spacious, stainless-steel stalls.
The lighting system can also be programmed for holidays, special events and specific audiences.
Swift’s Attic – Austin, Texas
Swift’s Attic restaurant in Austin has Gothic-style restrooms with floral-patterned sinks, antique light fixtures, and gold and black striped wallpaper.
The Guild Hotel – San Diego, CA
The Guild Hotel opened in 2019 in a century-old building built as a YMCA. Today the restrooms off the lobby have beautiful marble sinks with striking lighting, tiling and mirrors.
MSP sits on land that, back in 1914, was home to Snelling Speedway.
Auto racing gave way to airmail service and Speedway Field. In 1923 the airport was renamed Wold-Chamberlain Field in honor of two local pilots who lost their lives in combat during World War 1.
The airport’s first passenger service was in 1929 and in 1948 the MSP acquired its current name: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Please keep in mind that some of the amenities we feature here may be currently unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
5 Things We Love About Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
1. Award-winning restrooms at MSP
Clean bathrooms are an important airport amenity. Add art and an airport’s bathrooms can become something people talk about and give awards to.
That’s what happened when several sets of MSP restrooms were remodeled to feature stunning artist-made mosaics and the latest in cleaning technology.
In 2016, MSP Airport won first place in an annual contest that crowns America’s best public restroom. That was the first time an airport loo won the award.
2. The arts program at MSP
In 2019, MSP airport presented more than 900 live music and dance performances.
This summer, local authors began online readings from their books and Once the pandemic is over, the plan is to have monthly readings in the art gallery in the Airport Mall in Terminal 1.
3. The Prince store at MSP
The late musician Prince is a beloved Minnesota-born icon.
In addition to a giant 16-foot-by 24-foot mural of Prince by artist Rock Martinez, MSP airport also has a Prince store in Terminal 1 where fans can buy all sorts of Prince-branded merchandise.
The escalator is 55 feet tall, travels about 100 feet per minute and is capable of transporting 9,000 people per hour.
The ride – up or down – takes 1 minute and 15 seconds.
All rental car services, off-airport parking shuttles and all bus services are in the new Silver Ramp.
5. Animal ambassadors at MSP
98 therapy dogs – and a therapy cat named Stitches – serve as animal ambassadors at MSP airport, helping reduce travelers’ stress.
Bonus: The hotel at MSP Airport
MSP Airport has a hotel located between the inbound and outbound roadways at Terminal 1 with direct access to Concourse C via a skyway.
The 291-room, 12-story Intercontinental MSP Airport has two restaurants, a cocktail bar, a TSA checkpoint (currently closed due to COVID), a fitness center, a thermal pool, and a collection of work by local artists.
One thing MSP Airport does not have is an aircraft viewing area with an outdoor pool.
That was a great April Fools Day joke from 2018 that we’re still wishing might come true.
Did we miss one of the amenities you love at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)?
If so, please leave a note in the comments section below.
If
you travel for business or pleasure, you know the value of a clean public
restroom.
Smart
business owners know that too. And in this age of selfies and social media,
some venues are gaining extra attention by giving guests unusual and creative
spaces to do their business.
Now ten of those lovely loos are running for the title of America’s Best Restroom.
Here’s a rundown I put together for CNBC.
Finalists were chosen based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation,
functionality and unique design elements and this year the list ranges from
loos in a museum and a zoo to lavs in restaurants, cafes and airports.
Through September 13, the public is invited to cast votes for the coolest commode from
amongst the ten finalists. The winning loo will take a throne in America’s Best
Restroom Hall of Fame and receive $2,500 in facility services from contest
sponsor Cintas Corporation.
Take a seat and help choose a winner.
This loo is a zoo
There are animals – behind glass – in two restrooms at
the Nashville Zoo in Nashville, Tennessee.
A lush exhibit that’s home to six cotton-top tamarins
is visible through a floor-to-ceiling glass window in a women’s restroom, while
a ball python snake exhibit can be viewed from a men’s restroom.
“It’s one of the may features that sets us apart from your
standard zoo visit,” said Jim Bartoo, Nashville Zoo
Marketing and Public Relations Director, “It creates
conversation after the guest leaves. They share it with their friends and
family. The put it on Facebook and Instagram. This organic, word-of-mouth advertising
is extremely valuable to us.”
Gold faucets and candelabras
The lobby restrooms at the Jupiter NEXT hotel in Portland, Oregon have
seven stalls with floor-to-ceiling, gray stone-paneled walls arranged in a
semicircle around a trough-style shared sink. Special features include gold
faucets and candelabra light fixtures.
“We pride
ourselves on creating community wherever possible,” said Katie Watkins,
Community Manager for the Jupiter, “Our low-lit separated sink area offers a
space to connect and say hello to other guests – both local folks and hotel
patrons – before heading out to make the most of your stay in Portland.”
Flush with French
flair
In Charlotte,
North Carolina, La Belle Helene is a brasserie-style restaurant designed by noted
Parisian architect Richard Lafond.
“We invested in every part of the restaurant, from the
pewter-poured bar and the gorgeous chandeliers and leather banquettes to
the bathroom,” said Scott Steenrod, Managing Director at
Constellation Culinary Group.
The vanity in the unisex restroom offers a shared space for guests and
the hand-painted mural reflected in the mirror offers a great backdrop for
selfies.
Modern Moroccan
The restrooms at Mourad, a Moroccan fine dining restaurant in San
Francisco, California, blend old and new; tradition and innovation. Each fully
enclosed stall is decorated in a different color of floor-to-ceiling Moroccan
mosaic tile, features a handy marble shelf and mirror and opens to a communal
marble-countertop sink.
Go stylish at the mall
At the Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts, the
women’s restrooms include a waiting room with a chandelier, makeup stations and
two private changing/nursing rooms with a lounge chair and outlets. Each stall
also includes a marble shelf to hold your bag.
Italian adventures
Each of the four single-user washrooms at Jianna Restaurant in
Greenville, South Carolina uses color, texture, tiles, lighting and accessories
to reflect a different aspect of Italian culture.
“Our client challenged us to design the restrooms so
that they added something special to the great food and the drinks and the overall atmosphere in the restaurant,” said
project manager Missy Games, from McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture.
“The restaurant has been open a few years and you still have people coming back
to the table saying, ‘Oh wow, did you see the blue bathroom?’ It’s not your
typical dinner conversation.”
Bathrooms for a community-oriented brewpub
The Butcher and the Brewer brewpub in Cleveland, Ohio has an in-house butcher and charcutier and a sense of community that extends to the bathrooms. There, a communal entryway leads to green subway-tiled accents walls and a communal sink. Private stalls for men are on the right; stalls for women are on the left.
Yes, cool loos at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
If the restrooms at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B are among the finalists
for America’s Best Restroom, there may indeed be hope for the overall success
of the airport’s current rebuild.
With an eye to efficiency, aesthetics and innovation, these new
restrooms have stalls large enough to accommodate luggage, trough-style sinks with
a raised counter above; live orchids, custom mosaic tiles at the entryway and
over the urinals and graphics depicting New York City on the stall doors.
Making good use of Seattle rain
Swanky new restrooms are part of a massive renovation
project for the North Satellite at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
These feature a flushing system that
will harvest rainwater to the tune of more than 750,000 gallons a year. The
modern loos also have separate sinks
inside the ADA stalls, family restrooms with adult changing tables and built-in custodial support closets.
“We realize no good work is done until the paperwork is done,”
said Sea-Tac spokesman Perry Cooper, “And we appreciate that people think we
have some of the best seats in the house. We like to think, that’s how we roll.”
Museum quality restrooms
The minimalist design of New York City’s New Museum of
Contemporary Art is the work of Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima
and Ryue Nishizawa of the architecture firm SANAA. When it came time to create the restrooms, the Tokyo-based architects settled on a super-graphic wall
pattern featuring pixilated cherry blossoms against bright fields of turquoise
or orange.