Travel Guides Road Trips
Nicole Cord-Cruz
When it comes to road trips, it’s all fun and games until your bladder demands that you make a pit stop ASAP. Plotting bathroom breaks during your trip is just as important as making time for rest stops, but planning them is more complicated than you might think. It’s not because there’s a lack of toilets on the road (although some highways have long stretches where there are barely any stops), but due to the fact that many of the available stops, which happen to be gas stations, have restrooms that are largely unappealing and often, well, downright dirty.
Some travelers have resorted to making a DIY toilet using a controversial car seat hack and doing their business inside their vehicles. But, if you refuse to go inside your car, there’s a lesser-known trick that many seasoned drivers swear by: Using hotel bathrooms. Hotels, particularly the mid-range and fancier ones, often have lobby restrooms you can freely use. According to one Reddit user, they’re mostly empty after the check-in rush, so you can take your sweet time doing your thing. Even better, “They have always been clean and well stocked.”
Moreover, “You can generally walk right in past the lobby since the receptionist will just assume you’re already a guest of the hotel.” They noted that this rule applies to other public establishments, including libraries, churches, casinos, and hospitals. You can even try fast food restaurants, supermarkets, and colleges, too. One caveat, though, is this hack may not always work.
It all depends on the establishment
@foodtraveltoilets
Travel Hack: Here’s how to use a hotel lobby bathroom on the go. #travelhacks #trave #bathroom #hotel
♬ original sound – Joe Thompson
While the idea of simply waltzing into a hotel and heading straight to their restroom may sound ideal, one Reddit user revealed that their brother tried asking the front desk if they could use their facilities, only to be turned away. “They declined and told him to GTFO,” the Redditor claimed. Another user, who has worked in hotels, pointed out that higher-ups instructed them to ask non-guests to leave, while others advised faking it to avoid getting the boot. “If you do this, you must walk in like you belong there. Also, pretend to make a call as if you are waiting for a guest,” they suggested.
If you’re not comfortable risking it, the National Association for Continence suggests utilizing apps dedicated to helping people find the nearest bathrooms in a certain area such as Sit or Squat, Bathroom Scout, and Flush, which all have comprehensive inventories of restrooms, complete with details and reviews regarding cleanliness and accessibility. If you find yourself in Texas, you can head to any Buc-ee’s, which prides itself on having the “cleanest restrooms in America.” You can also try any Starbucks, as the company has an open bathroom policy. Or you can check Cinta’s Hall of Fame, which lists the best bathrooms in the country.
But if you have the confidence to try the hotel hack, you’ll also get to take advantage of fancy amenities. The worst that could happen is a staff member asking you to leave, but you can just charge it up to experience.
