Help Crown the Best Public Restrooms

The Hotel Hermitage, Nashville

USA Today: Know of a fabulous public restroom? Here's your chance to get it the recognition it deserves by nominating it for the America's Best Restroom Award. Now in its 10th year, the contest seeks out the best non-residential bathrooms in the USA. There's a separate award for Canadian restrooms.

"We found that many establishments have realized that creating opulent restrooms creates great word-of-mouth marketing so we want to honor those people who realize clean bathrooms are smart business," says Sabrina Zimring, a spokesperson for Cintas Corporation, which supplies services and goods (including restroom supplies) to businesses.

Winners aren't necessarily the most over-the-top, she says. "It's about context. It's not necessarily the most extravagant restroom, but maybe the most unusual or eye-catching bathroom in the least expected place."

Past winners include a Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, Ohio. The entry doors resemble porta johns, but (surprise!) open into a full-size modern his 'n' hers bathrooms. Nashville's Hermitage Hotel took top honors in 2008. The men's room sports Italian marble, a stained glass ceiling and an oak bar. "It's so lavish and luxurious that many wedding parties choose to take their photos in the restroom," Zimring says.

This year's nominees thus far run the gamut from a rest stop restroom to an elaborate loo in an L.A. nightclub, Zimring says.

The deadline for nominations is Friday. Ten finalists will be named in July. The public can vote online for their favorite until September, when a winner will be named.

View Past Winners