A good hotel shower

[Forg]

I suspect the taps close to the shower head as ‘default design’ is just the simplest run of the water pipes.

Yes, cheapest; it’s like cars where they’ll implement a change which saves 10c per unit ‘cos it all adds-up in the end. A hotel’s worth of piping saved is … probably an entire couple of dollars!

But also, from when we were building, it does make a difference to how long it takes for the water coming out of the head to get to temp. You do use more water per shower, if the tap/mixer is further away from the head. I can’t recall the metrics, but it wasn’t totally insignificant.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

This isn't a great photo because it was taken for a general room review not specifically for the shower.
However the shower is very similar to the one @RooFlyer posted.
This was in the junior suite at the Adelaide Sofitel - so I am pleasantly surprised that he got a similar facility in a standard room.

Edit: please politely ignore the mess.

 

[DC3]

… the placement of the toilet roll. For example on the wall behind you as you are sitting!

 

[DC3]

We are currently on a trip around NZ ….

Mr Seat0A positively hates having to reach through the shower flow to turn it on/off.

 

[Melburnian1]

Agree with @RooFlyer that it is an excellent looking shower.

In English private houses, from my small sample, and some English hotels, the shower controls are complex. It is embarrassing to have to ask how to operate them. I am biased but typical Australian plumbing appears simple and practical by comparison.

Southeast Asia can be bad for hotel showers that leak onto the bathroom floor. I don't appreciate having to step onto a close to soaked bathmat.

 

[RooFlyer]

However the shower is very similar to the one @RooFlyer posted.
This was in the junior suite at the Adelaide Sofitel - so I am pleasantly surprised that he got a similar facility in a standard room.

My hotel was an MGallery, and as I note here, generally of Sofitel standard. Classy place.

 

[justinbrett]

Having just renovated my bathrooms just about everyone of your points is standard these days - or should be (except the grab bar).

That's not to say new hotel builds / renovations are adopting these best practices.

 

[justinbrett]

I am regularly amazed by the variety of different shower controls. Why can’t hotels adopt a standard mixer.
The thing that really annoys me is the placement of the toilet roll. For example on the wall behind you as you are sitting!

I actually think this is one thing Australia excels at. We've really standardised the mixer tap - pretty rare to see other controls here.

It’s funny how different nationalities have different shower expectations.

We love big walk in showers, glass doors etc and don’t think anything of it if there’s no bath.

In North America they are building brand new hotels with (seems to us) the very old fashioned shower over the bath and shower curtains but that’s the expectation / standard there…

Not in my experience - most low-mid hotels I've stayed in recently when renovating have removed the bath for a stand in shower. I'm guessing it's easier to clean - and just looks more modern. Very hard to get a shub that looks modern.

Luxury rooms do both.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I always ask accommodation if they have a step free shower. This one at an Airbnb said yes it is

Taken literally it is step free. I don’t see a step.

Nothing like having to compete in what feels like the olympic hurdles just to have a shower!

 

[VPS]

Taken literally it is step free. I don’t see a step.

Nothing like having to compete in what feels like the olympic hurdles just to have a shower!

There is always someone who has to be pedantic

 

[Warks]

Look I'm not original in saying this but there are probably only two dealbreakers in hotel rooms - a good bed and a good shower.

Had plenty of cough low flow showers over the years or those that get everything in the bathroom soaked. If you've ever stayed at the Ibis level of hotels you'll know how small they can make a bathroom. We stayed at some chain called "Cabine" in Copenhagen, cheapest we could get and it was still well over $200 per night a few years ago. It had a round shower curtain to prevent the shower going straight onto the toilet. In the words of my mother "you had to step outside to change your mind!" Of course the curtain would wrap itself around you while showering which added to the unpleasantness.

A special mention to one I had at the Gold Coast a few years ago. I casually turned on the water which was pointed at the opposite wall (so I discovered) and the pressure was so high it hit the wall and flowed out of the cubicle (no hob) and out the door of my room (bathroom was above the level of the room) creating an unholy mess. I had to go to reception for more towels to soak it all up. That was from leaving it running for about three seconds!

Mostly get pretty good ones though. A shout out to Rydges Townsville where they renovated all their rooms a few years ago but just slapped some paint on the bathrooms. The showers have old fashioned taps (not a mixer) and the nuts that hold the taps on are ALWAYS loose. I was at the point of carrying a small adjustable wrench with me to tighten them properly before the tap falls off in my hand.