FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mississauga, ON – October 8, 2013 – When you’ve gotta go, these top potties provide sweet relief, according to the team of survey editors tasked with narrowing down the five best washroom facilities before the Internet public picks its favourite this fall.
Will this year’s winner be a luxurious rest stop tucked away in Valleyview at the Shell Super Station, the decadent lavatories at MoRoCo Chocolat or the chic-contemporary stalls of Steamworks Brew Pub?
Voting begins now! The public is invited to show its support by casting a ballot for their favourite washroom online at www.bestrestroom.com/canada through the end of November as these top five venues compete to secure the most votes in hopes of being crowned Cintas’ Canada’s Best Restroom.
The contest’s site takes visitors on a photographic tour of each facility and then encourages them to choose their favourite. The winner of the 4th annual Cintas’ Canada’s Best Restroom Contest will be revealed during a nationally publicized media event later this fall, and both the winner and runner-up will secure a place in the Hall of Fame.
2013 Finalists for Cintas’ Canada’s Best Restroom Contest:
CHOP – Richmond, British Columbia
CHOP Steakhouse is a casual dining experience for any occasion with lavish loos you won’t want to miss. Upon entering the washrooms, diners are treated to an impressive eight-foot tall stone fountain carved with floral and animal artwork. The washroom takes on the same ambience as the restaurant with low golden lights and flower arrangements covering the facility. The walls and floors are decorated in warm earth tones, and the luxurious leather couches make the washroom a great spot for private conversation. Vaulted wooden ceilings complete the room as a hint of natural light peeks in overhead.
Steamworks Brew Pub in Gastown – Vancouver, British Columbia
Applauded for its “practicality” and raved about for its stylish décor, the women’s washroom inside Steamworks Brew Pub in Gastown has the women gossiping. Literally. Owner Eli Gershkovitch says since women quite often go to the washroom in pairs to catch up on gossip, it only makes sense to include an oversized stall featuring two toilettes and a shoulder-height partition so ladies can continue their conversations uninterrupted. The semi-private setting is popular with parents too, who say trips to the loo with the little ones are more convenient thanks to the washroom’s open concept. The washrooms feature automated, hands-free conveniences as well as polished stone and glass mosaic infinity tiles from ceiling to floor. The space is finished off with marble countertops, stainless steel fixtures and sleek wall sconces. One might just argue the life of the party is in this loo!
Valleyview Shell Super Station – Valleyview, Alberta
Tapped in 2010 as the Best Green Store, the Valleyview Shell Super Station was awarded the top honour by Convenience Store Magazine for its geo-thermal heating and cooling technologies. In 2012 this road warrior’s retreat underwent a second round of renovations – this time to the women’s washroom – that garnered rave reviews. Solid alder wood doors with privacy glass panels were installed. To give the ceiling a finish to match, alder wood tongue and groove boards were mounted overhead. Recessed lights accentuate the tiled walls, which are divided by a stripe of smaller stone accents, giving this space a bright, clean feel. The sleek granite countertops and automatic stainless steel fixtures in the washroom offer an attractive balance to the warm tones of the Travertine floor tiles. Ornate carved mirrors and sparkling Victorian style semi-flush mount chandeliers finish off the space by adding a final touch of elegance.
MoRoCo Chocolat – Toronto, Ontario
This chocolate-lovers paradise is home to a variety of sweet treats as well as a hidden oasis in the washroom’s “suites.” The women’s loos are fit for a princess, with filigree detailing, and a washbowl that sits regally on a pristine white sink top. Each “suite” is unique with its own finishing touches, including a heart-shaped, silver vanity mirror and a tea set suspended upside down from the ceiling, giving a brand new meaning to the phrase “high tea”. In the men’s suites, black and white marble covers the floor and reaches toward the black tile walls. Pops of yellow accent artwork and frames add just the right touch of colour. Chocolate isn’t the only luxury in this quaint boutique. This restaurant and dessert lounge is an indulgence for all the senses.
Marché Restaurant – Toronto, Ontario
Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Marché Restaurant is a lively, European-style marketplace known for its fresh, healthy food prepared right before your eyes. Marché aims to satisfy your senses and provide you with a quality experience that does just that; from food preparation and service, to the detailed black-and-white décor in the restrooms. It’s all the fine details that create the refreshing ambiance. The restroom walls are lined with vertical black-and-white striped wallpaper and tile along the bottom half of the walls, complimented with white, porcelain pedestal sinks and old black-and-white photographs. Together, all the elements create a cohesive and modern-style atmosphere that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Cintas created Canada’s Best Restroom in 2010 to honour those businesses across Canada that place hygiene and style at the top of their priority lists. Proprietors recognize the parallel between clean washrooms and customer retention. “We like to think of this contest as an entertaining way of drawing the public’s attention to the very important issue of restroom hygiene,” says Cintas Canada’s Senior Marketing Manager Leslie Molin. “There is a bigger business message behind this quirky contest: How you keep your restrooms is indicative of how you run your facilities. In business operations today this is extremely important.”
Last year’s winner of the inaugural Canada’s Best Restroom contest was the Langley Street Loo, in Vancouver. To view photos of previous winners, visit www.bestrestroom.com/canada and click on the Hall of Fame.
About Cintas Canada
Cintas Canada Ltd, with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario is a subsidiary of Cintas Corporation. Cintas Canada designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning and document shredding services to approximately 55,000 businesses in Canada. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
