OUTLET: Yahoo! Finance Canada

For many, the barometer of a classy restroom is a free gum-and-mints spread (it’s free right?), unless of course you’ve freshened up in the Shaw Club Hotel and Spa, recently crowned Canada’s Best Restroom.

With its high-tech clear-to-cloudy glass doors, infinity sink and oh-so-sophisticated décor, the Niagara-On-the-Lake establishment earned the top honours from voters via business services company Cintas Canada’s Best Restroom Contest.

It’s the sort of washroom people rave about, Rachael Keshishian, survey editor for the contest, told Yahoo Canada Finance.

“Obviously people remember when they visit a dirty or uninviting washroom, and that’s not the kind of reputation a company wants,” says Keshishian. “When you do something to provide a great experience, it’s going to make a difference to your customers and they are going to talk about it, and they are going to want to come back.”

Sure, they could have tried to find the cleanest washroom but the finalists go far beyond the “recently-hosed-down-and-Dave-wuz-here” vibe most businesses are happy to settle with.

Shaw Club Hotel and Spa

“We look for facilities that are clean and also go above and beyond in some other way,” she says. “Whether it’s with a design element, something over the top that you wouldn’t normally see or even something quirky and fun.”

The five finalists – which in addition to the Shaw includes the Calgary Zoo, the Vancouver Airport, Spanish restaurant Patria in Toronto and Planet Hollywood in Niagara Falls – were selected from nominations sent in across the country.

Keshishian points out that it was the Calgary Zoo’s safari themed washroom that really stuck out to the judges.

“The fact that a zoo washroom is that clean is impressive – they see so much traffic during the day, and they take the time to make sure it’s always clean and inviting,” she says. “A visit to the washroom feels like you’re still on the adventure.”

When it came down to votes, the Shaw’s elegance trumped the Zoo’s wild washroom.

For their win, the Shaw will receive $2,500 in Cintas services, a plaque commemorating the win and of course, a coveted place in the Canada’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame.

By Andrew Seale  Tue, 21 Oct, 2014 3:16 PM EDT