Dying for a pee in the city centre? Don’t panic, this list has all the most glamorous public toilets to be found in Dublin.
We’ve all been caught out by a grim public toilet experience in Dublin, and there’s nothing worse. Dirty facilities, broken locks, endless queues – you know the drill. When you’re local to a city, it’s much easier to know which spots are the go-to choices when nature calls while in public. As a visitor, however, it’s easy to get caught out by a sub-par toileting travesty.
You deserve better than this. You are a prized guest in the capital city, and your bum deserves a toilet that reflects that status. This is why we have put together this definitive guide of the top five most amazing places with glamorous public toilets in Dublin.
5. Arnotts, Henry Street – for a mid-browsing bathroom break
Caught on the hop on heaving Henry Street? This is a minefield – there are so many toileting options in the general area, and it can be overwhelming to choose under pressure. Our advice? Stay calm and look for the Arnott’s sign.
This department store is pretty much always busy, so you may have to queue – but the toilets are spacious, clean, and have very flattering lighting. There is also the rare touch of a full-length mirror for last-minute outfit adjustments. These are an excellent shout for a reasonably glamorous public toilet experience in Dublin’s shopping district.
Address: 12 Henry St, North City, Dublin 1, D01 C3Y9, Ireland
4. National Gallery – for a whimsical wee and a wander
The National Gallery is a classy place and also free to enter. It’s generally a rather quiet place, particularly on a weekday. The toilets aren’t particularly artistic, but they are clean and we’ve never had to queue for them.
The bonus is that after you’ve answered nature’s call, you can go straight into answering the soul’s call by basking in rooms upon rooms of gorgeous art. There’s also a gorgeous café and gift shop on-site. If there was ever a chance to turn a toilet break into a lovely serendipitous afternoon…
Address: Merrion Square W, Dublin 2, Ireland
3. Dublin Castle – the royal wee
This is not the choice if you’re bursting because there’s a bit of a cobble-stoned trek to find it, but a solid choice nonetheless in the central Dame Street area. There’s nothing particularly special about the toilets themselves – although they are large, clean, and generally quiet.
The attraction of this one is the whole concept of going to the bathroom in an actual historic castle, which is undoubtedly on someone’s public toilet bucket-list.
Address: Dame St, Dublin 2, Ireland
2. National Library of Ireland – where classic meets modern
The toilets of the olden days hold little appeal to the modern consumer. An efficient flushing system and sturdy seat are expected commodities nowadays, and so they should be. The National Library knows this, and thus provides fantastic new-age toilets in a vintage-style setting.
There are ornate tiles, stained glass, and old-school exposed copper pipes to feast your eyes on, and even convenient arm-chairs to lounge about if you aren’t ready to tear yourself away once your business is done — a solid choice for a glamorous public toilet experience in Dublin’s city centre. Who would have thought you’d find toilets like these under one of the best places to visit in Dublin.
Address: 7-8 Kildare St, Dublin 2, D02 P638, Ireland
1. Brown Thomas (the secret, downstairs loo) – for a serene yet chic toileting experience
This was once the place for a toilet stop in town. It had every wonderful ingredient you could ask for in a public toilet – spacious cubicles with individual mirrors, friendly toilet attendants who go in and do a quick clean after every individual user, fantastic lighting at the main sinks, Notion’s hand creams, a chilled atmosphere… and then we went and ruined it for ourselves.
We told too many people about the Brown Thomas toilets. We got excited and over-shared, and suddenly everyone and their mother decided the third floor of BT was the obvious pit-stop when on the Southside. The Saturday traffic became akin to the M50 at rush hour (okay, we’re exaggerating a little) and the spot where you could once dawdle over your reflection became a quick in-and-out as your fellow queue buddies all but timed your performance.
What most people don’t know is that there’s an equally wonderful toilet on the basement floor. It has all the perks of the better-known third-floor toilet, but with none of the queueing. Once again, Brown Thomas is a haven for the picky pee-er. Until we went and ruined it again by putting it in an article…
Address: 88-95 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, D02 VF65, Ireland
So there you have it, the top five most amazing places with glamorous public toilets in Dublin. Keep this guide to hand on your travels around the city and you will save yourself countless unspeakable indignities. You can thank us later!
