Looking for the best public restroom in the country? Look no further than Chester County's Longwood Gardens.
The Kennett Square, Pennsylvania attraction flushed the competition in Cintas’ "America’s Best Restroom Contest." Cintas present the award for the best public restroom of 2014 to Longwood's eco-friendly "green wall" restroom.
Longwood, the most-visited public garden in the country, is known for its restrooms which are part of the largest eco-friendly Green Wall in America. Inside, natural light streams in through translucent glass, minimizing the need for light fixtures.
Cintas’s Senior Marketing Manager John Engel presented the best loo award to Longwood’s Chief Marketing Officer Marnie Conley.
"We’re excited to announce Longwood Gardens as the 2014 Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom," said Engel. "The team at Longwood has proven it understands the value of a restroom that’s creative and memorable for guests."
The competition stresses the important link between clean restrooms and customer retention, said Engel.
The nationwide contest received submissions and thousands of online votes for bathrooms in restaurants, retail complexes, running trails, and a children’s toy stores. Ohio-based Cintas — which provides business services like bathroom-design — picked 10 finalists based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements.
Bowl Plaza in Lucas, Kansas took second place while The Fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis, Missouri took third. The top three finalists all receive a thorough restroom "Deep Clean" valued at $500. Longwood was also awarded a $2,500 to be used toward Cintas services like cleaning supplies.
The significance of the award wasn't lost on Longwood.
"We are so pleased to receive the America’s Best Restroom award," said Conley. “Longwood Gardens is about beautiful horticulture, being a good steward to our environment, and providing an extraordinary experience for our more than one million guests each year."
