'Five-star' rural restrooms answer more than just nature's call

At first glance, that one-story whitewashed building nestled in the pear orchards could easily be mistaken for a charming little cottage in rural Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The stone pathway to the building was perfumed with the ambrosial fragrance of ripe pears. Its facade featured a colorful mural of ethereal mountains and a golden pear, rendered in the style of traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Even the scenery behind it was spellbinding, with verdant mountains undulating under a blue sky punctuated by wispy swirls of clouds.

Who would have imagined that such a building displayed a sign that read "Toilet"?

The enchantment, however, doesn't end for visitors with more practical needs in mind. The restroom is clean, odor-free and well-lit. There's plenty of toilet paper in the containers inside each stall. Plus, you can wash your hands with liquid soap at sinks set in a black marble countertop.

My husband and I have dubbed the place a "five-star restroom", yet the designation could apply to many remarkable rural facilities that we've discovered on road trips across the Zhejiang countryside.

In a park on the outskirts of rural Hangzhou, the natural stone facade and tiered rooftops of one restroom lent it the distinguished air of a VIP reception building. Even within, its immaculate, bright interior promised red-carpet treatment for any patron — fine marble tiles and counters, large rolls of toilet paper in transparent plastic containers, touchless flush mechanisms and faucets, aloe vera liquid soap, and even an automatic paper towel dispenser.

A restroom in bucolic fields went beyond cleanliness and aesthetics, from its neat cobblestone floors to the traditional latticework etched into wooden panels in the walls. It sits beside a viewing platform that welcomes tourists to climb multiple flights of stairs and gaze upon a picturesque river, island and mountains that have been immortalized in countless poems.

It might seem excessive to praise something so prosaic. Yet, years ago, public restrooms in the Zhejiang countryside were scarce, not to mention mediocre in ways best left to the imagination. However, as the province has focused more on tourism and the public, investments in communities have produced a growing number of restrooms that truly serve the people. Such hospitality — reflected in spotless floors, counters and stalls, and ample amenities — matters just as much as the marvels that draw people there in the first place.

In the many travels I've logged over the years, exemplary public restrooms have enhanced the experience or even emerged as bona fide attractions of their own. Shanghai clearly understands this, as every year they honor the "Most Beautiful Public Restrooms" in the municipality, a testament to the high regard for well-maintained facilities.

If a nationwide contest ever opened, I'm certain the pear orchard public restroom would be a strong contender to top the list. After all, who could argue with the ingenuity of it? There, you can truly enjoy nature while answering its call.

The writer is a freelancer for China Daily.