London's Best Loos

By Sian Meades Last edited 87 months ago
London's Best Loos

Where are the best, most interesting, and just plain weird places in London to spend a penny? We've tinkled around and thoroughly wiped London's bottom to bring you the best loos in the city.

Does not still smell of wee. Image: Ladies & Gentlemen

Ladies & Gentlemen

This once public loo in Kentish Town has been transformed into an excellent little cocktail bar. It's as tiny as you'd expect, and they use local ingredients where they can which means tipples concocted with Kentish Town honey and muddled with berries foraged from Hampstead Heath. We had a really lovely twist on a pina colada here a while back. Look for the bright sign on Highgate Road. Of course if coffee is more your thing...

Image: The Attendant

The Attendant

The Attendant is the kind of place you could just walk by without noticing, it still looks that much like a public toilet from the outside. The only tell-tale sign is the delicious smell of coffee filling Foley Street. We like the clever design here, with the urinals now functioning as little individual booths. While you're in the area, pop into Riding House Cafe for a quick half — their loos have steampunked Dyson hand dryers.

Image: Louise Maclaren

Sketch

Who hasn't wanted to wee in an a futuristic egg? The overall appeal of Sketch might be losing its edge just a touch, but there's no denying that these are probably London's most famous toilets. Now there's a questionable claim to fame.

Image: Hazlitt's

Hazlitt's

You’ll have to spend more than a penny at Hazlitt's to use the loo. but if you do get the chance to stay in this beautiful Soho hotel, you’ll get to rest your buttocks on an old fashioned throne in a suite with a bathroom on its own floor. There’s fancy.

Image: Paul Wilkinson

The Princess Louise

The ladies toilets are really nothing to speak of in the Princess Loo, but the men’s are definitely a little bit special. The Victorian loo has been fully restored and the marble urinals are among London's listed buildings. This Lady of Londonist was far too polite to take a peek, but you can get a glimpse of the glorious bathroom tiling from the image above.

Image: Dark Dwarf

Aqua at The Shard

A view while you poo? Sure. There aren't many views in London as incredible as the one from The Shard (don't go for a wee at the top of Parliament Hill, don't be that guy). They've made sure you can appreciate it no matter if you're sitting or standing. You'll be waiting in the queue for a while, so by the time you'll get in you'll be bursting for a wee.

Cellar Door. Image: Master Man

Cellar Door

Another bar in a toilet (London always did know how to make the most of its unused spaces). It's not just the Aldwych location of this loo that we like, it's the loos inside the loo. They remain clear until they’re locked, then as if by magic, the glass frosts over giving you privacy.

The Hunter S

The Hunter S

The toilets in east London pub The Hunter S are every bit as Dalston as you can imagine. The urinals are shaped like a lipsticked mouth. Charming. And the ladies? Vintage photography of male athletes adorn the walls, which is hardly on the same level, really.

Nopi. Image: Valerie Teh

Nopi

Of course Yotam Ottelenghi can get away with turning a loo into a hall of mirrors. They're a lot easier to get out of than they look, but that probably depends on how many glasses of wine you've had.

Have we missed out your favourite loo? (Don't pretend you don't have one.) Do erm... splashback in the comments.

Last Updated 05 December 2016