“Has anyone else noticed that loads of hotels have open plan bathrooms with zero privacy?” A. reddit user posted last year. “Who wants to watch their traveling companion in the toilet?”

Maybe it’s better not to answer this in the affirmative. However, many travelers express their discomfort with this concept. But given the popularity of this trend, it doesn’t seem like the hotel industry has gotten that modesty memo.

“The bathroom should be a sanctuary,” he said David Eisenvice president and editor-in-chief Hotels Magazine. “This is the one place in a hotel room where you want to feel private and alone.”

But still, in many properties, including the healthiest chains, bathrooms feel like a real peep show.

Balancing space, budget and privacy

standard aside (famous for their non-reflective glass windows and “exhibitionist” design), most hotels do not deliberately attempt to create a risky environment. Designers say that the bathroom should be functional above all else. From here they can add luxury touches, artistic embellishments or spalike elements. They also aim for harmony, so the rooms flow together like a latter-day Frank Lloyd Wright home.

“Hotel bathrooms are typically compact, requiring designers to maximize functionality without sacrificing aesthetics,” said senior project designer Lauren Imburgia. Gettys Group Bespoke Interior Studio. “It can be difficult to balance the need for amenities such as a shower or bathtub with limited space.”

READ MORE: The rise of the floating breakfast is travel’s most irresistible flexibility

Designers are often limited by size and budget, both of which can be relatively inadequate. Replacing traditional doors with unconventional alternatives can save space and money, even if it’s just an illusion.

Glass panels reduce energy needs by attracting natural light into a windowless or dark environment. overhead lighting. Fewer structures and barriers could be a boon for users. cleanersPeople who typically only have 30 minutes or less to clean a room.

“Obviously using less material to create a separate room results in lower construction costs,” he said Cameron SperanceA senior hotel reporter at Points Guy.

Becca Roderick, interior design director Morris Adjmi ArchitectsHe said designers need to find a balance between “pushing the design boundaries and actually giving people privacy to be able to perform these functions.” in that Forward in AtlantaThe firm, which opened this summer, erected a reed glass pocket door between the bedroom and bathroom, which it said included “an element of surprise and delight.”

Contains sound and smell

Designers say they were acutely aware of the bathroom’s personal purpose and sensitive to how guests would interact with these intimate spaces, especially when with others.

Margaret McMahonWimberly Interiors’ global practice manager said his team had in-depth conversations about “bathroom behavior.” They take into account the variety of guests checking in, such as couples, friends, and co-workers, and the numerous activities that occur in the bathroom, including bathing, makeup application, and bodily functions. They realize that comfort levels vary wildly.

“There are people who let it fly. They sit in the bathroom at the same time. “She could be in the tub… and he could be there doing his thing and they’re just chatting,” she said. “I’ve never done this with my husband. “I said, ‘This isn’t happening.'”

Designers also take into account sounds and smells that guests do not want others to hear or smell.

“Sound transmission is a real problem for people,” said McMahon, who admitted to running the tap when he visited a friend in his St. Regis suite.

McMahon said barn doors aren’t the best at muffling noise. But designers sometimes have to resort to such doors to avoid collisions with other structures that swing outwards, such as shower and toilet doors.

“We try to create the best bathroom experience within their budget and mechanical parameters; sometimes privacy just won’t happen,” he said.

Guests who are uncomfortable exposing their travel companions to their private business can always use a public restroom elsewhere in the hotel, such as the fitness center or poolside, banquet hall or restaurant.

“If you want to maintain some privacy, just go down to the lobby,” Sperance said. “I’ve done this with groups of friends and even my own husband.”

Say goodbye to open showers and foggy windows

Non-exhibitionists can breathe a sigh of relief when they see that various aspects of the setup on display are outdated.

Greg KefferThe Rockwell Group partner and studio leader said designers responded to guests who were uncomfortable with the shower being in view of the bedroom. He said the open-plan concept translates into a simpler bathhouse style.

“Walls and sidewalks have been removed,” he said, “but the entire wet area is contained and private.”

McMahon said the European-origin shower with a partial glass door points toward the exit just behind the shower curtain.

Its replacement: sliding glass doors. There are too many flaws in the fogged glass, which he calls “trickery”. Glass is still acceptable, as are bathtubs with views, a feature guests will find at the new Viceroy hotel in Portugal. However, to provide extra privacy, at least from the outside, the window overlooking the golf course has a high sill and shutters.