Gleaming floors, shining marble basin, soft music and pleasing fragrance… if it was not for the signs of Ladies or Gentlemen hanging over the door, you can hardly imagine you’re in a public toilet in Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang and one of the hottest travel destinations in China.

There was a time when one could find a public toilet simply by following its unpleasant smell. Since 2008, Hangzhou has implemented a program to upgrade the city's public toilets in order to provide a more hygienic environment for both local citizens and tourists.

Of over 900 public toilets in Hangzhou are operated by City Facility Management Authorities, 238 have undergone revamping in 2009. Many modern facilities, environment friendly purifiers, handicap-friendly facilities, water level sensors, electric hand dryers…are featured in the newly renovated public toilets. Furthermore, dedicated housekeeping staff is stationed inside the toilet to maintain cleanness. Better service doesn’t necessarily translate into higher price as all public toilets in Hangzhou, including the newly renovated ones, are free.

By Li Hui

Editor: Xie Fang