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They threw out the bathtubs!

by Annie Scott on Jan 12th 2009 at 5:00PM

I hope you weren't planning on a nice, leisurely bath on your next trip to Australia.

The Rialto in Melbourne has done away with bathtubs. They just underwent a $60 million renovation which included the removal of the bathtubs! What? $60 million to downgrade their amenities?

According to their research, travelers only want showers anyway. I'm guessing some dudes didn't fess up that they love bubble baths. I know y'all are using candles, too. Well, now you only get a bath if you sleep in one of the hotel's 9 suites (not the 253 other rooms).

At least they're now offering an Enomatic, an Italian machine that prevents wines from oxidization. This way, you don't have to order a whole bottle of top shelf wine; you can just have a $175 glass of Grange (for example).

We hope this isn't a trend. The bathtub should be a standard. Why not do away with the TV and the ice buckets, while you're at it?

[via The Sydney Morning Herald]

Filed under: Australia, Hotels and Accommodations, News

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brian M Jan 12th 2009 5:19PM

1985 ~ the last year I used a bath tub. It's a huge waste of water, energy and frankly money. I only used it then because I had a full leg cast, no shower stool and no hand held shower head. There was only one way to get clean, and it involved sitting in soon to be used and dirty, tepid water (Wyoming gets cold in the winter ya know, cast iron tubs suck the heat right out of the water and I was a teen).

I have no idea when the last time my wife used one, but it was from before 2000 when we met.

Tub could go the way of the Dinosaur for all I care.

Scott Carmichael Jan 12th 2009 5:25PM

Hotels are about the only place I *do* use the bath tub. The selfish person inside of me prefers a bath that uses water that doesn't pass through my water meter, and does not need me to clean it when I'm done.

I'm sure some bean counter ran the numbers and decided that no bath = mucho savings :(

TroyG Jan 12th 2009 9:39PM

Hey Gadling - love seeing articles about my new home (moved to Aus 2 years ago). However, the editorial opinion is missing some significant cultural and environmental context.

Culturally, Aussie's rarely take baths - it's all showers. My apartment complex was built in 2001, and in the 500+ units, there's not a single bathtub.

Secondly, and more important, we're in the middle of worst drought in recorded history for Australia. Each person here in Melb is targeted to only use 155 litres a day of water at home. I'm not sure on the avg volume of a bathtub, but I'm guessing it's well above 155! I, and many of my friends, applaud the Rialto for making this move.

So no, if you're thinking of taking a leisurely bath, don't plan on coming to Australia.