Palatial pitstop: 1st floor ladies room at Baltimore's Tremont Grand.

by ERIKA NIEDOWSKI
The word is out: Baltimore is home to one of 10 finalists in the “America’s Best Restroom” contest, an annual competition to find the country’s kingliest of commodes and most lavish of loos.

In the running for this year’s top prize – bragging rights and a spot in the ABR Hall of Fame, for what that’s worth – is the first-floor ladies restroom at the Tremont Grand. (What’s up with the men’s room?) It’s been cited by contest officials as a “must-see Maryland attraction” with top features including “extensive use of imported marble, grand columns, chandeliers and hand-carved woodwork.”

The city might not want to get its hopes too high just yet, though; the competition looks stiff. Read the rest of this entry »