IF you want a fancy affair when going to the bathroom, you might want to head up north.
The Isle of Bute, off the coast of Scotland, lays claim to being the home of the most beautiful toilets in the country.
The Isle of Bute was a Victorian day trip destination[/caption]
The island is just off the coast of Scotland, near Glasgow[/caption]
The original toilets are said to be the most beautiful in the UK[/caption]
One of the easiest islands to access from the mainland, with ferries taking around 35 minutes from Wemyss Bay.
The island was once a popular day trip for people who came from Glasgow by paddle-steamer.
One of its main attractions is Rothesay Castle, which dates back to the 13th and remains one of the best preserved in Scotland.
The other beautiful building is Mount Stuart, a stately home also open to the public with a number of innovative inventions at the time including lifts and an indoor pool.
But you want to make sure you need to use the bathroom when you get to the island as the Victorian toilets are some of the most stunning in the UK.
Opening back in 1899, they cost around £530 at the time, which is £57, 782 in todays money.
The beautiful patterned male toilets are the original ones, made out of marble and ceramic with copper pipes.
Inside are 20 to choose from with a central station housing six of them offset with a potted plant in the middle.
Just don’t expect to see them if you are female as women’s toilets were added in 1994.
The toilets were even visited by royalty – King Charles visited when he was the Prince of Wales.
Other celebs have been spotted on the island in recent years too, including Chris Pine and Billy Connolly.
But if you want to stay outside, you can enjoy everything from alpaca walks to beach exploration.
In the north is Ettrick Bay, with a mile of yellow sand, or there is St Ninian’s Bay, which gets cut off during spring tides.
Head back down south for both Scalpsire Bay – with red sand – and Kilchattan Bay.
Make sure to stay at the The Glenburn Hotel[/caption]
The best time to visit is in the summer months, as bad weather can make boat trips tricky[/caption]
The Ardencraig Gardens was even named a Scottish hidden gem, with thousands of flowers.
And if you want to stay a bit longer on the island, one of the most popular to choose is The Glenburn Hotel.
Having opened in 1892, it was originally a “hydrotherapy retreat” for Victorian day-trippers, and has since been converted into a three-star hotel.
Currently closed for the season, it will reopen in March with rooms from £89 a night.
Travel writer Robin McKelvie visited the Isle of Bute for the Sun.
“The days are gone when most holidaying Glaswegians headed “doon the watter” to this stunning 15-mile-long isle in the Firth of Clyde, but the beaches that attracted them are just as lovely as ever.
“Kilchattan Bay on the south coast is a local secret, while Ettrick Bay out west is a family fave for its mile-long sands and old-school tea room serving some mean milkshakes.”
“After a longer hike?
“Hit the most scenic stretch of the West Island Way from Kilchattan Bay and cut along the craggy coastline and rugged hills to the remote ruins of 13th-century St Blane’s Chapel.”
Here’s another UK island that celebrates New Year on January 12.
And this is what it is like to go to the ‘happiest’ island in the UK.
The ferry takes just over half an hour from the mainland[/caption]
