Aussie hoteliers add smart toilets

There's a new king on the throne at luxury Australian hotels — the intelligent toilet. The high-tech lavatories from Japan are now finding favour in the pricey suites of Sydney inns as hoteliers look to placate germaphobic guests rattled by the coronavirus. The Japanese manufacturer Toto has sold more than 50 million of its toilets, including more than 2,000 in Australia last year, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Dominic Polito, who manages a shop in Melbourne that specializes in luxe bathroom gear, said: “We've noticed a big shift in perception among Australians. They understand and recognize their worth beyond the novelty-value factor.” Among the loos at retrofitted Aussie bathrooms are the Japanese-made Toto Neorest toilets, now installed at the Crown Towers Sydney hotel. Its features include a night light beside the bowl, a dryer, several modes of washing, a pre-mist spray, heated seat and electrolyzed water. You'll need to be flush with cash to take a seat at some of these water closets. At Polito's shop, Sirius Designs, the top-end toilet comes with a gold-plated remote control and retails for $31,000.